Waiting For The Reunion -- Longest-Living Otter Dies At Aquarium

SEATTLE - The world's oldest known sea otter and the only one to rear pups to adulthood in captivity in the United States died yesterday at the Seattle Aquarium.

Initial medical reports indicate Etika, about 28, died of old age, the aquarium said in a news release. In the wild, sea otters have an average life span of 15 to 20 years.

"Etika has contributed more information about reproduction and husbandry than any other otter in history," said C.J. Casson, a marine-mammal biologist at the aquarium. "There is a bit of Etika in every otter breeding program across the world."

Etika, born in Prince William Sound, Alaska, was a resident of the Seattle Aquarium since it opened in 1977. In 1979 she gave birth to the first sea otter conceived, born and raised to maturity in captivity. Etika eventually reared four pups.