Newport, Oregon — A wounded California sea lion was humanely euthanized at Newport’s Port Dock One, following quality of life discussions between the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute, and the Oregon Coast Aquarium (OCAq). In accordance with ODFW policy, there are no rescue or rehabilitation options for sick or injured harbor seals and sea lions in Oregon. While the state policy is to minimize disturbance from people and let nature take its course, there are exceptions, such as when an animal is entangled in debris, harmed by hum ..read more

Tony Arnell has assumed the position of Director of Development at the Oregon Coast Aquarium (OCAq), following Molly Dumas, who retired after seven years with the nonprofit organization. As a core member of OCAq’s senior leadership team, the Director of Development drives strategic planning, secures annual grants and appeals for programs and projects, facilitates planned gifts, and leads membership efforts. “We are thrilled to have Tony join our senior leadership team,” said OCAq President and CEO Carrie Lewis. “His background in conservation and previous successes in fundraising will be a tre ..read more

NEWPORT,  Oregon — Sometimes you take work home with you, and sometimes it shows up in your backyard. That was the case on March 26, when Oregon Coast Aquarium’s (OCAq) Director of Husbandry Jim Burke answered a call about a sea turtle washed ashore near his home on Newport’s South Beach. The report came from Burke’s neighbor Emily Klipfel; knowing that sea turtles are not a typical sight on Oregon’s shores, she called him as soon as she spotted the animal.  Sea turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act—it’s illegal to collect or harass them. OCAq has an endangered spec ..read more

Donations to the Aquarium’s new rehabilitation center will be matched dollar for dollar (up to $50,000) until Earth Day, 2024 The Oregon Coast Aquarium (OCAq) treats an average of 275 marine animals each year, its location on Oregon’s central coast perfectly situated to quickly triage stranded and injured wildlife.  This year, construction is set to begin on the Aquarium’s Sees-Ha Xwee-Nish Marine Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, doubling the Aquarium’s capacity to accept, treat, and release sea turtles, shorebirds, aquatic mammals, and other marine species. The new center will allow ..read more

Elvis is a seal of many names–the most common being “Elvis, the Seal with the Red Eye.”  The second most common is Terminator.   Those nicknames, however, have left the building.  Elvis poses with a pumpkin, 2023  Harbor seals are prone to eye health issues as they age; in 2017, at 24 years old, Elvis developed cataracts and lost vision in his left eye, giving it a distinct red color. Since then, his caretakers have monitored him closely, providing medication and watching for any signs of discomfort.  Recently, Elvis’s ophthalmologist and veterinary ca ..read more

Each morning the California sea lions at the Oregon Coast Aquarium line up and say awe, patiently maintaining the pose as staff peer in to check their teeth and gums. Good dental health is extremely important to overall well-being, and Aquarium mammalogists take time every day to brush and rinse each set of pearly blacks.  A sea lion's mouth hosts symbiotic bacteria, which darkens their teeth and saliva over time During one of these sessions, a mammalogist noted Rosa, the Aquarium’s 10 year old California Sea Lion, had a broken tooth. While it isn’t too uncommon for an animal to lo ..read more

Guests will once again have the chance to spend the night in ‘Passages of the Deep’ Oregon Coast Aquarium (OCAq) is excited to announce the relaunching of its highly popular “Sleep in the Deep” program, once again giving guests the opportunity to “sleep with the fishes.” The sleepover program takes place in OCAq’s iconic Passages of the Deep exhibit , an underwater tunnel coursing through three unique ocean habitats where guests can snooze while surrounded by sharks, rays, wolf eels, and other sea creatures, and join in special after-hours tours and activities. The Sleep in the Deep program ..read more

Oregon Coast organizations have received $1,109,761 in competitive grants from Travel Oregon to fund accessible and inclusive tourism projects in the region; the Oregon Coast Aquarium (OCAq) is among the recipients, having received $100,000 to transform its touch pool. The touch pool transformation is at the center of the Aquarium’s Rocky Shores gallery renovation; the surrounding space will feature updated habitats and signage highlighting some of Oregon’s most unique species. The new touch pool will drastically improve access to hands-on learning; its design prioritizes accessibility, maki ..read more

NEWPORT,  Oregon — On Nov. 19, OCAq staff responded to reports of a stranded turtle at Beachside State Recreational Site near Waldport, Ore . Staff transported the animal to OCAq for immediate triage, where it was identified as a cold-stunned adult male Olive Ridley sea turtle . At just below 60°F, his body temperature was 15° below the norm. As marine reptiles, sea turtles rely on their surroundings for warmth, and experience cold-stunning when exposed to cold temperatures, which renders them incapable of eating or navigating. Turtles can float in a cold-stunned state for weeks, often ..read more

There’s something special about a 10th birthday—a feeling of pride in having reached double digits, an air of wisdom as one looks back on an entire decade of experiences lived and lessons learned. Oswald the southern sea otter just turned 10 years old, and if one were to ask him to share his insight, it would likely be along the lines of “Eat, sleep, hair care regimen, repeat.” Oswald was found stranded as a pup on the coast of California in 2013; with his mother nowhere in sight, he had been either abandoned or orphaned, and was transported to Monterey Bay Aquarium for immediate care.  ..read more