Frequently Asked Questions

How many North Coast Otter sculptures were there?
There were 108 North Coast Otters, plus Bunty, the Moor Otter, from England!

When did Otter Spotters bid for an otter sculpture online?

  • Last chance to bid online for the remaining OtterArt sculptures: 6 pm, Wednesday, 15 September 2021.
  • Last chance to view North Coast Otters is Wednesday from noon, 15 September 2021 at the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center 921 Waterfront Drive, Eureka

I love that otter! What is the ‘Adoption Option’?

Community members ‘adopted’ an otter to effectively ensure that they won that otter! The agreed ‘adoption option’ rate was $5,000, which supported the cause (e.g. river otters, student opportunities, and clean water habitats)!

How do I get a copy of the Commemorative Auction Catalog?

The lovely catalog is available from Cal Poly Humboldt Press. Download a free catalog pdf here.

Tell me about the Otter Art and Ecology school program!
Cal Poly Humboldt students in the Natural Resources Environmental Education and Interpretation program designed a curriculum that reaches multiple Next Generation Science Standards for 3rd through 5th grade. The program was delivered to seven schools in Humboldt county in Spring semester 2020 and then converted into a downloadable pdf and mini-videos for teachers and families.

What’s the Junior Otter Spotter project all about?
In addition to the Otter Art and Ecology school program, Humboldt students created a Junior Otter Spotter Activities booklet (download small PDF 36 MB / download large PDF 70 MB). Youngsters used this activity book to learn about wild river otters while practicing their own artwork to become a ‘Junior Otter Spotter’ and to win a sticker. 

Tell me about the raffle prizes! 
All summer long, Otter Spotters used the the Guidebook (download) to search for the otters and support local businesses. 

After 20 OtterArt otters were found, records were submitted for a chance to win:

• Los Bagels breakfast for 2

• Adventures Edge gift certificates

• Organic Coffee at the Straw House

• Free entry passes – Sequoia Park Zoo

• Adventure tours with Pacific Outfitters

• Crab sandwich lunch for 2 at Gill’s By the Bay

• Message session @ Soul Feet (Crescent City)

• Voucher at Oberon Grill 

• Gift cards from Organic Grace (Garberville)

• Birdwatching and Otter Spotting tour with North Coast Otters

‘Most Sustainable Otter Spotter’ prizes were awared to those showing how they completed their North Coast Otter treasure hunt(s) in a sustainable way (e.g. biking, hiking, and electric vehicles).

How sustainable was your project?
We reduced our carbon footprint in some small, but creative ways. We reached out to colleagues in the IUCN Otter Specialist Group and created a self-imposed type of ‘carbon tax’ to compensate for the production and shipment of the otter sculptures. Our ‘carbon tax’ donation was used to support education and research on the Asian small-clawed otter on Palawan Island in the Philippines. This otter species has a “vulnerable” designation category of threatened species. We also chose to reduce our carbon footprint in the following ways:

The plinths (stands) displaying the Otter Art sculptures were built using local, high quality craftsmanship from locally harvested wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). No shipping required.

The North Coast Otter maps and booklets were printed on recycled paper from printers with green printing techniques, and we were posted for viewing online and as pdfs for downloading.

No single use products, disposable merchandise, or trinkets were created or sold by North Coast Otters (extra stuff).

During the treasure hunt to seek sightings and selfies with the Otter Art sculptures, we encouraged the most sustainable approaches to travel that works for Otter Spotters (e.g. biking, hiking, and electric vehicles).

What about Cal Poly Humboldt student involvement?

The exceptional students that helped prepare and deliver this project included Jessica Barger, Brissa Christophersen, Sarah Duffy, Rachael Garcia, Riley Gorman, Julie Hartman, Emily Harvey, Brighton Hayashida, Karlee Jewell, Michelle Kunst, Christi Nash, Isabelle Otillio, Joshua Overington, Natalie Sanman, Ben Sparks, Anna Spitzer, Rosemary Torres, Korinn Trinies, and Whitney Vickers.

I love this project! How do I donate to the cause?
Please visit our donations link. The cause: river otters, student opportunities, and clean water habitats!

I saw a wild river otter! How do I tell you about it?
Send your observations to otters@humboldt.edu, telling us when, where, how many adults and smaller pups, and the otters’ behavior. Or type the information on this form online.