Elderly otter, Exxon Valdez survivor, euthanized

According to The Seattle Times, Seattle Aquarium staff and veterinarians made a difficult decision on Thursday, but one they unanimously think was correct. They had to put "Nuka" the sea otter down. Nuka was rescued after being soaked in oil in Prince William Sound in 1989, and she lived 21 more years in captivity. That's old for any otter, let alone one who had been so thoroughly soaked in crude oil as a young otter that it damaged her fur, skin, immune system and grooming behavior for life. Aquarium personnel say that she had been sickly for years and they kept close track of all her ailments, but recently she took a sharp turn for the worse. Read much more, here.