Draper aquarium opens public vote to name its first otter pups

DRAPER — The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium has opened a public vote to name the first two Asian small-clawed otter pups born at the Draper facility, with voting closing Oct. 20 12.

The litter, one male and one female, was born June 6, 2026 to two resident otters, Kai and Emmie, the aquarium says. It is the first time the species has been born there 1. The aquarium announced the birth earlier this year and is now asking the public to pick the names 2.

Voters choose one name for each pup from a shortlist of three. The female options are Bulan, Tala and Ayu; the male options are Surya, Bintang and Bayu, with the meanings given as Indonesian or Tagalog, the Draper Herald reported 2.

Voting is on the aquarium's own page and requires an email address. A voter may vote as many times as they like, stacking every vote on one name or splitting them between several, and may return to vote again 1. The top-voted names become the pups' official names, and the aquarium will draw one winner per pup from those who chose the winning name, each receiving four tickets 1. Winners will be announced on social media after voting closes 1.

The pups spent their first months behind the scenes with Kai and Emmie while the family bonded, and are now beginning training with the aquarium's animal care team, so they may not always be visible to guests 1. The Asian small-clawed otter habitat is presented by the Dell Loy Hansen Family Foundation 1, and the aquarium is at 12033 Lone Peak Parkway in Draper 1.

Sources: 1 Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, "Asian Small-Clawed Otter Pups" https://livingplanetaquarium.org/asian-small-clawed-otter-pups/ 2 Draper Herald, "Draper aquarium opens public vote to name first otter pups," Oct. 14, 2026 https://draperherald.com/articles/draper-aquarium-opens-public-vote-to-name-first-otter-pups-mv8h4uam