{"revision":"d54d68e3e30b04c6","item":{"id":"sea-otter-encounter","name":"Sea Otter Encounter, Monterey Bay","tagline":"Face-to-face with the animal that came back from fifty","category":"experience","price":{"amount":75,"display":"~$75 / person","note":"behind-the-scenes feeding tour; verify current pricing","currency":"USD","unit":"person","scope":"unit_estimate","verified":false},"rarity":88,"img":"img/otter-photo.jpg","imageCredit":"EcoNaturalist.com","imageSource":"https://unsplash.com/photos/YWsfj732exA","imageNote":"Sea otter photograph; not a bookable encounter.","palette":["#5aa9c8","#1e4e66","#0b1c26"],"why":"Sea otters were hunted to roughly 50 individuals worldwide by 1911. The ~3,000 alive today descend from that bottleneck, and Monterey Bay's Sea Otter Program has rescued and raised stranded pups for decades — a conservation story you witness from feet away.","story":"You stand at the glass while a trainer feeds urchins to an otter that was found orphaned and would not exist without this program. They hold hands while sleeping so they don't drift apart. You will think about that for weeks.","gift":"For the animal person: a memory instead of an object. Book the feeding tour, not the general ticket — that's the rare part.","where":"Monterey Bay Aquarium, California — 'Otter Spotter' / behind-the-scenes feeding experiences.","hiddenReason":"'Things to do in Monterey' listicles rank the general ticket. The encounter is a sub-page with no reviews funnel — the good version hides one click deeper than the algorithm goes.","tags":["otter","sea otter","monterey","aquarium","zoo","animals","experience","california","gift"],"availability":"unknown","caveat":"The named encounter and $75 estimate are unverified. Confirm the aquarium’s current programs before planning or buying a ticket.","evidenceStatus":"unverified_editorial","verifiedAt":null,"kind":"Wildlife","url":"/rarities/sea-otter-encounter"}}