Meet the two new rescued sea otters at the New York Aquarium

CONEY ISLAND, Brooklyn (PIX11) – Move over Moo Deng, New York has two new superstar animals. 

Two rescued sea otters have recently made their way to the New York Aquarium in Coney Island, and as of Thursday, they are ready for visitors.

The two females were rescued off the coast of California and brought to New York once it was decided they were non-releasable, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. 

“These two otters have incredible stories, and we are pleased to see how well they are settling into their new home,” said Leigh Ann Clayton, director of New York Aquarium. 

Sea otters like these two are categorized as threatened species — only around 3,000 remain in the wild, according to United States Fish and Wildlife Service estimates. 

And the two new additions are not alone. Since 1991, the New York Aquarium has rescued and housed 11 sea otters. 

Visitors have been delighted with new friends at New York zoos this year, including a tiny deer species born at the Queens Zoo in August. In July, a baby kangaroo made its first appearance at the Bronx Zoo.