Otters and octopus at Seattle Aquarium

It's a boy, and he's a furry charmer.

The latest addition to Seattle Aquarium's Alaskan sea otter population is a male pup born in December and now on display with his mom, Lootas. The as-yet-unnamed little cutie is the fourth offspring for Lootas, who was orphaned as a pup before living at the aquarium and is now such a successful otter mom that she's a grandma, too, by a pup born to her daughter Aniak, who also resides at Seattle Aquarium. The busy otters are a visitor favorite; learn more about them at narrated feeding and training activities at 11:30 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. daily.

Octopus Week highlights another of the aquarium's fascinating residents, the giant Pacific octopus, with craft activities for kids, octopus feeding and programs through Sunday.

Divers visit the octopus in the Underwater Dome Thursday and Friday, and a giant Pacific octopus will be released into Elliott Bay at noon Saturday, followed and videotaped by divers as it takes up residence in Puget Sound.

Other aquarium exhibits include Pacific Coral Reef, Salmon, Birds and Shores, Life on the Edge, Sound to Mountains and Searching for Sixgills, a look at the largest of 11 species of sharks in local waters.

The aquarium hosts a permanent research station on the seafloor beneath the building as part of an effort to learn more about the elusive Sixgill sharks, with videos and presentations on the program daily for visitors.

The Seattle Aquarium, at Pier 59 on the Seattle waterfront, opens at 10 a.m. daily, including holidays, and visitors can stay up to an hour past the 5 p.m. close of ticket sales. Admission is $5-$12. For more information, call 206-386-4320 or see www.seattleaquarium.org.

— Madeline McKenzie, Seattle Times staff