YouTube-starring Vancouver Aquarium sea otter dies

At six months old and too weak to be released into the wild after the spill, she came to the aquarium after being rescued by aquarium staff.

At age 20, she was one of the longest-surviving otters in captivity.

Nyac was often seen floating on her back nibbling food between her paws. Her agile movements and splashy attitude won the hearts of visitors and staff at the aquarium.

"Having survived such a traumatic event and overcoming incredible odds at such a young age, her life has been an amazing journey for all of us to share," said Clint Wright, senior vice-president of aquarium operations and planning.

According to the aquarium, Nyac was the only known survivor of the Exxon Valdez oil spill to have successfully had a pup in an aquarium: a female named Kipnuk born in 1993, which was sent to an aquarium in Belgium.

The aquarium said Nyac's life will continue to provide vital information on the long-term effects of oil exposure.

Sea Otter Awareness Week began five years ago to educate the public about sea otters, their history and the conservation issues they are facing. Sea otters numbered in the hundreds of thousands two and a half centuries ago, but over-hunting in the 18th century nearly led to their extinction. Today, there are between 65,000 and 90,000 sea otters worldwide. Once extinct in British Columbia, 89 sea otters were reintroduced here between 1969 and 1972 and since then that number has grown substantially, now totalling 3,200.