Taylor Swift‘s dedicated fans, known as ‘Swifties,’ have demonstrated their powerful influence once again, this time by raising over $2.3 million to help protect sea otters.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium reported a huge increase in donations to its Sea Otter Program after a singer wore a retro aquarium T-shirt in her new film, “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” according to The Daily Mail.
We weren’t sure what would happen at first,” said a representative from the aquarium. “But it soon became obvious this wasn’t just a fleeting trend—it was a chance to significantly expand our Sea Otter Program and reach people all over the world.
The spokesperson explained that they are dedicated to doing this responsibly, in line with their core principles. This shirt is being released as a token of appreciation for supporters of their fundraising campaign. By prioritizing ethical sourcing and avoiding fast fashion, the campaign will help protect sea otters and support important ocean conservation efforts.
The aquarium announced that their fundraising campaign quickly exceeded its $1.3 million goal, reaching it only seven hours after it began on October 16th.
By October 17th, donations had skyrocketed to over $2.3 million, almost twice the initial goal.
Before the aquarium’s fundraiser even began, the team saw a surge of $13 donations – a clear reference to Taylor Swift’s lucky number.
Once the singer’s outfit choice went viral, demand exploded.
According to the spokesperson, social media lit up as soon as people noticed the shirt. Fans quickly began tagging the company, and there are reports of moviegoers actually cheering when they saw it on screen. It’s sparked a lot of fond memories, with many people sharing stories about visiting as kids—some even said they used to own the same T-shirt!
The design, which shows two otters swimming in kelp, was originally printed in 1993 by Harborside Graphics. That company was later bought by Liberty Graphics, a business in Maine.
The aquarium partnered with Liberty to bring back the design in an environmentally friendly way, offering it as a thank-you gift to donors who gave $65.13 or more.
These shirts are made of 100% cotton and printed with eco-friendly, water-based inks. Plus, they’re shipped without any plastic, which supports the aquarium’s dedication to protecting our oceans.
The organization released a statement saying that the recent attention on their sea otter conservation efforts – whether intentional or not – has generated increased support and awareness for the Aquarium’s ongoing commitment to ocean conservation.
The aquarium quickly sold out of all 42,500 adult-sized shirts and 7,500 children’s shirts. Because so many people wanted them, they started taking pre-orders to fulfill the high demand.
The aquarium reported receiving many $13 donations after a video went viral, which they attribute to Taylor Swift fans. They expressed gratitude, saying the fans are backing up their support for sea otters and ocean conservation with real action.
Taylor Swift’s love of otters could also stem from her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, who is known to be a big fan of them.
You know, as a lifestyle expert, I’m always fascinated by the little things that bring couples closer. And I just learned the cutest one! Apparently, Travis and Jason Kelce have this adorable thing going on – otters have become a little inside joke and a recurring symbol of their bond. It’s just so sweet to see how they find little ways to connect and share a laugh!
Honestly, the internet is mostly for sourdough recipes for me, and getting adorable otter videos Travis sends me – thanks to whatever the Instagram algorithm decides I need to see! It’s the best.
Kelce replied: ‘I want a wild otter so bad. I just want to, like, find these little creatures.’
Swift explained that the man was looking for a particular otter – one whose life he’d personally rescued. He emphasized it needed to be an otter that *knew* he had been saved by him – it was a very specific request.
She explained that he wouldn’t just approach and take an otter from its mother. Instead, he imagines a scenario where he finds an otter with its paw stuck in a shell, helps free it, and the grateful otter expresses its thanks with a sweet gesture.
Kelce laughed: ‘And I just bring him anchovies every couple of months.’
The couple even joked about carrying cans of sardines on outings ‘just in case’ they encounter one.
‘It’s better in principle than it is in practice — easier to conceptualize,’ Swift quipped.
Kelce summed it up: ‘I’m on the hunt for a friend.’
For over forty years, the aquarium has been dedicated to saving sea otters. Since the 1980s, their Sea Otter Program has rescued, cared for, and released more than 1,000 of these animals.
The Aquarium has been dedicated to protecting these amazing animals since its beginning in 1984. Through exhibits like the Sea Otter display and partnerships with researchers, we’ve helped people learn about and support sea otter recovery. While we’ve seen positive steps in bringing back southern sea otter numbers, there’s still a lot more to do to ensure their future.
According to a spokesperson, the money collected from the campaign will go directly towards helping animals, funding research in the field, and protecting our oceans.
The Aquarium is a non-profit that relies on donations and grants to fund its conservation efforts. They explained that money raised from this campaign will specifically support their Sea Otter Program and broader ocean conservation work.
With the numbers still rising, aquarium staff have expressed how touched and motivated they are by the support from Taylor Swift and her fans.
The spokesperson expressed sincere gratitude for everyone’s incredible support, saying the Aquarium was deeply touched by the overwhelming show of love. They explained that this support could inspire millions more people to help the sea otters they rescue and protect our oceans, which would be a huge win for the Aquarium.
The pop star was also in the news this week for donating $100,000 to help two-year-old Lilah fight a rare and aggressive brain cancer, as detailed on her GoFundMe page.
It’s unknown how Taylor Swift found out about Lilah’s illness, but an Instagram account dedicated to supporting children with serious health issues shared that the little girl is a big fan of the singer.
The post featured a picture of bright, handmade friendship bracelets. Another cancer patient was selling them to help raise money for Lilah’s expensive medical care.
According to an Instagram post, Lilah told TS she wanted to be best friends, and that’s what inspired her mom to make a friendship bracelet. Because Lilah’s initials are LS, the name ‘Lilah Strong’ felt like a perfect fit!
Taylor Swift has been actively involved in philanthropy lately. She’s made donations to food banks nationwide, spent time with patients at Children’s Mercy Hospital, and generously awarded $197 million in bonuses to the entire crew of her 2023-2024 Eras Tour.
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2025-10-19 20:34