Abby the otter. Photo: @MontereyAq/Twitter

This has been a banner year for animals who have caught the public’s attention due to their size or beauty: the Big Cow, the Fat Bear, the Hot Duck. Perhaps that’s why the Monterey Bay Aquarium was extra enthusiastic when describing a photo they posted of Abby, a resident sea otter, on Tuesday. “Abby is a thicc girl. What an absolute unit. She c h o n k. Look at the size of this lady,” they wrote. “OH LAWD SHE COMIN.” Abby did indeed look robust and magnificent.

Abby is a thicc girl

What an absolute unit

She c h o n k

Look at the size of this lady

OH LAWD SHE COMIN

Another Internetism ! pic.twitter.com/s5fav2gu09 — Monterey Bay Aquarium (@MontereyAq) December 18, 2018

The tweet went viral, as it was intended to, though it was also met with criticism. As a result, the aquarium then posted a lengthy thread on Wednesday evening, apologizing for their original message. What follows is one of the most memorable apologies since the great Bisexual Taco-gate of 2016. “Hey everyone. It has come to our attention that some of the references in this tweet are problematic and insensitive,” it began. “We’re posting here in the thread so that people who have engaged with this tweet will join us in our learning moment.”

Hey everyone. It has come to our attention that some of the references in this tweet are problematic and insensitive. We're posting here in the thread so that people who have engaged with this tweet will join us in our learning moment. 1/4 — Monterey Bay Aquarium (@MontereyAq) December 19, 2018

If our tweet alienated you, please know that we are deeply sorry, and that we offer our sincerest apologies. If you follow our feed, we often reference popular memes to talk about the ocean. In this case, the memes used had connotations we were unaware of until now. 2/4 — Monterey Bay Aquarium (@MontereyAq) December 19, 2018

In particular, several terms referenced originated from African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and specifically reference Black women's bodies. Using them in a sea otter meme without that background makes insinuations we never intended. We need to do better. 3/4 — Monterey Bay Aquarium (@MontereyAq) December 19, 2018

Our mission is to inspire conservation of the ocean, and we're thankful for your support as we try to advance that mission on social media. We're also thankful for those of you out there pointing out our blindspots and how we can improve. Thanks everyone. 4/4 — Monterey Bay Aquarium (@MontereyAq) December 19, 2018

“If you follow our feed, we often reference popular memes to talk about the ocean. In this case, the memes used had connotations we were unaware of until now,” it continued. “In particular, several terms referenced originated from African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and specifically reference Black women’s bodies. Using them in a sea otter meme without that background makes insinuations we never intended. We need to do better.”

The responses to the apology ranged from people who thanked the aquarium to others who believed that they should’ve never caved to the outrage.

There’s another twist to the story: Christine DeAngelo, the mammal curator for the aquarium, told the Los Angeles Times that Abby — who’s 11 years old and weighs 46 pounds — isn’t actually exceptionally large. “That’s not blubber or anything,” she explained. “It’s just the angle of her hips and the way she’s rolled. She’s one of our most photogenic animals.”

Regardless of how you feel about Abby the otter, the aquarium’s original tweet, or their apology, I have one brilliant suggestion for how this could’ve all been avoided.