Abandoned Sea Otter Finds A Home

An abandoned sea otter found in Alaska now has a forever home at the Vancouver Aquarium. The adorable little otter pup was found alongside a road near the small town of Homer. The tiny and scared critter was given emergency care at the Alaska SeaLife Center.

The stranded young sea otter is now receiving around the clock medical care in Vancouver. The price tag for the pup’s care is quite extensive – $40,000. Aquarium officials stated that the bulk of the expense went to cover the cost of flying in sea otter experts.

A statement from the Vancouver Aquarium about the abandoned sea otter notes that staffs have already created a “special bond” with the animal. The facility is now asking for helping naming the female otter pup.

She is approximately seven months old and weighs around 33 pounds. She reportedly has a voracious appetite. The yet unnamed rescued little sea otter is particularly fond of shrimp, clams, crab, and squid.

In the near future, the little otter will start hanging out with another Alaskan wilderness refugee. Tanu, also a female, was found stranded in Alaska in 2004. Sea otters are typically found along the coasts of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia.

At the beginning of the 20th Century, approximately 2,000 sea otters were all that remained the wild. Conservation efforts helped increase the wild otter population to nearly 150,000. The species, a part of the weasel family, are now protected by federal statutes.

The Vancouver Aquarium has three name options selected for the abandoned sea otter. Folks can go to the facility’s Twitter page and cast a ballot for the following name suggestions – Katmai, Susitna, or Glacier.

Sea Otter Pup Videos

[Image Source: Vancouver Aquarium]