Mother knows best as sea otter adopts orphaned pup at California aquarium
Summary
A young female sea otter named Rey is caring for an orphaned pup named Sunny at the Aquarium of the Pacific in California. The aquarium uses a surrogacy program to help motherless otter pups survive and teaches them skills they need, although some otters like Sunny and Rey cannot return to the wild.Key Facts
- Rey, a southern sea otter about two and a half years old, was found stranded in 2023 and later became a surrogate mother.
- Sunny, a two-week-old pup, was found orphaned on a California beach and paired with Rey at the aquarium.
- The Aquarium of the Pacific started its otter surrogacy program in 2024, working with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s long-running program.
- The program has helped rehabilitate and release nine otters into the wild so far.
- Sunny and Rey cannot be released into the wild because they are used to humans and lack survival skills.
- Sea otters have thick fur with up to a million hairs per square inch, which traps air and helps them float.
- Surrogate mothers like Rey teach pups how to find food and use tools, important skills for survival.
- California’s southern sea otter population is recovering from near extinction, now around 3,000 animals, but still faces threats like parasites and attacks.
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