Last month we told you about the sea otter pup rescued and cared for by Monterey Bay Aquarium. The aquarium couldn't train her for release back to the wild - all their adult female surrogate mother sea otters are already rearing other rescued pups - so 719 is off to Chicago to start her new life at Shedd Aquarium! She's now behind the scenes at Shedd in their Regenstein Sea Otter Nursery, gaining weight and doing well.
Shedd writes that:
Stranded sea otter pups require extensive around-the-clock care and only a handful of facilities in the United States have available space, staff and experience to provide the appropriate care. Currently, 12 institutions across North America, including Shedd, provide homes for 39 nonreleasable southern sea otters. Shedd officials and animal care staff quickly accepted Monterey Bay Aquarium’s call to provide the stranded pup with a permanent home. To ensure the pup receives everything she needs, a rotating team of six to eight animal care experts provides care and attention, near around the clock.
We'll have more on pup 719 in the coming days!