What an Ordeal You've Been Through, Sweet Pup

Last week we told you about an abandoned sea otter pup rescued in Alaska and being cared for by the Alaska SeaLife Center; the ASLC just rescued another pup and this story is dramatic - and may not be suitable for young children. Excerpts from the ASLC’s press release:

The nerve-wracking incident occurred September 9, 2023, while [ASLC laboratory technician and wildlife response team member Natalie] Hunter and friends were on a recreational fishing trip in Homer, AK. They were excited to spot two wild orcas, and the boat captain shut the motor off to observe from a distance. The group on the boat did not know this was a pod of transient orcas known to predate on mammals, so Hunter and friends did not immediately connect that an otter floating nearby could be a target. It wasn't until a commotion under the otter happened that they realized what they were witnessing. The otter did not attempt to dive away from the whales, and the group realized the otter was carrying a pup when they heard the characteristic young otter calls.

Multiple attacks from the orcas ensued. They saw both the mother otter and pup burst out of the water after an impressive tail slap from one of the orcas. Mom and pup were separated, and the orcas focused their attention on the mother. Eventually, the mother otter did not resurface, and the orca began leaving the area. Persistent cries from the water indicated that the pup had survived the attack. After waiting to ensure the orcas were not returning for the pup and the mother did not resurface, the group called the ASLC Wildlife Response Hotline (1-888-774-7325) to report the incident and wait for further instruction.  

Once the ASLC got permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to respond to the pup, the group carefully got the newborn otter out of the water and onto the boat. 

“Her cries were gurgly, and when we got her out of the water, she was soaked,” Hunter recollects. “Her coat wasn’t repelling water and keeping her buoyant like it should have been.”

Despite the pup’s trying circumstances, she was now in experienced and caring hands. The group made their way back to the shore, attending carefully to the young otter for the duration of the boat trip. They met the ASLC Wildlife Response team halfway between Seward and Homer, about a two-hour drive, and the ASLC team immediately transported the pup back to the Center. Staff conducted an admit exam and found that the pup was fatigued and hungry, but otherwise seemed to be in good health. A fresh umbilical cord confirmed the patient was only a day — possibly even hours old. 

“Very rarely do we know how a wildlife response patient got to the location and the condition it was found in. For most reported cases of an abandoned seal or otter pup, we have the reporter watch for a length of time to see if the mother returns. In this rare case, we know exactly what happened to this newborn pup,” said Jane Belovarac, ASLC Wildlife Response Curator. 

This is the second orphaned otter pup admitted to the ASLC in less than a week. Because northern sea otter pups receive constant care and attention from their mothers until around six months of age, both patients are under 24/7 care from our team during this sensitive time.