The Alaska SeaLife Center admitted a 2-day-old sea otter to the facility Sunday, according to a press release from the center.
A family camping on a Seldovia beach found the otter stranded there, the center said. The family left the pup there for a day, and then called the SeaLife Center when they determined the young otter was abandoned.
The team at the SeaLife Center reached out to Michael Opheium of the Seldovia Village Tribe, who cared for the otter overnight until she could be transported via water taxi to the mainland the following day. Officials at the Homer Veterinary Clinic gave her fluids before she was taken to Seward, the center said.
The otter arrived weak but fairly stable, according to the release. Center veterinarians and assistants at the SeaLife Center reported that they were concerned about the little pup, just under 3 pounds, because it wasn’t as vocal as most sea otters.
The team at the SeaLife Center has been able to bottle feed the pup and continues to monitor her closely.
Reach reporter Camille Botello at camille.botello@peninsulaclarion.com.
