Sea otters have got to be one of the most adorable creatures on planet earth. Their playful personalities, ingenuity and furry little whiskered faces are enough to melt the heart of just about anyone. However, one otter’s true resourcefulness became quite apparent back in 2016 when she entered the Monterey Bay Aquarium to give birth to her pup. (1)
Wild Sea Otter Enters Private Property
Not only is the otter mom in question rather clever, but she also has a bit of a criminal mind. She “broke into” the Monterey Bay Aquarium where staff posted, “a wild female sea otter had been using the protected basin of our Great Tide Pool to rest from the winter storms.” They also note this behavior is “rare for a healthy sea otter to visit the pool so frequently.” (1)
Sea Otter Mom Raises Concerns
Her appearance had staff wondering if the mom was healthy. Their blog expresses that staff “started to wonder if she was doing all right.” However, it wasn’t long before the team went from raised concern, to raised eyebrows when they realized why the mom sought out sanctuary at their site. (1)
Brand New Sea Otter Pup
Their blog explained the staff “witnessed a BRAND NEW pup resting on her belly, being furiously groomed by a proud momma.” “We’re talking umbilical-chord-still-attached, whoa-is-that-yep-that’s-the-placenta new-born otter pup,” the aquarium’s blog said. (1)
Sea Otter Pup Wins Hearts
Once the pup was discovered, it was destined for fame. The aquarium staff realized a photo op when they saw it and shared photos and videos of the new arrival. The mom and pop became instant stars, reaching millions of happy followers. (1)
Sea Otter Pair In The Tide Pool
The mom found a safe haven to protect her newborn in the Great Tide Pool of the aquarium. The mother and baby duo provided plenty of shareable content as they frolicked in the water together. Mom also showed off her parenting skills as she groomed and swam with her furry little new family addition. (1)
Sea Otters Hunted To Near Extinction
According to the aquarium, these adorable creatures were hunted to “near extinction” not too long ago. “Maybe 50 were left in all of California by the early 1800’s,” they noted in their blog post. “But now, thanks to legislative protection and a change of heart toward these furriest of sea creatures, the otter population has rebounded to steady levels in the Monterey Bay, and with 3,000 total in central California.” Hurray! (1)
Sea Otter Single Moms
New otter pups need mom’s attention for about six to eight months, 24/7. These little fur balls are as helpless as a human infant during this time. They live off mom’s milk for the first few weeks, before the pup learns how to find food and eat at sea. (2)
All this happens with no help from dad, since apparently, sea otters are single moms. Just like humans, female otters remain attached to their offspring well into their senior years. They also average a new birth each year. This keeps otter moms busy, since they average a lifespan of 10 to 15-years. Such is the life of a female sea otter. (2)
