A tiny sea otter pup found stranded on a remote beach in Seldovia is now a patient at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, under 24-hour care.
The three-pound pup, who arrived at ASLC on Aug. 8, latched onto a bottle right away and has been eating well since, prompting optimism about her future, said Hanna Sundstrom, veterinary assistant specialist, in a statement issued on Aug. 12.
While the pup, who was initially lethargic and silent, has brightened, the veterinary team is continuing to monitor her closely. Sea otter pups require round-the-clock care, and staff at the center have been feeding and grooming their young charge every two hours, they said.
The center’s wildlife response program is also caring for eight harbor seal pups.
The stranded pup was first noticed by a family camping in Seldovia, who observed the pup on a remote beach. An adult sea otter spotted in the area did not approach the pup, said rescuers Neil Waggoner and Marisa Jaso, who called the center to report the stranded pup.
Once ASLC got permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service they contacted stranding partner Michael Opheium of the Seldovia Village Tribe, who cared for the otter overnight until she could be brought to Homer by water taxi the following day. There the Homer Veterinary Clinic administered fluids to the pup before her car ride to Seward.
Initially the pup coming out of her kennel barely reacted to staff, but once she received some nourishment, she became more animated, boosting caregivers’ hopes for recovery.
The center’s wildlife response program relies on donations from corporate sponsors and individual donors. Donations may be made online at www.alaskasealife.org/donate.
