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Otter 581

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Animal Updates | Mammals | Volunteering

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Hugh

Otter 581
Otter 581 smiling at the camera. She doesn't have a name yet but I'm sure the Aquarium will pick out a perfect one for her.  | Hugh Ryono

Another orphan baby sea otter finds a home in Long Beach

Not yet named but temporarily known by her case number, Otter 581 arrived at the Aquarium of the Pacific a few weeks ago. I first met the little sea otter pup on her first Saturday at the Aquarium. Because of quarantine requirements I couldn’t meet the little furry rag muffin until late in the afternoon after my shift with the exhibit otters had ended. It was worth the wait.

This week I’d like to share some images of her from her first Saturday at the Aquarium.

Otter 581
Otter 581 is as different from Ollie, the second baby otter that I helped raise, as Ollie was from Gidget, aka the "Furball", the first orphan pup that I helped raise. 581 is much calmer and quieter than the first two. "Prim and proper" would be a good way to describe her even at this young age. She reminds me a lot of Brook, the senior otter and queen of our sea otter exhibit.  | Hugh Ryono
Otter 581
581 shows off her furry rear end. Otter's fur, particularly on pups, really poofs out when they're dry.  | Hugh Ryono
Otter 581
581 grooms herself while floating in her quarantine pool. Note how slick she looks when wet. Otters have to constantly groom their fur to keep warm. Something baby otters have to learn and sometimes be helped with.  | Hugh Ryono
Otter 581
A staffer helps dry the spots on 581's fur that the young pup hasn't yet figured out how to reach. Eventually she'll learn how to roll and contort her body to reach these problem spots while grooming. For now though a helpful staffer is there to assist her.  | Hugh Ryono

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