Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium has a cuddly new resident, an orphaned southern sea otter pup. Pup 681, as she is not-all-that-adorably named, was just 5 weeks old and less than 6 pounds when she arrived at the aquarium in late October.The pup was rescued along the southern coast of California by state wildlife officials and taken to Monterey Bay Aquarium, experts in sea otter rehabilitation. Shedd itself has decades of experience caring for fragile sea otter pups, and quickly accepted an offer to provide the tiny orphan with a permanent home.
Pup 681 is now thriving, marking major milestones, and even learning to swim. Just check her out in action in this Shedd Aquarium video highlight. She WILL be wrapped snugly in a towel. You WILL squeal with delight:
