A sea pup found stranded in Olympic National Park is now being cared for at the Seattle Aquarium.
The pup, named Rialto, has been under quarantine and receiving round-the-clock care from aquarium staff.
Here are details from the aquarium's blog:
In early August, a sea otter pup was reported stranded on Rialto Beach, on the outer coast of Washington state. A male, the pup was estimated to be about three weeks old and was in critical condition; very thin and weak.
Shortly after the stranded pup was discovered, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) contacted the Seattle Aquarium with a request to provide triage treatment to stabilize him. While the Aquarium is not a formal rehabilitation facility, we were selected due to our expertise with hand-raising sea otter pups, proximity to the pup's location, and ongoing partnership with both USFWS and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW).
A biologist with WDFW retrieved the pup and coordinated his transport to the Seattle Aquarium. Since then, he has been under quarantine and receiving 'round the clock treatment from the Aquarium's staff veterinarian, Dr. Lesanna Lahner, in tandem with Aquarium biologists and trained volunteers.
Sea otters are managed under many state and federal regulations, and nine sea otter pups were born at the Seattle Aquarium since 1997. Follow this link to read additional sea otter details from the Seattle Aquarium blog.
Cox Media Group
