Watch CBS News

Sea otter pup rescued in California finds new home

Human caretakers in Chicago are teaching one of their newest residents -- an orphaned otter -- how to be an animal
Aquarium gives orphaned otter a second chance at life 01:30

A sea otter pup orphaned off the California coast has found a new home -- in Chicago.

The Shedd Aquarium adopted the animal who was orphaned by her mother about five weeks ago. The pup was rescued after a jogger in the San Francisco Bay area heard her crying on the beach, CBS Chicago reported.

npotter110514.jpg
"Pup 681" has found a permanent home at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium. CBS News

She was taken to Monterey Bay Aquarium, a leading research facility in sea otter rehabilitation. It called Shedd to take the pup in permanently.

The sea otter, now known only as "Pup 681" arrived at the aquarium Oct. 28, weighing less than six pounds.

Christy Sterling, Shedd's assistant supervisor of penguins and otters, helps to take care of the aquarium's new addition and says workers will have to teach her to groom herself.

"We'll put her on a white towel and get a white washcloth and she kind of has picked up on working on spots herself, but we'll help out as well and she'll learn to rub on the white towel and get that water out of her fur," said Sterling.

No name has been chosen for the rescued sea otter yet.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.