Earle will be in quarantine for a month before being introduced to the other otters. He still has plenty to keep himself busy, including a pool where he is learning skills like swimming and eating.
Courtesy Oregon Coast Aquarium / AP
The Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport has given a permanent home to an abandoned sea otter pup. Earle was found stranded in Pacific Grove, California.
At just three weeks old he would not have been able to survive without his mother.
He was first taken to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in hopes to find a surrogate and be rereleased into the wild. But none were available.
Oregon Coast Aquarium has all male otters and the space, so it seemed a suitable fit for a permanent home.
“Our habitat is one of the largest for sea otters,” said Curator Megan Pros. “And in having a larger habitat, they can have their own areas. ... Some sort of a territory away from the other otters.”
Earle is currently in quarantine and training for life as an adult. He’s also having lots of fun.
“He is utilizing his habitat really well. He’s all over the place,” Pros said. “He’s got a favorite green ball that he likes to carry around and even sleep with.”