Celebrating One Year of Rescued Sea Otter Seldovia at Shedd

CHICAGO – The most recent rescued sea otter at Shedd, Seldovia, is celebrating his one-year anniversary at the aquarium and his continued growth and progress. On Nov. 29, 2023, the stranded sea otter pup arrived at Shedd Aquarium after a cross-country voyage from Alaska. With the help of Shedd’s animal caretakers, over time the young pup grew in size and learned how to groom his thick coat of fur, forage underwater and crack open tasty crabs and mussels – all while capturing the hearts of people across the country. Now, Shedd reflects on Seldovia’s journey to the aquarium and celebrates one year of his squeaks, chirps and vocalizations delighting Shedd guests and serving as a reminder of his initial rescue and continued resilience.

RESCUE

When Seldovia is on exhibit in the Abbott Oceanarium, he’s easy to identify because he vocalizes much more frequently than the other sea otters at Shedd, a natural behavior for younger animals. Yet, these squeaks are more than just an endearing quality; these vocalizations also helped rescuers first find the pup.

In the remote Alaskan town of Seldovia in October 2023, members of the Seldovia Village Tribe (SVT) and additional community members found a stranded northern sea otter pup swimming along the docks and vocalizing his distress. There was no mother in sight and another adult male sea otter was approaching the pup aggressively.

“The rescue of Seldovia was quite harrowing,” said Stephen Payton, SVT environmental program coordinator who assisted in the sea otter pup’s rescue. “Fortunately, we were on site with other concerned community members who worked together to ensure his safety. Seldovia’s resilience and survival are a testament to the strength of these remarkable animals.”

Whether or not an animal appears in need of rescue, any human interaction with wildlife should be treated with caution and the guidance of experts. Members of SVT and the community are trained volunteers to recognize signs of distress and strandings in marine mammals that live along the coast.

The concerned onlookers contacted the 24-hour hotline for the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), the only permitted stranding marine mammal response facility in the state. Experts from ASLC admitted the dehydrated, malnourished and wounded sea otter pup to their Wildlife Response Program and provided the pup with the 24/7 care necessary for rehabilitation. The pup was deemed non-releasable, so ASLC needed to find him a home. That’s when Shedd answered the call.

JOURNEY

Shedd Aquarium is one of only a handful of institutions in North America that have the space, staff and expertise to care for a sea otter pup. Shedd quickly accepted ASLC’s request to provide the stranded pup with a new home, continuing a long-standing commitment to respond to animals in need through rescue, rehabilitate, release and rehome efforts.

A member of Shedd’s animal care team traveled from Seward, Alaska to Chicago, Illinois with the sea otter pup at an estimated eight weeks old. For the first few weeks and months, the pup remained behind the scenes with caretakers receiving around-the-clock care and monitoring as he reached important developmental milestones.

HOME

As the pup settled into his new surroundings, he also learned important skills and met critical milestones. He was slowly weaned from formula to high-quality, sustainable seafood, formed bonds with his caretakers, mastered important sea otter skills like grooming and foraging and met the other rescued sea otters at Shedd. In February 2024, he received a warm welcome for his debut on exhibit after making significant progress in his growth and socialization.

Shedd partnered with SVT, the original rescuers that saved the pup’s life, to enlist their help in naming the sea otter pup. Kids voted and Seldovia was the winner – representing where the pup was found and serving as a lifelong reminder of his story and connection to his native range.

Seldovia has made great strides and now weighs 40 pounds, comparable to the other sea otters at Shedd. He can open clams and mussels on his own and is eating all the food types that the adult sea otters eat. The animal care team provides Seldovia with plenty of opportunities to experience new sights, smells and sensations, which provide enrichment and variety that can encourage mental stimulation and physical exercise. Seldovia can often be seen on exhibit swimming around with enrichment items and sometimes even falling asleep while floating in the water with a sea star enrichment piece. Additionally, guests can potentially spot Seldovia from the rest of the otters by looking for his dark brown fur and caramel-colored cheeks – and of course, his loud squeaks and chirps.

"One animal can have an infinite impact on so many people, and this otter in particular has a special place in the hearts of many – from the original rescuers to our partners that rehabilitated him and our caretakers and Chicagoans that have come eye-to-eye with Seldovia over this year," said Andrea Oake, manager of sea otters at Shedd Aquarium. "Our rescued sea otter raft is a constant reminder that animals deserve a second chance at life, and it's an honor to provide the care and compassion to make that possible."

Today, Seldovia continues to serve as an ambassador for his species, forming connections with guests and encouraging them to take action to protect sea otters in the wild. Sea otters are endangered and face prominent threats like predation, fisheries interaction, disease, oil spills and pollution. As a keystone species, sea otters help keep the ecosystem in balance.

“Seldovia's story is a reminder of the critical role we all play in protecting and preserving wildlife,” said Payton.

Guests can support Shedd’s mission and rescue work by becoming a member, donating to the aquarium or planning a visit to see Seldovia soon to celebrate his one-year anniversary at Shedd!

VISUALS: High-resolution photos and broadcast-quality video can be found here: https://personal.filesanywhere.com/guest/fs?v=8e6f6b8f61626fa672af&C=50. 
Photo/Video Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Name on files unless otherwise noted as Alaska SeaLife Center
Permit Number: USFWS MA73418B-1. The permit number must remain on all visuals of the pup at ASLC and cannot be cropped out.