Growing the Next Generation of Sea Otter Surrogates

Shedd Aquarium is playing an important role in providing a temporary home to non-releasable rescued female sea otters in support of Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Surrogacy Program and their surrogacy partner, Aquarium of the Pacific.

For over two years, Suri and Willow, rescued southern sea otters, grew up and learned new skills as caretakers at Shedd prepared them for their next adventure. Now, the pair returned to the Aquarium of the Pacific to potentially become surrogate mothers to orphaned otter pups in support of this innovative conservation program for the endangered species. The animal care team at Shedd Aquarium accompanied Suri and Willow to ensure a smooth transition back to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Additionally, caretakers returned with another non-releasable rescue, temporarily referred to as Otter 937, who will be raised in Chicago’s aquarium until mature enough to potentially become a surrogate mother one day too.

“This is a full circle moment as we deliver on our promise to prepare this pair to potentially help rescued pups return to the wild after learning critical life skills,” said Andrea Oake, manager of sea otters and sea lions at Shedd. “As we say a bittersweet goodbye, we also start the process over again as we say hello to a two-year-old rescued otter until ready to return to our partners. Our care team will work diligently to set this sea otter up for success as a surrogate too. We are proud to play this role in their journey and to be part of this effort to expand the capacity of the surrogacy program.”

The continuation of the collaboration means caretakers are even more confident in growing the next generation of sea otter surrogates. At Shedd, the animal care team offers ample opportunities for non-releasable female otters to practice skills like diving, foraging and hunting that will come in handy to teach pups at the Aquarium of the Pacific or Monterey Bay Aquarium. This could look like sinking carwash strip material that mimics kelp and adding food to crevices to encourage sea otters to dive to the bottom of the habitat, search for food and utilize their pockets.

The newest addition, Otter 937, was originally rescued on a beach in Marina, California by Monterey Bay Aquarium in June 2022. She was estimated to be two weeks old, and experts determined that the combination of rough sea conditions and low fog made any potential to reunite with her mother in the wild unlikely. As such, she received around-the-clock care from Monterey Bay Aquarium for the next six weeks before moving to the Aquarium of the Pacific for continued care and rehabilitation. Now, at over two years old, she enjoys interacting with other otters and caretakers, so Shedd looks forward to her joining the rescued otter raft at the Chicago aquarium.

Otter 937’s journey from California to Chicago was supported by the Sea Otter Foundation & Trust, who work to ensure the survival of sea otters in their habitats. She marks the latest in a continued collaboration among Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) facilities in sea otter conservation efforts.

For now, Otter 937 will remain behind the scenes at Shedd as she gets acclimated to the new habitat and caretakers. Shedd will continue to provide updates on her progress, development and milestones. Additionally, the Chicago aquarium will share when guests might have a chance to see her in the sea otter habitat in the Abbott Oceanarium and any plans to name her.

More information about sea otters at Shedd can be found on the aquarium’s website: https://www.sheddaquarium.org/animals/sea-otter.

BACKGROUND: Sea otters are an endangered species, and although the species is federally protected, sea otters remain at risk. Threats of oil spills, fisheries interactions, predation and disease events have prevented populations from thriving. Sea otters are a keystone species that are a good indicator of ocean health. Specifically, sea otters keep kelp forests healthy by eating sea urchins and other invertebrates that graze on giant kelp. If the animals disappeared, the ecosystem would become unbalanced and unhealthy.

Shedd Aquarium has a long history of supporting rescue, rehabilitation, release, rehome and recovery efforts for sea otters. The Chicago aquarium is one of only a few U.S. institutions with the space, staff and experience to care for non-releasable rescued otter pups. While caretakers will continue to use their skills in times of urgent need for rehabilitation efforts with partners and providing lifelong care for rescued otters, they will also help prepare young female otters to serve as surrogate mothers in the future. Surrogates teach critical life skills to rescued orphaned pups for a chance to return and survive in the wild.

VISUALS: Find high-resolution photos and b-roll video here: https://personal.filesanywhere.com/guest/fs?v=8e70668861626dada06c&C=50. Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium