This past Mother's Day just got a little bit sweeter. An Aquarium in California rescued two otters from the wild and have been training them to become surrogate moms. Now, the two rescue otters are being put to the test as they become surrogate mothers for baby otters in need.
Rescue Otters Become Surrogate Moms In Beautiful Moment
Shutterstock Image
Southern sea otters Suri and Willow were rescued from the wild and are never able to return. Rather than focus on the negative, these two sea otters were given a very special job. Two years ago, they were transferred from their home at the Aquarium of the Pacific in California to Chicago's Shedd Aquarium. Why, you may wonder. To begin training to be surrogate mothers to baby otters in need.
The last two years have been intense for the rescue otters. After all, becoming surrogate moms is no easy task. Luckily, Suri and Willow were up to the challenge. The staff at Shedd ensured that the two otters had all the skills they would need to be the best mamas. Once equipped with the skills and knowledge, Suri and Willow returned to their home at the Aquarium of the Pacific.
Now, they can test their new mother skills by teaching and carrying for otter pups. The goal is for these mama otters to help the babies recover and hopefully return to the wild one day. This happens through the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sea Otter Surrogacy Program. Which helps orphaned pups learn essential survival skills from surrogate mothers before returning them to the wild.
Full Circle Moment
Although Suri and Willow are out of the program, Shedd Aquarium staff's work is far from over. Recently, they recieved a new otter to their facility, ready for mom-to-be training. Currently, staff are calling that otter Otter 937.
Andrea Oake, manager of sea otters and sea lions at Shedd, shared a statment with People Magazine. She shared, "This is full circle moment." She continued, "As we say a bittersweet goodbye, we also start the process all over gain as we say hello to a two-year-old rescued otter until ready to return to our partners." Now the team is tasked with making sure that Otter 937 will be a fantastic surrogate mama as well.
Additionally they share some of the skills that are taught to their rescue otters that are hoping to become surrogate moms. Some of those skills include practicing "diving, foraging, and hunting skills so she can hopefully pass those talents on to the orphaned otter pups in the future."
Although Otter 937 can never return to the wild herself, due to her dependence on humans, she can give these otter pups a second chance at life, and I can think of no better purpose for this adorable rescued animal.
