An orphaned sea otter pup is making her first public appearance this week at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium.
The sea otter named Cayucos was found stranded on a beach in California. She was named after the beach where she was rescued.
Staff at Shedd Aquarium nursed her back to health. The 7-month-old sea otter put on 11 pounds since arriving at the aquarium in January and now weighs 26 pounds.
The aquarium's team gave the pup constant care in a behind-the-scenes sea otter nursery. The otter learned how to groom, forage, feed and regulate her own body temperature.
The Senior Vice President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at Shedd, Jim Robinett, made a statement about the treatment Cayucos received, reports the Huffington Post. According to Robinett, as one of the best marine mammal conservation and education organizations in the country, "it was only natural" that Shedd aided the otter pup in any way they could.
"Shedd's animal care expertise and world-class facility enabled us to offer her a home and the highest quality care that she needs when all options seemed lost," Robinett stated.
Cayucos has now joined the other otters in the Abbott Oceanarium. According to the Huffington Post, almost all of the sea otters in the Oceanarium are rescues.
