SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — SeaWorld guests are getting their first look at a sea otter pup recently rescued in Alaska and taken in by San Diego staff for care.
Cinder, an orphaned sea otter brought to SeaWorld earlier this month from Alaska, has nearly doubled in weight and has been hitting all the developmental milestones for her age, the theme park said.
Veterinarians have been caring for the pup around the clock, the park says, and she has been adjusting well to her new home.
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Cinder is viewable just in time for Sea Otter Awareness Week. SeaWorld keepers will be hosting presentations about otters and ways to public can help in their care in the wild through Saturday.
The young pup arrived at the Alaska SeaLife Center underweight and dehydrated, before being transferred to San Diego. Cinder's now weighs a little more than 10 pounds, feeding on a special sea otter milk formula every three hours.
Guests can view Cinder periodically throughout the day at the Otter Outlook nursery.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has deemed Cinder non-releasable, so SeaWorld's Animal Rescue Team and veterinarians have provided constant care.
She is expected to be introduced to the park's other resident female sea otters — Mocha, Coco, Clover and Pumpkin, who range in age from five to nine years old — who were also orphaned.
