Newborn Otter Pup Survives Orca Attack in Alaska
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- In an unusually dramatic wildlife response case, the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) has admitted a newborn female northern sea otter pup from Homer, AK. The pup was orphaned following an orca attack incidentally witnessed by ASLC laboratory technician and wildlife response team member Natalie Hunter.
The nerve-wracking incident occurred September 9, 2023, while Hunter and friends were on a recreational fishing trip in Homer, AK. They were excited to spot two wild orcas, and the boat captain shut the motor off to observe from a distance. The group on the boat did not know this was a pod of transient orcas known to predate on mammals, so Hunter and friends did not immediately connect that an otter floating nearby could be a target. It wasn't until a commotion under the otter happened that they realized what they were witnessing. The otter did not attempt to dive away from the whales, and the group realized the otter was carrying a pup when they heard the characteristic young otter calls.
Multiple attacks from the orcas ensued. They saw both the mother otter and pup burst out of the water after an impressive tail slap from one of the orcas. Mom and pup were separated, and the orcas focused their attention on the mother. Eventually, the mother otter did not resurface, and the orca began leaving the area. Persistent cries from the water indicated that the pup had survived the attack. After waiting to ensure the orcas were not returning for the pup and the mother did not resurface, the group called the ASLC Wildlife Response Hotline (1-888-774-7325) to report the incident and wait for further instruction.
Once the ASLC got permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to respond to the pup, the group carefully got the newborn otter out of the water and onto the boat. The group made their way back to the shore, attending carefully to the young otter for the duration of the boat trip. They met the ASLC Wildlife Response team halfway between Seward and Homer, about a two-hour drive, and the ASLC team immediately transported the pup back to the Center. Staff conducted an admit exam and found that the pup was fatigued and hungry, but otherwise seemed to be in good health. A fresh umbilical cord confirmed the patient was only a day - possibly even hours old.
This is the second orphaned otter pup admitted to the ASLC in less than a week. Because northern sea otter pups receive constant care and attention from their mothers until around six months of age, both patients are under 24/7 care from our team during this sensitive time.
Learn more about the ASLC Wildlife Response Program: www.alaskaseal...
Support ASLC's important mission work: 24092.blackbau...
Thanks for all you do to help Gods creatures 🙏😢
I was already sad enough when the mom did not resurface, but after reading in the comments that the pup was a day, maybe just hours old, my heart just sank.... so so sad for the mom and baby, but this pup was SO lucky this all happened in front of the right humans who can help!! Thank you for saving the pup
Looks so adorable while sleeping.
omg this is so sad and beautiful in the same time... thank you for having saved this angel... 🥲sad for his mummy...
Can I have him, his so beautiful ❤
I like to remind myself that there are nice people out there in the world and not just doom and gloom that the mainstream media shows
not only mainstream but far right lame stream media doom and gloom and mean and spite filled.
Poor thing. How sad is mom died. 😪Mom probably tried everything to protect the baby.
I'm glad though baby got saved and is protected now.
I watch these videos to remind myself of the wonderful, caring, action-oriented people who are out there daily making a difference in our world. Thank you so much not only for all that you do, but for posting these videos so the rest of us can bear witness to the greatness that's out there.
I couldn't have said it any better! These people are true HEROES in my eyes! 💯☝️🦦💔💞
This is why I love Alaska SeaLife Center!
They're definitely HEROES! 💯☝️🦦
You people are lifesavers, hat's off to everyone
Ohhhh! I love him! I hope he gets to live his best life ever 🥰 so, so precious
He was just adopted by Shedd Aquarium. He will have a fantastic life with a new otter family!
@@aerochicc awesome! I’m so happy to hear that ❤️
The little guy literally said, Hi!" Live long and prosper, pup🎉🎉
Thank you for saving the pup❤
Great Job! Who Rocks the House? Alaska SeaLife Center Staff Rocks the House with special shout out to Natalie Hunter...Thank you team and of course you too otter jr. for giving those guys the slip. Your mother did what all other mothers (and fathers) would do be it animal or human in your world or ours. Good Luck little buddy...
His cute little Mario and Luigi moustache whiskers 😂
OMG his fur, cries , whiskers are adorable. Love him❤❤❤❤
This is such a sad but beauitiful story. Thank you to all who helped rescue and are helping to care for this poor otter pup! You are amazing! 👋
THE TEEFS 🥺💕💕
Sweet baby.
She is adorable ❤
So cuteee❤
thank you so much for helping her
Thank u all for that u do ❤😊
I read a news recently about orcas hunting for sea otters. Some experts commented if the occasion is something new, because orcas ussually hunt for seals.
OMG to adorable! ❤i love sea otters and I also love orcas but not when there eating baby sea otters 😢so thank you very much for saving this little ones life! 💕✨
Precious baby lucky Orca didn't snack on him... so stinkin CUTE!! Thx 4 taking care of this fur kid !!
I wanna see updates!!
I love your work and thank you for doing it ❤
Maybe is a stupid question but the pups of the animals you work with, does they have grief feelings or something resembling similar due the lost of their parents? Or that is it only a human feeling?
Thank you!
Otters are intelligent, so it’s likely.
Great save!
Too cute
❤❤❤❤
Questi sono veri salvataggi...❤❤❤
Coisa mais lindaaaaa do mundo ❤❤❤❤
Little baby moving her mouth in her sleep! Baby is hungry!! 🩷🩷
Updates!?!?
What's her name??
I think the vid is taken away by the Controllers. It stops
Just hope that the Orcas didn't notice it..
🦦🤎🤎
Dogs of the sea
Nah, that's seals
Its stupid you have to wait for permission in order to even step in and save the baby, knowing it was in distress. :/ that annoys me more then anything. I don't think I could of waited.
Seriously, you don't understand why staying away from attacking orcas and making sure someone who knows how to rear baby otters has value? Not stupid. Smart
@@tallspicy also arent otters protected species in some areas? Wildlife law enforcers do not fuck around in those cases.
Absolutely! We can do harm to them in a hundred different ways, but we they need help you need permission. Stupid.
Denied the orca dinner. No wonder they keep sinking boats.
The mom did all she could, and saved her baby 😥
true.
How sad. Her momma wasn't even a mouthful for the orca. They must have been drawn in by the smell of blood from the birth. Nature can be cruel. I hope the baby makes it. Newborns are so hard to save because they didn't get enough of momma's milk to give them the immunities they need. Second pup in a week means the orca's are targeting the otters. 😞
So do killer whales eat sea otters? 🥺
yes
I cant stand orcas seriously attacking everything but please not the otters. I love the otters!
The pup should be named for Harry Potter because his mom protected him and died for him and saved his life
Based on this incident I can’t watch this channel ever again.
This was a response to JackalopeBunny.. I agree with you 💯%! If I was out there I wouldn't wait till I got a okay! Would've saved that baby as soon as the whale was gone then called!🦦💔