Millie, a sea otter, is rearing what could be the Aquarium of the Pacific's first orphaned pup to return to the wild. by Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
Millie, a fatigued mother of an infant, was ready for a nap. The population has stabilized over the last five years. Her number denotes that she's the 968th otter to enter the aquarium's rehabilitation program. The pair bonded. Researchers previously thought "experience and knowledge of the ocean was the most important part" of the rearing process, Fujii explained. Now Millie and the pup areThe pandemic around the corner delayed the program's rollout, and it wasn't until September 2023 that the permit was approved. " According to Long, the pup was in a stage akin to the terrible twos. Millie, in a sense, is giving back to the program. However, the Long Beach aquarium has launched an exhibit explaining the program. The rearing pools at the Aquarium of the Pacific are tucked behind a medical center and a marine mammal protection law prohibits livestreaming their activities to the public.
