Monterey Bay Aquarium's surrogate otter Toola boosts sea otter rehabilitation

A pregnant sea otter washed ashore on the Monterey coast suffering seizures from a brain parasite and gave birth to a stillborn pup. Staff at the Monterey Bay Aquarium introduced the otter, named Toola, to an orphaned two‑week‑old pup in her pool. Toola behaved like a wild mother, grooming and teaching the pup to forage without human contact. The pup, released at Elkhorn Slough, survived and reproduced, demonstrating that surrogate mothers can replace round‑the‑clock human care.

The success led the aquarium to expand the surrogate program: non‑releasable female otters are paired with orphaned pups after they shed their natal coat. Toola’s method has been used to raise 13 orphaned pups, ten of which were released and now account for more than half of the sea otter population in the local estuary. The program has improved survival rates and reduced human imprinting on rescued otters.