In late October 2023, a young sea otter pup was found in the remote coastal town of Seldovia, Alaska, stranded and calling out in distress with no mother in sight.
He was dehydrated, malnourished, and in need of urgent care. Luckily, he was rescued by the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to marine wildlife rehabilitation and research.
The ASLC staff named him Qilak, which means "sky" in Inupiaq, a native Alaskan language. They nursed him back to health, feeding him formula and clam, and teaching him how to groom his thick fur. They also gave him toys and enrichment to keep him stimulated and happy.
But Qilak could not stay at the ASLC forever. He was too young to survive on his own in the wild, and he needed a permanent home where he could thrive and socialize with other sea otters. That's when the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago stepped in.
A new home at Shedd Aquarium
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The Shedd Aquarium is one of only a few facilities in the United States with the resources and expertise to care for rescued sea otters.
The aquarium has a long history of working with the ASLC and other partners to save and rehabilitate orphaned or injured sea otters, and to provide them with a safe and enriching environment.
On November 24, Qilak arrived at his new home at the Shedd Aquarium, after a long journey by plane and car.
He was welcomed by the aquarium's animal care and veterinary staff, who are monitoring and caring for him around the clock.
He has his own behind-the-scenes enclosure, where he can play, swim, and nap. He is also learning to eat solid foods, such as shrimp, squid, and mussels.
Qilak is not alone at the Shedd Aquarium. He will eventually join the five other sea otters who live there: Luna, Cooper, Watson, Suri, and Willow.
They are all rescues, too, and they have their own stories to tell.
They are part of the aquarium's Sea Otter Program, which aims to educate the public about the importance of sea otters and their role in the ecosystem.
Sea otters are considered a keystone species, meaning they have a large impact on their environment and the animals that live in it.
They eat sea urchins and other invertebrates that graze on kelp, a type of seaweed that provides habitat and food for many marine creatures.
By keeping the urchin population in check, sea otters help maintain healthy kelp forests, which in turn support a rich biodiversity of life.
Sea otters are also endangered, due to historical overhunting for their fur, and current threats such as oil spills, habitat loss, and shark attacks.
According to the latest census, there are about 3,000 sea otters in Alaska, and about 3,200 in California. They need our help to protect them and their habitat.
Qilak is one of the lucky ones. He survived a harrowing ordeal, and he found a new family and a new home. He is also a symbol of hope and resilience, and a reminder of the beauty and fragility of nature.
Qilak's name reflects his sky-blue eyes, which are rare among sea otters. But his name also has a deeper meaning, according to the ASLC staff.
"Qilak represents the sky's limit for what we can accomplish through compassion and collaboration," they said in a news release.
Qilak is still growing and learning, and he has a lot of potential. He may even become a surrogate father for other orphaned pups in the future, as part of the aquarium's efforts to support sea otter population recovery.
For now, he is enjoying his new life, and he is looking forward to meeting his new friends.
Qilak's story is not over yet. It is just beginning. And we can't wait to see what he does next.
