SAN DIEGO — May 31 marks National World Otter Day and SeaWorld San Diego is celebrating the occasion by announcing the welcoming of their newest otter — Chilly.
The southern sea otter was rescued in 2021 after being freed from a fishing line entanglement. Upon rescue, Chilly was cared for by the Marine Mammal Center and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, officials said.
Chilly, named after her thermoregulation condition, suffered extensive wounds and did not fully heal after one year of rehabilitation care, the park explained. The otter’s fur didn’t cover all of her scarred areas. Despite this, officials say she was otherwise healthy.
After careful consideration, her care team at Monterey Bay Aquarium and the experts with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that Chilly is “unlikely to survive in the wild” and officially deemed her non-releasable.
Now, Chilly’s permanent home will be SeaWorld’s Otter Outlook, which the parks says is now home to seven rescued southern sea otters.
“We have been impressed with Chilly’s quick adjustment to her new environment at SeaWorld. She has been getting along with the other otters and her care team, and is exhibiting a playful personality,” said John Stewart, Zoological Curator at SeaWorld San Diego.
Officials say the California population of sea otters is less than 3,000 animals and the species is currently listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
SeaWorld guests can visit Chilly, along with the park’s other southern sea otters, for an up close look at the species.