This orphaned sea otter pup will steal your heart

Just weeks after being found close to death on a California beach, an orphaned sea otter pup is starting to thrive at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium.

The pup was found in distress by a woman walking along Coastways Beach, and brought to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The otter was thought to be about a week old, and weighed just 2 pounds. After receiving intensive care, she grew to 22.6 inches and gained almost 4 pounds, and was deemed healthy enough to make the trip back east to Chicago.

Now at the Shedd Aquarium, she will have six to eight animal care experts with her 24 hours a day, and will learn how to groom, forage, and feed. "It truly takes a village to rehabilitate a young sea otter," said Tom Binder, vice president of animal collections for the Shedd Aquarium. "Our animal care team is teaching the pup how to be an otter."

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