Whiffen the otter is getting round-the-clock care from a team of people at the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre.
He has a long road to recovery after being rescued Sunday morning.
Staff from the rescue centre were first called about the otter on Saturday. He had been spotted lying on the beach on Whiffen Spit (from where he gets his name), at the entrance to Sooke Harbour.
At 5 a.m. on Sunday a team set out from Vancouver, caught a 7 a.m. ferry from Tsawwassen to Victoria, then drove through falling snow to reach the beach south of Sooke.
When they got to Whiffen, he was in critical condition. “We found him non-responsive on the beach and exhibiting signs of hypoglycemia,” said Lindsaye Akhurst, manager of the Aquarium’s Rescue Centre. “He required immediate medical intervention before we could transport him back to the Rescue Centre. We weren’t optimistic that he would survive the trip.”
With the help of a team from the BCSPCA Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre, the group rescued the critically injured animal, who was extremely emaciated with undetermined injuries to his hind flippers. Early tests confirmed that he was hypoglycemic, a sign that he has not been meeting his daily caloric requirement for some time.
The team arrived back on the mainland at 6 p.m. and took Whiffen to the rescue centre where staff continues to stabilize him.
“He is on 24-hour intensive care and is being hand-fed every two hours,” said Akhurst. “He is weak and, possibly suffering from fractures in his hind flippers, is not able to groom himself, which can be fatal for sea otters that rely on their coats for warmth.”
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Twelve hours after they rescued Whiffen he finally began to show signs of improvement.
“It is still too early to tell if he will survive but we are doing everything we can to ensure he has the best chance for a successful rehabilitation and eventual release back into local waters,” added Akhurst.
To make a contribution to help this sea otter and others like it, visit the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre’s donation page.
Vancouver Aquarium asks the public to report marine mammals that appear to be in distress by contacting its Marine Mammal Rescue Centre at 604 258 SEAL (7325).
WATCH: Video of Whiffen’s rescue, from the Vancouver Aquarium:
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