Walter the blind Sea Otter Finds New Home at Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver, Canada – the adorable sea otter now blind as a result of a shotgun blast has taken up residence at the Vancouver Aquarium where he will be receiving long-term care. The otter, affectionately named Walter, will be cohabitating along with three other otters. The shotgun blast that took his eyesight also inflicted heavy injuries on him.

He has thus far survived multiple surgeries at the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre. Among the issues addressed was his fractured flipper. Otters must constantly perform maintenance on their furs in order to withstand cold weather. Without the aid of his flipper he would certainly have died. In addition, he required dental work.

Dr. Martin Haulena of the aquarium said a number of pellets were removed from Walter’s body.

“Although we successfully rehabilitate and release nearly a hundred animals each year, Walter needs to remain in human care, since he can no longer fend for himself in the wild,” said Haulena. “We’re able to provide a safe, comfortable home for him at the Vancouver Aquarium where he will receive the long-term care he needs.”

Currently, he is hand fed because the loss of sight prevents him from finding his own food. Staff at Fisheries and Oceans Canada had to approve his transfer to the aquarium, but they did so after designating him non-releasable due to his inability to function any longer in the wild.

Staff at the aquarium have successfully trained him to be tactile (touchable) given that he has to be hand fed. He is also being conditioned to respond to verbal commands as a work around for his loss of sight.

On The Web:
Blinded sea otter moved to Vancouver Aquarium
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/blinded-sea-otter-moved-to-vancouver-aquarium-1.2487718