Surprise wild otter birth gives Monterey Bay Aquarium an adorable, temporary attraction

A wild female sea otter gave birth to a baby sea otter at the Great Tide Pool of the Monterey Aquarium on Sunday. A wild female sea otter gave birth to a baby sea otter at the Great Tide Pool of the Monterey Aquarium on Sunday. Photo: Tyson V. Rininger, Monterey Bay Aquarium Photo: Tyson V. Rininger, Monterey Bay Aquarium Image 1 of / 29 Caption Close Surprise wild otter birth gives Monterey Bay Aquarium an adorable, temporary attraction 1 / 29 Back to Gallery

As usual, the most popular attraction at the Monterey Bay Aquarium this weekend was an otter, but this one wasn't a scheduled display. A wild newborn pup's arrival was a surprise treat for visitors, staff and anyone lucky enough to look at the adorable pictures in the slideshow above.

Aquarium officials say they noticed a wild female lounging in the aquarium's protected lagoon - which is visible from many of the facilities outdoor spaces - late last week.

"It's rare for a healthy sea otter to visit the pool so frequently—we started to wonder if she was doing all right," aquarium staff wrote in an online blog. "Mystery solved! Around 8:30 a.m. (Sunday), Aquarium staff witnessed a BRAND NEW pup resting on her belly, being furiously groomed by a proud momma."

Throughout the day Sunday, staff and visitors checked in to see the new pup perk up and get "fluffier in front of their eyes."

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Biologists say the birth is evidence of a conservation success story.

"Not that long ago, sea otters were hunted to near extinction. Maybe 50 were left in all of California by the early 1800's. But now...the otter population has rebounded to steady levels in the Monterey Bay, and with 3,000 total in central California," staff wrote on the aquarium Tumbler page.

Aquarium officials promise to provide online updates as long as the mom and pup stick around.