Rescuers working ‘around the clock’ to care for sea otter found on B.C. beach

Rescuers say they are working around the clock to care for a sea otter found on a Vancouver Island beach.

A sea otter found “unable to move” on a Vancouver Island beach has been flown to a rescue centre where teams are working to save the animal’s life.

The emaciated adult male sea otter was rescued from Chesterman Beach in Tofino by a federal fisheries officer over the weekend, the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue said in a statement.

The rescue organization has named the sea otter Clamato and is fundraising to support the cost of his care. Clamato is receiving fluids and medication and will need bloodwork, imaging and a thorough physical exam in the coming days.

“Although his condition remains serious and his prognosis is guarded, our veterinary and animal care teams are working around the clock to support his recovery and give him the best possible chance of returning to the wild,” the statement from VAMMR said.

“Sea otters have extremely high energy demands and require large quantities of food each day. As part of his recovery, this patient is consuming specialized prey items such as geoducks and crabs, resulting in significant daily feeding costs in addition to ongoing veterinary care.”

One of the ways the organization raises money is by allowing people to “symbolically adopt” a marine mammal in its care for a minimum donation of $30.