Archives for June 8, 2023

The Aquarium of the Pacific is welcoming three new sea otter pups, who were deemed non-releasable to the wild by the US Fish and Wildlife Service because they were unable to survive in the ocean. The baby sea otters can be seen at the Aquarium’s Sea Otter Habitat in the Northern Pacific Gallery. Guests can watch these southern sea otters explore the habitat, interact with the Aquarium’s other rescue otters, and engage with the animal care staff during daily feeding and care sessions. These pups were named Elle, Bee, and Cee, whose names pronounced together represent the letters “LBC” in celebration of the city of Long Beach.

Elle was found stranded as a ten-day old pup at Marina State Beach in June 2022. In January 2023, Bee was found stranded as a three-week-old pup at Morro Strand Campground. Cee was found stranded as a five-day-old pup at Carmel Beach in January 2023. After Elle’s rescue, she was taken to Monterey Bay Aquarium where staff attempted to pair her with a surrogate mother in the hopes of one day returning her to the wild. However, this pairing was ultimately not successful as the two did not bond, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service deemed Elle non-releasable. For both Bee and Cee, at the time of their strandings, there were no available surrogate sea otter mothers. Therefore, they were also deemed non-releasable.

“For the past two years, we have been temporarily housing young sea otters with the goal of freeing up space in the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otter Surrogacy Program so more sea otter pups have a chance to return to the wild,” said Brett Long, senior director of birds and mammals, Aquarium of the Pacific. Through this partnership, the Aquarium of the Pacific has been building a new area to serve as an additional location where adult female sea otters can serve as surrogate mothers to stranded sea otter pups with the goal of release back to the ocean.

The Aquarium of the Pacific also has a public fundraising campaign to support its work with rescued sea otter pups through this program. Anyone interested in getting involved and providing support, can visit pacific.to/saveseaotters and make a gift online or call (562) 951-3153. The Aquarium also offers the Adopt an Animal program, which helps fund many education and conservation initiatives. Supporters who symbolically adopt a sea otter receive special benefits depending on the level of their adoption such as an adoption certificate, animal updates, and more.

Southern sea otters are listed as a threatened species on the Endangered Species List. These marine mammals play a vital role in maintaining the health of kelp forests, which provide habitats for a variety of animals. Sea otters do this by eating sea urchins, which would otherwise grow out of control and eat the holdfasts of kelp. For that reason, they are known as a keystone species, which means they play an important role in the ecosystem. If a keystone species is removed or suddenly disappears from their ecosystem, then the ecosystem begins to fall apart.

Credit: Aquarium of the Pacific.

For most families, summer is a fantastic time of the year. Good weather means plenty of time outdoors. It’s easier to save money by enjoying picnics and having fun in the garden, instead of having to pay for indoor attractions. Sunshine also means less time on screens which is something that most modern parents are worried about. In many ways, summer just seems easier than winter. This can be especially true of foster families who are looking for ways to bond and help their foster children to settle in. If you are a foster carer, here’s a look at some fantastic ways to enjoy summer with your foster children.

Visit Family

If you have family all over the country, they are probably keen to spend some time with your foster children, and summer can be the easiest time to visit. Being able to spend time outdoors can make the experience of meeting extended family less overwhelming. You might even be able to visit your foster child’s family, depending on the situation. Check with your agency before making any plans.

Take a Trip

Summer is great, but it can seem very long, especially if you have school-age children with a long summer break. Taking a trip can be a fantastic way to break up the season, enjoy quality time together away from the distractions of home life and build lasting memories and bonds. You can typically take foster children on holiday, but you can get more information on fostering from thefca.co.uk.

Make a Scrapbook

Your summer is bound to be filled with lots of fun activities and visits. Make sure you take lots of photos so that you can spend a rainy day making a scrapbook with your foster child. This is a great way to give them a keepsake to look back on in the future.

Camp in the Back Garden

You don’t need to go on a big trip to have fun in the sun. In fact, you don’t even need to leave your garden. Pitch a tent on the lawn and enjoy a classic campout in the comfort of your own home.

Enjoy a Picnic

Picnics are an effective way to save money, but packing food also means that a trip to the local park can become a day out without having to rush back for dinner. Even a picnic in the back garden can be more fun than eating indoors.

Visit a Wildlife Park or Zoo

A visit to a wildlife park or zoo is always better in the summer when you and the animals can stay outside for longer. It’s a lovely family day out, and a great way to learn more about animals and nature.

Go Swimming

Swimming always seems much easier in the summer when you can dry off faster. It’s refreshing on a hot day, great fun, and excellent exercise.

Summer is a fantastic time of the year for families. Make the most of the warmer weather by enjoying these activities with your foster children this summer.