Nanuq

Nanuq arrived four days ago. He weighs 4.5 pounds. He is approximately 3 days old.

Our team found him alone on Homer Spit, crying — a sound that carries urgency impossible to ignore. His mother was nowhere to be found despite an extended search by our response team and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Nanuq is a neonatal sea otter pup — born into a world suddenly without the one thing a pup of his age cannot survive without: his mother.

The Challenge of Neonatal Otters

Newborn sea otters are among the most challenging wildlife patients in the world. At 3 days old, Nanuq:

• Cannot regulate his own body temperature — he has no body fat whatsoever
• Cannot swim or dive — he floats naturally, but cannot propel himself
• Cannot eat solid food — he requires specially formulated formula every 2 hours, around the clock
• Cannot groom himself — his fur must be manually maintained to stay dry and insulating
• Is vulnerable to human imprinting — too much human contact will prevent him from being a wild otter

Our neonatal team is working in rotating 6-hour shifts — around the clock — to give Nanuq every possible chance.

What Happens Next

The critical phase: the next 2 weeks. If Nanuq survives this window, his odds improve dramatically.

Our goal is eventual transfer to a USFWS-approved long-term care facility — where Nanuq can be raised alongside other otter pups to prevent imprinting and build the social and behavioral skills he needs to survive.

How You Can Help

Nanuq’s care costs approximately $300 per day. Every sponsor directly funds his formula, veterinary care, round-the-clock staffing, and the specialized equipment that keeps him alive.

Sponsor Nanuq today — and follow his journey as he grows.

Update every 48 hours on this page while he remains in critical care.