‘I can flyyy!’ Adorable photos show otter rescue near Morro Rock
Observers in Morro Bay were treated to an otterly adorable rescue on Sunday when a stranded sea otter and her pup had to be fished out by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Biologist Mike Harris was called out to the area Sunday morning for reports that an otter was stuck in the riprap — a man-made rock sea wall that wraps around parts of the bay.
Harris said the mom-and-pup pair had been spotted in the area for at least the past week, noting that the marine mammals would come up close to the rocks while the tide was high.
Harris said the mother reportedly left her baby amid the rocks while she went foraging for food.
When Harris arrived on the scene Sunday, however, it was clear the mom was stuck.
“It appeared she had essentially fallen or slipped between two rocks that came together almost like an hourglass,” he told The Tribune on Tuesday. “She dropped between the narrow point, and got the lower half of her body in the trapped position. She wasn’t able to move her lower body, and appeared to be struggling to get herself out.”
Meanwhile, the pup was not stuck, and was crawling around the rocks close to its mom, Harris said.
Otter rescues can be a bit tricky, Harris said, especially when they involve a wriggly young animal intent on biting anyone that comes near. So his first priority was to secure the pup with the help of a Morro Bay Harbor Patrol officer.
The officer did get nipped, Harris said, but soon the pup was wrapped up and relatively secure, Harris said. Then the biologist could focus on getting the mom out.
He quickly maneuvered her out of the hole and placed her in the water.
“I wanted to get the pup back to her as quickly as possible,” Harris said. “The best option was to get the pup and gently toss it into the water.”
Harris said he wasn’t worried about the pup being tossed into the water because young otters are “extremely buoyant” due to their fur. It’s also something rescuers do when trying to reunite young pups with their moms after they’ve been separated, to avoid getting too close to the animals in a boat.
“I know if I toss it, it’s going to float,” Harris said. “And I wanted to get it to its mom as quickly as possible.”
As Harris tossed the pup into the water, a nearby photographer captured a once-in-a-lifetime shot of the scene — showing the little otter mid-air with it paws on its face, mouth open, looking almost exactly like Macaulay Culkin in the iconic movie poster for “Home Alone.”
Tim Scott, a nature photographer who had been watching the otter pair all morning, shared his photos of the rescue to Facebook on Sunday.
Scott, who’s from Reedley, said he was in the area for a birthday trip, and decided to make a stop in Morro Bay for some photos.
“Morro Bay is a favorite spot to visit and see the otters, as well as photograph them and the other marine and bird life in the area,” Scott told The Tribune on Tuesday.
His photo of the mid-flight otter pup has by far netted the most reactions online, with users gleefully commenting on the adorable moment and sharing it with their friends.
“’I can flyyy!’” one person commented.
Harris said he has since seen Scott’s photos. His wife and friends keep showing the shots to him, he said with a laugh.
“The photographer’s perspective is amazing,” Harris said. “I don’t know how he got that shot.”
According to Harris, everything worked out in the end. Once the pup was back in the water with its mom, he said, the pair swam back out into the water and disappeared, safe and sound.
