Selka the sea otter finds new home at Monterey Bay Aquarium

MONTEREY, Calif. (KTVU) - Selka the sea otter has a new home.

The shark bite survivor is the Monterey Bay Aquarium's newest resident.

According to the Aquarium, Selka was first rescued as a stranded, one-week-old pup four years ago off the Big Sur Coast in Cayucos.

She was taken to the Aquarium where she was fed and groomed. Surrogate mothers taught Selka how to fend for herself in the wild.

Eight weeks after her release, Selka was rescued once again. This time she had severe shark bite injuries she needed to recover from. She was taken to Long Marine Lab at UCSC in the fall of 2014.

“As a key member of our team, Selka helped us collect some of the first data linking sensory abilities to foraging behavior in sea otters,” says Sarah McKay Strobel, graduate research student at UCSC. “Selka’s cleverness, combined with her easy-going and inquisitive nature, made her an ideal partner in these behavioral studies.” explains Dr. Colleen Reichmuth “She is a graceful, curious, and endearing creature. We think that the world will love her and we’re so happy to share her remarkable story.”

Researchers at the Aquarium hope Selka's story will come full circle as she becomes a surrogate to sea otter pups in need.

Watch the sea otters on a sea otter cam live here.