Audubon Aquarium of the Americas Mourns the Loss of Beloved Sea Otter
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is deeply saddened by the sudden loss of the beloved sea otter, Mollie, who passed away Wednesday. Mollie had been cared for by Audubon since last year under the continuous supervision and care of the veterinary team and trainers.
Audubon's veterinary experts are working with pathologists to determine the cause of death. Initial findings of the necropsy, or animal autopsy, conducted by Louisiana State University pathologists and Audubon Aquarium veterinarians are inconclusive and further test results and evaluations are pending. It may take weeks before tests are finalized, however an exact cause of death may never be known for sure.
"It's never easy when you lose an animal. We are constantly learning from them, not only when they are with us but also when they are not. It's critical to determine how Mollie died so we can help not only our animals, but also those in the wild."
When she was approximately 3 years-old, Mollie was rescued by the Monterey Bay Aquarium animal care team near the Monterey Yacht Club on July 28, 2014. Given her history of interacting with humans, it was determined that for Mollie's welfare, she should remain in human care.
“We were very fortunate to have had an opportunity to care for Mollie and to be able to share her with our Aquarium guests and members," said Audubon Aquarium Director of Husbandry Beth Firchau. "She was a wonderful companion to Clara and Emma, and our staff will miss her very much.”
The sea otter habitat remains open to the public with otters Emma and Clara. The public is encouraged to send condolences to Audubon's social media pages on Facebook and Twitter.