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School: Sea otter conceived in wild is 1st born in captivity

In this Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015 photo provided by the wildlife biologist Joe Tomoleoni, a Southern sea otter mother and her pup play together at the University of California, Santa Cruz Long Marine Laboratory pool in Santa Cruz, Calif. The sea otter impregnated in the wild gave birth at the laboratory, allowing researchers a rare look at a nursing mother. The pup has been under the watchful eyes of scientists at the school's Long Marine Laboratory since its birth in late November. It will be released in the wild this summer, after it weans off its mother's milk. To avoid the pup developing an attraction toward humans, researchers limit their interaction, enclosing the pool it shares with its mother behind a fence. (AP Photo/Joe Tomoleoni)
In this Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015 photo provided by the wildlife biologist Joe Tomoleoni, a Southern sea otter mother and her pup play together at the University of California, Santa Cruz Long Marine Laboratory pool in Santa Cruz, Calif. The sea otter impregnated in the wild gave birth at the laboratory, allowing researchers a rare look at a nursing mother. The pup has been under the watchful eyes of scientists at the school's Long Marine Laboratory since its birth in late November. It will be released in the wild this summer, after it weans off its mother's milk. To avoid the pup developing an attraction toward humans, researchers limit their interaction, enclosing the pool it shares with its mother behind a fence. (AP Photo/Joe Tomoleoni) In this Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015 photo provided by the wildlife biologist Joe Tomoleoni, a Southern sea otter mother and her pup play together at the University of California, Santa Cruz Long Marine Laboratory pool in Santa Cruz, Calif. The sea otter impregnated in the wild gave birth at the laboratory, allowing researchers a rare look at a nursing mother. The pup has been under the watchful eyes of scientists at the school's Long Marine Laboratory since its birth in late November. It will be released in the wild this summer, after it weans off its mother's milk. To avoid the pup developing an attraction toward humans, researchers limit their interaction, enclosing the pool it shares with its mother behind a fence. (AP Photo/Joe Tomoleoni)

By Associated Press 1 min read

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) – A sea otter impregnated in the wild has given birth at the University of California, Santa Cruz, allowing researchers a rare look at a nursing mother.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports Friday (http://bit.ly/1CsDoMm ) that it’s the first time a sea otter pup conceived in the wild was born in captivity.

Scientists at the school’s Long Marine Laboratory have been observing the baby since its birth in late November. It will be released in the wild this summer after it weans off its mother’s milk.

To prevent the pup from becoming attracted to humans, researchers limit their interaction, enclosing the pool it shares with its mother behind a fence.

Southern sea otters have been listed as threatened since 1977. A count last year showed the population reached about 3,000 off California.

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Information from: Santa Cruz Sentinel, http://www.santacruzsentinel.com