MONTEREY, Calif., March 4 (UPI) -- Toola, the first sea otter to take on the role of surrogate mom to stranded pups has died at Monterey (Calif.) Bay Aquarium, staff members say.
Toola, who spent more than 10 years at the marine venue, was estimated to be 15 or 16 years old when she died of natural causes Saturday, the Monterey Herald reported. She arrived at the aquarium after being found stranded herself on Pismo Beach in July 2001, and by that November she was given a pup to care for.
She was described by staff members as being frisky and feisty, but also nurturing and maternal, the newspaper said. She acted as surrogate mother to 13 pups in all, 11 of which were released into the wild.
"She was really great at teaching the pups what they need to do in the wild," aquarium spokesman Ken Peterson said.
Andrew Johnson, manager of the aquarium's sea otter research and conservation program, said Toola's story helped secure legislation creating the California Sea Otter Fund.
"Toola was without question the most important animal in the history of our program," he said.
