They are celebrated as the stewards of the sea. The kings of conservation. But before the Aquarium's brain trust could be called either they had to be ambassadors of adorable.

The latest delegate, now on view online via the live Otter Cam, represents only the second otter pup on exhibit at the Aquarium.

The fuzz bundle remains nameless (unless you count "502," which indicates the number of stranded sea otters brought into the aquarium’s Sea Otter Research and Conservation (SORAC) program since 1984).

She was introduced to her "companion" Joy behind-the-scenes on July 20 according to the MBA press release: "After a bond was established and secured," the release continues, "the two were moved into the exhibit."

"Joy is 12 years old and has raised 12 pups—more than any other surrogate in our program," says Chris DeAngelo, associate curator of mammals. "Her calm presence and nurturing maternal instincts should be just what this young animal needs to move forward."

And her cuteness quotient—please save your "Awwww"s to the end of the article—means the Aquarium will continue to draw folks primed for insight into how to keep creatures like 502 alive and well. And adorable.

DeAngelo said the pup will remain on exhibit as long as she and her staff continue to see signs that she is adapting well to her new home and responding to ongoing treatment.

The pup came to the aquarium on June 30 as a 12-week-old animal, after she was found  stranded on Morro Strand State Beach, San Luis Obispo County. On arrival, she was examined by aquarium staff veterinarian Dr. Mike Murray, who determined she was dehydrated and malnourished. Sea otter mothers usually wean their pups around six to seven months of age. Aquarium staff believes this pup was prematurely weaned from her mother in the wild. Dr. Murray also suspected acanthocephalan peritonitis, a condition caused by eating sand crabs infested with thorny-headed worms. Sand crabs are a likely prey item for a young animal that strands near the sandy seafloor habitat. In young or weakened animals, the worms can migrate through the intestinal wall and cause an often fatal infection.

Tests confirmed peritonitis and she is receiving ongoing care, including antibiotics and a worming treatment delivered via frozen clam cubes. Because of her medical condition, she faces a long period of treatment and care.

According to Andrew Johnson, manager of the SORAC program, the pup is not a candidate for return to the wild. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has authorized the aquarium to manage the pup in its sea otter exhibit.

“Our past experience with this condition has shown that the success rate in the wild for animals with her history is extremely poor,” Johnson said. “Together with a number of other factors, this has led to our recommendation that she be deemed non-releasable.”

The aquarium will continue to provide her with medical care and training, and will seek out a good long-term home when she is fully recovered.

At a later date, Joy and pup 502 may be joined on exhibit by other sea otters—including Kit, who earlier this year was the first pup ever to be raised in the exhibit. Kit is currently behind the scenes, serving as a companion to young animals scheduled for release to the wild.

Rescue and rehabilitation of stranded pups and adults is a small part of the aquarium’s extensive work to help in the recovery of California’s threatened sea otter population. Details can be found on the new Sea Otter Research and Conservation web pages.

Visitors can see the new pup in person, and on the Aquarium’s Otter Cam, which streams live each day from 7am-7pm. Periodic updates on her progress will also be posted on the aquarium’s Sea Notes blog.