Solving a sea otter mystery: Monterey Bay Aquarium researchers track down origin of deadly disease
MONTEREY — On-call staff members at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sea otter rescue and conservation program rescued a six-month-old otter stranded on San Carlos Beach in July. She was emaciated and lethargic. The initial investigation by Dr. Ri Chang, the aquarium’s veterinarian, found intense inflammation in her stomach and bits and pieces of sand crab in her feces. These symptoms, combined with her age, dehydration, emaciation and lethargy, resulted in an initial diagnosis of a common parasitic infection called acanthocephalan peritonitis, also known as AP. RELATED: Puckish sea otters continue surf board-stealing ways at Santa Cruz beach Chang kept their expectations realistic for the otter’s recovery — AP has taken the lives of nearly a quarter of southern sea otters over the past three decades. Related Articles Recreational crab season opens along the Sonoma Coast as state warns of biotoxin risk Rabid bat found near San Mateo County park NOAA reports spike i...