Rescued sea otter pup at Vancouver Aquarium needs a new name (PHOTOS/VIDEO)

Vancouver Aquarium is asking for your help to name a tiny rescued sea otter pup, after it was found crying and distressed off Vancouver Island in June.

The male pup, then estimated to be between two and four weeks old, was spotted by boaters, after it began following their boat while crying out.

There were no adult sea otters in sight and the boaters took the pup to Port Hardy. He was then moved to the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre.

Now two months old, the pup is still getting 24-hour care from staff and volunteers, who feed, bathe and groom him, just as his mother would in the wild.

Happily, he is also gaining weight and has been growing stronger and more active, even grooming himself, exploring underwater and learning to dive.

And now, the sea otter’s carers want you to help choose his name. Otter McOtterface is the obvious choice, surely? Well, not quite.

The sea otter pup rescued near Vancouver Island (Vancouver Aquarium)

Vancouver Aquarium is proposing three names:

• Hardy: The tiny male otter pup was first taken to Port Hardy for treatment.
• Kasa: The word for sea otter in Kwak̓wala, the language of the Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw First Nations on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.
• Masik: Also in Kwak̓wala, ma̱si’ḵw is the word for large sea urchins

To vote, simply go to vanaqua.org/experience/otter-naming-contest.

The rescued sea otter pup (Vancouver Aquarium)

One voter will randomly be selected to be awarded a four-pack admission to the Aquarium, plus a Sea Otter Aquadopt kit, allowing you to adopt your own sea otter.

Aquadopt Kits usually cost $55 and include a Plush Sea Otter, Certificate of Adoption, Sea Otter Fact Booklet, and Sea Otter Collector Card.

The name and winner will be announced on the Vancouver Aquarium Facebook page, and at @vanaqua on Twitter, @vanaqua on July 24.

In the meantime, if you’d like to help the Aquarium care for the sea otter pup, you can make donations at support.ocean.org/rescuedotter.

The sea otter in its crib (Vancouver Aquarium)