‘Sea bear’ gives birth for first time in decades at Connecticut aquarium. See the pup

An aquarium in Connecticut just got 300,000 hairs cuter.

Kivli, the Northern fur seal, gave birth to the first Northern fur seal pup Mystic Aquarium has seen in decades.

“We’re excited to announce the birth of a male Northern fur seal pup at Mystic Aquarium on July 31st,” the aquarium said in an Aug. 26 announcement on Facebook.

“This birth marks the first Northern fur seal pup born at the aquarium in 20 years.”

Photos posted by the aquarium show the little one nuzzling up to his mother. A video shows the adorable duo in action, at one moment capturing the baby letting out a seal pup cry.

According to the Marine Mammal Center, male Northern fur seals like this pup can grow to be up to 605 pounds and 7 feet in length as adults.

Northern fur seals can be found throughout the Pacific Ocean. They were first given the name “sea bears” by Europeans due to their thick fur coats, which contain 300,000 hairs per square inch, the Marine Mammal Center says.

Listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Northern fur seals’ primary threats are climate change, pollution, entanglement and food scarcity, the aquarium says.

This story was originally published August 28, 2024 at 12:53 PM with the headline "‘Sea bear’ gives birth for first time in decades at Connecticut aquarium. See the pup."