See Otter 501 movie for cuteness and education | Tropic Home

Sea otters are a keystone species

If you and your family like otters, wildlife, the ocean, small films or happy endings, then head to a theater to see Otter 501, now showing in South Florida and other locations around the country.

In the movie, a college-age biology student on a break in California finds a stranded sea otter pup at the beach. The otter is the 501st rescue for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The student, Katie Pofahl, becomes a volunteer there. After bringing the pup back to health, the aquarium workers and volunteers pair Otter 501 with Toola, a sea otter who was brought to the aquarium with a parasite problem ? and who lost her own pup. Toola teaches Otter 501 ? like other pups before her ? how find food, swim, groom (an important job to maintain their waterproof fur) and be a good mother. Meanwhile, Katie learns about the problems otters face in the wild and shares what she is doing from time to time to her friends on Facebook.

Orphaned otter 501 learns from her adoptive mother, Toola, how to be a sea otter before she can be released into the wild

In between listening to what Katie tells her Facebook friends about sea otters and watching Otter 501?s progress, the film showcases beautiful scenes from Monterey?s beach and coastal waters. The ending is a hopeful one that encourages viewers to be more conscious of our oceans.

I had the chance to be a guest in a chat with Katie and filmmaker Mark Shelley on The Motherhood last month. They are knowledgeable about otters and other sea life and eager to spread the word about protecting it.

Otter 501 is a good movie for families with older children who can not only relate to sea otters? cute factor but also stay involved in the story when otters aren?t on the screen.

Otter 501 is playing in South Florida starting tomorrow, Friday, June 15 in Ft. Lauderdale, Lake Park (West Palm Beach) and Coral Gables. Check out the Ft. Lauderdale Otter 501 show times here, Lake Park show time here and Coral Gables show times here. Find more Otter 501 viewings around the country here.

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Sea Studios gave me an Otter 501 DVD to pre-screen the movie. Opinions are my own.

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