Have you ever lost track of your little one at the mall, grocery store, or even at the park? If you have, then you know just how quickly panic can set in, in a scenario like that. There’s nothing worse than being forced to IMAGINE the worst!

Interestingly, we are not the only mammals that keep close tabs on our young—sea otters do, too.

In a video posted by Dr. Heather Harris of The Marine Mammal Center and Tim Cowan of Morro Bay Harbor Patrol, we get a quick glimpse into the otherwise secretive world of these floating love bugs.

The clip kicks off with a San Luis Obispo, California wildlife worker holding a young sea otter in his hands. We learn that the pup has been separated from his mom because the tides were particularly strong that day. Luckily, the workers spotted the crying pup and scooped him up before he could float away any further.

With the young sea otter protected in their boat, they go on a search for the pup’s mother. After some time, they spot the female and hold the crying pup above the water to alert the mom of her baby’s whereabouts. It’s a bit of a tense moment because the wildlife workers can’t be 100% sure that the female will accept the pup from them. Talk about a nail-biter!

Fortunately, the sea otter mom’s maternal instincts are iron-clad, which makes their reunion all the sweeter to witness. Awww!

The wonderful world of sea otters

It goes without saying that sea otters are adorable, but these marine mammals also have some pretty extraordinary survival skills.

As you’ll see in the video, even the teeniest of sea otters are built to float. To do this, they turn on to their backs and hang right on the water’s surface.

That being said, their little bodies are no match for the bustling ocean tides, which means they can easily be swept away—as illustrated by the tiny star of today’s clip.

Just the same, those sea otters are crafty, so they have a plan for that. When currents are particularly strong, they will sometimes entangle themselves in forests of kelp or giant seaweed for safety. Once in their seaweed refuge, they can eat, nurse their young, and even sleep without the fear of drifting away.

And speaking of sleep, do you know how sea otters snooze? Holding hands, of course! Since the mammals have the tendency to float away, holding hands safeguards them from getting separated from their buds.

It doesn’t get much sweeter than that, folks!

Now that you’ve learned all that you need to know about these fantastic creatures, it’s time for you to see this mother-child reunion for yourself. To see a worried sea otter mom and pup get some help from a boat full of good Samaritans, be sure watch the video below. We love stories like this!

We can’t wait to hear what you have to say about this sea otter reunion. Have you ever seen a sea otter in the wild before? If so, where was it? What’s your all-time favorite sea mammal?