A parent's guidance can be essential to surviving in this world and that's true in the animal kingdom as well.

But in Northern California some unfortunate sea otters were literally adrift until a very special program program stepped in to help.

Jonathan Vigliotti has the story.

These sea otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium are more than just the star attraction.

Oh yeah they're very curious this morning.

The curious bunch also plays a key role in nursing pups separated from their biological mothers in the turbulent Pacific Ocean.

Most pups would not survive if not for the aquariums intervention and here on the west coast where the species is threatened Kevin Connor with the aquarium says saving every otter pup is critical.

When we We pair them with one of these exhibit sea otters.

After a health check by an aquarium veterinarian their new mothers go to work.

What is their specific function here at the rehab center?

Their natural instincts equip them to be a better mom than any human being could ever be so they they help raise the pups.

They'll only spend about a year being rehabbed.

Their surrogates familiar with humans will stay at the aquarium and be matched with new pups.

So these exhibit otters essentially prepare rehabbed otters to be reintroduced.

Yes yes they prepare them for life in the wild.

Over half of the population growth that we saw in that 20-year period is actually because of the sea otters that we rescued and then we released back into this area. 30 miles north where just Fuji patrols as part of the aquariums restoration project.

The growing number of sea otters is a sign of success.

But here we are and we've seen a number now of sea otters.

It's almost hard to believe that they're threatened here in Elkhorn Slough.

There's about 100-150 sea otters in Elkhorn Slough weren't always this densely populated in the early 2000s.

There's probably only about 20 sea otters in here beyond Elkhorn Slough.

The southern sea otter whose to Mexico is still recovering from the deadly fur trade that reduced their population from 16,000 to only 50 by the early 1900s.

Today there are an estimated 3000 sea otters.

So their presence in estuaries and kelp forest plays a very important role in keeping those habitats healthy.

Fuji's research here isn't just about saving otters.

The species is critical in protecting carbon absorbing seagrass.

She'll dive to the bottom, grab some crabs, bring them back to the surface and eat them as well as share with her pups.

Eating those crabs is helping protect the seagrass here.

Exactly.

By keeping the crab population under control, they're helping other species like sea slugs help keep the seagrass healthy.

Our oceans play a critical role removing carbon from Earth's atmosphere, about 25%.

And studies have shown seagrass alone sequesters about 10% of what the ocean absorbs.

I mean, when we talk about trees and their impact in absorbing CO two, the same is certainly true for seagrass as well.

They're very similar.

Yeah.

So seagrass is known as a blue carbon.

They're able to sequester that carbon and then put it into the sediment that's under the sea floor.

And that plays a really significant role in terms of global carbon sequestration.

That makes sea piece in the fight against climate change.

And that's kind of where the otter is an ally.

We've some people around here called the otter a fuzzy climate warrior because just by being out there, they help to keep these ecosystems healthy.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium's sea otter recovery program is expanding.

Just Fuji is hoping to replicate the results of Elkhorn slew in Morrow Bay, an so far.

Looking forward, we're working with partners to really see, is it possible to re establish sea otters in areas where they're no longer present, but they were in the past.

So a success here, but still a lot more work to do.

Yeah, a lot more work to do.

But we're very hopeful that we'll see a lot of benefits for CBS Saturday morning.

I'm Jonathan Vigliotti in Monterey.

So did you know Jeff that you and sea otters have something in common?

What's constantly carrying snacks?

Yes, I like the snacks are good.

And I like the way he hold how they like, you know, and he put up his dukes there in the beginning.

But like, it's funny how they have little pockets underneath their arms.

Isn't that cool?

Just store the food.

Yeah, get it right out.

I like that a fuzzy climate warrior.

They're just darn cute to me.