Otter females are called bitches or sows, and their offspring are called pups. The collective nouns for otters are bevy, family, lodge, romp (being descriptive of their often playful nature) or, when in water, raft. The feces of otters are typically identified by their distinctive aroma, the smell of which has been described as ranging from freshly mown hay to putrefied fish; these are known as spraints. The gestation period in otters is about 60 to 86 days. The newborn pup is cared for by the bitch, dog and older offspring. Bitch otters reach sexual maturity at approximately two years of
The Marine Mammal Center operating budget came from private donations and individual and family memberships. The Marine Mammal Center presently has a paid staff of 45 individuals. Its operation is reliant on several hundred volunteers who are trained in rescue, release, animal care, and education. The main facility in Sausalito can accommodate approximately 1,200 animals a year; although a typical year brings between 600-800 patient. In 2009, a lack of available fish related to the El Nino weather pattern brought 1,750 patients to the Marine Mammal Center, more than in any other year since it opened. 2012 marked the year with the highest percentage