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Sea otter mother Aniak parks her pup on a ledge at the Seattle Aquarium on Monday. (Photo by Katrina Barlow / The Seattle Times)

On Monday afternoon, a 9-day-old otter pup does what it does best — sleep. The pup’s mother, Aniak, who gave birth Jan. 14, perched the pup on her belly, often with both paws wrapped around it.

Occasionally, though, Aniak would leave the pup on a ledge while mom twirled in the water, scratching and fluffing her fur for a few minutes before scooping the pup up and resuming her circuit around the pool, which they shared with the pup’s grandmother, Lootas.

The pup cried occasionally — a loud, sharp, high-pitched yeep — when separated from its mother.

Because of the pup’s deeply dense fur, aquarium staff have yet to determine if it’s a boy or girl. If it’s a female, it will remain at the Seattle Aquarium. If it’s a male, the pup would eventually compete with its father, Adaa, and would have to be transferred to another aquarium.

Check visiting hours on the Seattle Aquarium website.

Below is a clip of Aniak dropping off her pup on a ledge, catching a few minutes away from the pup while it slept.