The Mystic Aquarium recently announced the birth of a new furred and flippered resident.

The aquarium announced in a news release on Monday that a northern fur seal was born at the facility recently, the first such birth there in over 20 years. The seals are classified as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. They have had their populations reduced by marine debris entanglement, oil spills, pollution and human hunting, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratiom.

Earlier this year, aquarium staff noticed that the seal's mother, Kivli, had started gaining weight after exhibiting behavior indicative of breeding with a male seal. Aquarium staff were able to confirm that Kivli was pregnant on Feb. 14 through a radiograph and on July 31, a male pup was born weighing 11.4 pounds. The aquarium is continuing to monitor the health of both the mother and child.

Guests at the Mystic Aquarium will be able to see the pup in its habitat "soon," according to the news release. The aquarium also plans to include the seal in programs aimed at teaching guests how to protect the species.

Northern fur seals are known for having very dense fur, stocky bodies, small heads and small snouts and are native to the West Coast and Alaska, according to NOAA. The seals most commonly feed during the night in shallow water; however, they have been known to dive over 800 feet to hunt squid and fish, according to the Mystic Aquarium's website.

"They sound like little lambs when they call for their mom — it's absolutely adorable. Watching the pup figure out how to move its body is both funny and cute — their ears are too long, and their flippers are so disproportionate. It's hilarious to see them adjust," Senior Director of Marine Mammals and Birds Laurie Macha wrote in the news release. "A lot of time is spent establishing that bond, with vocal interactions playing a key role in helping them identify each other. It's a vital and beautiful process to witness."

While this is the first time the Mystic Aquarium has had a northern fur seal birth in two decades, it has been home to northern fur seals for nearly all of its existence, the news release added. In September last year, Mystic Aquarium staff helped rescue a northern fur seal that was in Alaska.