Vancouver Aquarium saddened by loss of Corky the sea otter after historic operation

Corky, a rescued sea otter who appeared to survive a historic operation on his kidney Monday, has now died of his injuries, said the Vancouver Aquarium.

Staff and volunteers are saddened by the otter's death, which happened early Wednesday morning, according to a release.

"The surgery was nothing short of amazing, and I thought he just might pull through. He seemed to have that much will," said Emily Johnson, manager of the Aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, in the release.

The Vancouver Aquarium said veterinarians made medical history by removing a kidney and performing a blood transfusion on a sick sea otter.

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The sea otter was suffering from a fractured rib and other injuries when he was rescued in August near Tofino, B.C.

He was brought to Vancouver, where tests showed one of his kidneys had likely ruptured.