Erika Rasmussen--The Northern Sea Otter

How We Can Save the Otterly Cute Sea Mammal

The Northern Sea Otter

Davis, Randall. Mom with Pup in the Water. N.d. N.p. Trans. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The first time I saw a sea otter was when I was sailing in Morro Bay.  Even though I don’t remember much about my sailing trip, I do remember looking out into the glistening blue waters on a sunny day, and there before my eyes were two furry sea otters. I distinctly remember the smile it brought to my face as they played with each other as the boat moved past. In that moment I relished in its beauty for this sight was oh so rare for me. Living in a small town up north I had only seen these animals in aquariums—I had never seen them in their true habitat. Their true habitat seems to be a problem in some parts of Alaska, and because of this Alaskans are worried if they will be able to see them for much longer.

Description of Northern Sea Otter

 Before we get into all of the logistics about their disappearance, let's take a look at the details of the sea otter. As the smallest marine mammal, the northern Sea otters ranges from about 4 to 5 feet in length and weighs from about 36 to 45 kg (FWS). Because they are so small, they have to do other things in order to keep their bodies warm. Their fur is the densest of any other animal, and they groom themselves constantly to remove salt crystals--by doing this they trap air molecules to insulate their body (FWS). Along with their natural body, they also have their natural social system. These social mammals travel and rest in groups (FWS). Their eating habits are also a little different then most animals, they live in shallow waters where they can make one to two minute dives. Once they catch their food, they place it on their chests and crack the shells open with rocks. These magnificent animals are equipped with teeth that can crush hard shelled invertebrates such as sea urchins, crabs, and mussels. (FWS).

Listing Date and Type/ Geographic and Population Changes

Friends of The Sea Otter. Sea Otter Range Map. N.d. N.p.

Since August 9, 2005 The Fish and Wildlife service has ranked The Northern Otter as threatened in certain areas of Alaska, but there used to be a lot more problems for this animal going all the way back from the fur trade in 1700s--to where they almost went extinct in the early 1900s. In 1911 The Fur Seal Trade protected the northern sea otter which lead to an increase in populations. But for the past 20 years, there has been a sharp decline in Northern Sea Otters. The Aleutian Islands, Southern Alaska, and British Columbia has seen a decline of about 50% since 1980 in their otter population. This comes at a steep price for these areas, especially since otters range from southern California to northern Japan (FWS).  So what makes these areas different for the others—why are the otters in Alaska more vulnerable than the otters in California or in Japan?

Cause of Listing/Main Threats

These Two Sea Otters Are Covered in Oil from a Spill. N.d. Kidz World. Web. 

According to the U.S. fish and Wildlife service, the main reason that Northern Sea Otters population declining is unknown—but there are many different reasons for why their population has declined (FWS).

These reasons include (FWS):

·            Increased Predation—specifically killer whales

·             Diseases

·             Contaminants

·             Disturbance

·             Loss of Habitat

·             Illegal Take

These reasons are something that we as humans do not have to worry about on a daily basis, but for the otters in Alaska these things are wiping out an entire species.

Description of Recovery plan

In order to help these animals, we must put our foot forward and make moves to fix this problem. In 2005, the Fish and Wildlife Service did just that—The Northern Sea Otters were listed as a threatened species in certain regions of Alaska. With this came a recovery plan (FWS). The main goal is to “control, reduce, eliminate threat to the Southwest Alaska DPS [Distinct Population Segment]..to the extent that this DPS no longer requires the protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act, and therefore warrants delisting” (FWS). Of course, this plan is not always perfect. Sometimes It can be too late, and the population will never experience the true effect—but this does not mean that we should give up

FWS Logo

The Recovery Plan (FWS):

·         Monitor the Population

·        Protect the Habitat

·        Make Sure Alaska Natives Do Not Impact the Recovery

        Plan

·       Evaluate/Manage Diseases

·       Evaluate/Manage Predation

·         Protection From Other or Naturally Caused Threats

·         Implement the Recovery Program for the Otters

What can we do to Help?

Dekker,Chase. Gaining Air. N.d. National Geographic. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

In the end we all are wondering, wow this is great, but what can I physically do to help these sea otters? Of course we should never waste, and we should always pay attention to our water use. But what are the other things we can do to help? One thing we could do is send letters to our local congressperson expressing how we need to help the sea otters. Even though you may live in a different state then Alaska, it would still be very beneficial because congress works in Washington DC together, and they can help advocate for change. Along with this, we can also check out the Website www.worldwildlife.org  where they have their own way of advocating for the Northern Sea otter. You can join and “adopt” your own sea otter. These are all ways that can help save the Northern Sea Otter in Alaska.

Other Resources

https://www.worldwildlife.org

http://www.seaotters.org

Work Cited

Baird, Michael L. Sea Otters Socializing. N.d. , Morro Bay, CA. Frontier Scientists. Web. 28 Nov.

2016.

Davis, Randall. Mom with Pup in the Water. N.d. N.p. Trans. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Friends of The Sea Otter. Sea Otter Range Map. N.d. N.p.

Service, U.s. Fish & Wildlife. (n.d.): n. pag.Southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment of the

Northern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) Recovery Plan . July 2013. Web. 28 Nov.

2016.

These Two Sea Otters Are Covered in Oil from a Spill. N.d. Kidz World. Web.

Baird, Michael L. Sea Otters Socializing. N.d. , Morro Bay, CA. Frontier Scientists. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.