Group Encouraged by Sea Otter Increase
Species Not Out of Danger Yet, Defenders Warns
(06/16/2004) - Monterey, Calif. - Defenders of Wildlife welcomed the results of the annual Spring census of California sea otters, which counted 2,825 otters – the second year the census has found an increase, but cautioned that biologists need time to better understand the long-term declines for this population."The 2004 results are good news, and even better on top of 2003, 2003 also saw record sea otter mortality and slow scientific progress on figuring out why the species is still in such precarious shape," said Jim Curland, Marine Program Associate for Defenders of Wildlife. "This small increase can’t be seen as a sign that the sea otter is out of danger yet. We’re still struggling to understand how disease, entanglement in fishing gear, and other threats have kept this popular animal on the brink over the last three decades."
Since the bi-annual survey began 21 years ago, the California sea otter population had a previous population high of 2,377 animals in Spring 1995. From 1995 to 1999, otter numbers fell, with declines averaging a little over 3% per year. Then the population exhibited a large, nearly 11% increase from 1999 to 2000 and then little under a 4% per year decrease in 2001 and 2002. If the sea otter population had continued to increase since 1995 at an average annual rate of 5%, the total population would have reached more than 3,000 animals by now.
"The otter population is up again this year, and that sure beats the alternative, but we’ve got to remember that the species is still extremely vulnerable, living in only a small fraction of its former home range on the California coast," said Curland.
The census of the entire California population is jointly conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Biological Resources Division, the California Department of Fish and Game, and sea otter researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and countless volunteers.
The California sea otter was listed as a threatened species in 1977. A revised version of the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan was released in April 2003 and says that this population is at extreme risk from habitat degradation from oil spills and environmental contaminants and human-caused mortality from entanglement in fisheries gear, shootings, boat strikes and other human activities. Specific plans and actions to satisfactorily address most of these risks have not been developed.
Defenders will continue to play a leading role in the efforts to promote sea otter recovery, advocate for critical conservation policies and push for critical research funding that will assist in better understanding the recent trends of the southern sea otter population. For more information on sea otters and their conservation, please see Sea Otter.
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Defenders of Wildlife is a leading non-profit conservation organization recognized as one of the nation’s most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. With more than 480,000 members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on endangered species issues.
Contact(s):
Jim Curland, (831) 726-9010William Lutz, (202) 772-0369
