Sea Otter Background and Recovery
The largest member of the weasel family, the sea otter is also the 2nd smallest marine mammal. Sea otters have the thickest fur in the animal kingdom, ranging from 250,000 to a million hairs per square inch, which insulates them and maintains warmth. It is this thick fur that led to their being hunted to near extinction.
Historical Background
It is
estimated that between 500,000 and 1 million sea otters were killed for their
fur over a 170-year period, between 1742-1911. As of 2008, the worldwide population
is estimated to be between 82,350 and 95,000. Though greatly reduced in numbers,
sea otters are still found throughout most of their historical range
including Japan, Russia and the West Coast of North America.
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California Sea Otter Background and Recovery
The southern, or California, sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) is listed as a
threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act and is also protected under
California state law as a “fully
protected mammal” and by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Defenders of Wildlife
is very involved in efforts to help this imperiled population through comments,
testimony, and work on policy and management issues.
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Alaska Sea Otter Background and Recovery
It is estimated that 70-80% of the world’s current population
of sea otters are found in the waters of Alaska. As of 2007, the Alaskan sea otter
population was believed to number 60,000 - 73,300 animals. Defenders of Wildlife provides comments,
testifies at hearings, and does educational outreach in order to help better
understand and reverse dramatic
population declines in portions of southwest Alaska, including the Aleutian
Islands.
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Washington Sea Otter Background and Recovery
The current population of approximately 1,125 animals in Washington, based on 2007 survey results, is spread out along 70 miles of coastline from Destruction Island in the south to Tongue Point (in the Strait of Juan de Fuca) in the north. Their range is extremely small.
Through extensive comments
and monitoring the progress of this vulnerable and fragile population of sea
otters, Defenders of Wildlife is helping reduce any impediments to its
growth.
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Canadian Sea Otter Background and Recovery
Following the fur
trade, sea otters did not exist in Canada for 40 years, between 1929 and 1969.
Defenders of Wildlife has provided comments on the National Recovery Action Plan
for Sea Otters in Canada.
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Range Maps
World Wide Distribution
California Distribution
California Management Zone
These maps are found in “The Sea Otter (Enydra lutrix): Behavior, Ecology, and Natural History” by Marianne L. Riedman and James A. Estes (Biological Report 90(14); U.S. department of Interior; 1990) and have been modified and used with the permission of Dr. James A. Estes.
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