Otter - Otter - Conservation and classification: Nearly all species of otters face increasing threat as urbanization and logging continue. From fun and affordable field trips for students to amazing summer adventures, our camps combine education and entertainment in a way that connects people to the sea and sea life like nowhere else. The conservation measures listed in Table 3 are prioritized on a high, medium, or low scale relating to the direct contribution each measure would have on the conservation of the Sea Otter in Canada. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal living near the shores of the North Pacific, from northern Japan, the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka east across the Aleutian Islands and along the North American coast to Mexico. A survey taken in the spring of 2007 counted a little over 3,000 sea otters in California, up slightly from previous years but down from an estimated pre-fur trade population of 16,000. Females are slightly smaller, weighing 14-33 kg and measuring 1-1.4 m in length. It has only recently begun to reappear in Mexico and northern Japan. As the birth rate in California is comparable to rates in other, rapidly growing sea otter populations, the decline is attributed to high rates of mortality. The tail comprises less than a third of the body length. This species of sea otter can grow and reach the number of 95 cm in length for its body and 35 cm in length for its tail. The committee's assessment reflects the ongoing strength of the B.C. The International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF) is one of the world's leading otter charities. Although it can walk on land, the sea otter is capable of living exclusively in the oce… Sea otter conservation These animals are apex predators, critical for the maintenance of a productive, healthy and diverse nearshore marine ecosystem; for this reason and others, it’s important to understand all the factors that may affect the health of sea otter populations. Article submitted by Brandi Katz, Sea Otter Research and Conservation Volunteer Coordinator This September marked the end of the three year Elkhorn Slough Sea Otter Field Project . Because of the species' reputation for depleting shellfish resources, advocates for commercial, recreational, and subsistence shellfish harvesting have often opposed allowing the sea otter's range to increase, and there have even been instances of fishermen and others illegally killing them.[2]. Our overarching zoological mission is to foster conservation awareness and to impart action on our park guests to preserve wild animals and wild places. VanBlaricom, p. 53. In the 1980s, the area was home to an estimated 55,000 to 100,000 sea otters, but the population fell to around 6,000 animals by 2000. When their fur is soaked with oil, it loses its ability to retain air, and the animal quickly dies from hypothermia. Sea Otter pelts were highly prized because they are soft and thick; sea otters have the thickest fur of any animal. Sea Otter Conservation brings together the vast knowledge of well-respected leaders in the field, offering insight into the more than 100 years of conservation and research that have resulted in recovery from near extinction. However, conservation of the sea otter is complicated by the fact that some of its preferred prey species, such as some species of abalone, crabs, and clams, are also eaten by humans. CITES is an international treaty, developed in 1973, to regulate trade in certain wildlife species. Taken with tigers? [21] However, recovery has been slow in comparison to sea otter populations elsewhere, and also in comparison to sympatric marine mammal species such as California sea lions and harbor seals. Sea Otter Conservation Workshop XI Seattle Aquarium March 29-31, 2019 By Gena Bentall The biennial Sea Otter Conservation Workshop, hosted by the Seattle Aquarium, has become the hottest scene for biologists, zookeepers and aquarists, advocates, and government specialists working with or interested in sea … Perspectives on sea otter conservation and management vary among First Nations, as they do among non-native people and even government agencies. North American river otters (L. canadensis) are still taken as part of the commercial fur trade, but the primary threats to others are the destruction of wetland habitats and pollution. Sea otter population growth has stalled in recent years and many hurdles for full population recovery remain. We should care about the sea otter because it has intrinsic … A study of 105 sea otters that had washed ashore between 1998 and 2001 determined the major causes of death to be protozoal encephalitis, acanthocephalan parasite infection, shark attack, and cardiac disease. Modern efforts in sea otter conservation began in the early 20th century, when the sea otter was nearly extinct due to large-scale commercial hunting. The sea otter was once abundant in a wide arc across the North Pacific ocean, from northern Japan to Alaska to Mexico. In this zone, only San Nicolas Island was designated as sea otter habitat, and sea otters found elsewhere in the area were supposed to be captured and relocated. 1. Find a variety of free classroom activities that will keep your students engaged and excited to learn about animals. Three species of otters - North American river otters, Eurasian otters, and sea otters - have been reintroduced into historical habitats, in an attempt to repopulate them. Sea otters give live birth. Sea otters have faced many threats over the years. The evidence in support of this explanation is circumstantial: It is unlikely that the otters have been dying from disease or starvation, as few bodies of sick or emaciated otters have been recovered. Sea otters can drown if entangled in fishing gear. [13] As of 2004, sea otters have repopulated all of their former habitat in these areas, with an estimated total population of about 27,000. This publication assesses the issues influencing prospects for continued conservation and recovery of the sea otter populations and provides insight into how to handle future global changes. [32] Its average growth rate between 1914 and 1984 was only 5%, and fluctuated or declined in the late 1990s. Sea Otter Conservation brings together the vast knowledge of well-respected leaders in the field, offering insight into the more than 100 years of conservation and … ... Their conservation in Singapore is an international success and a national pride. About 360 sea otters were rescued and treated at nearby rehabilitation facilities. The Marine Mammal Protection Act protects sea otters. The sea otter matters, partly because it is unique, like any organism. Males weigh 22-45 kg and are 1.2-1.5 m in length. Gwaii Haanas lies about 100 kilometres off the northern British Columbia coast. The assigned prioritization of each measure may change with time as new information emerges. Managers, governments and conservation groups will need to work together to avoid disproportionate economic loses in small communities and for Indigenous peoples and to mitigate potential conflicts between humans and sea otters that can result in illegal sea otter killings. SeaWorld Orlando occasionally rescues orphaned North American river otter pups. Of these, 195 were successfully rehabilitated and released. A 2006 report from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council named the sea otter as one of several species still being affected by the lingering oil in the area. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg (31 and 99 lb), making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals. It has a genetic lineage that is all its own and this information is both interesting and informative for phylogenetic research and assignment. The Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) is the smallest marine mammal, and quite arguably the cutest, with its gentle expression and playful nature endearing it to many . Modern efforts in sea otter conservation began in the early 20th century, when the sea otter was nearly extinct due to large-scale commercial hunting. Sea otters first became protected from the fur trade by the International Fur Seal Treaty in 1911, after the population had decreased to about 2,000 as a result of unrestrained hunting for furs. Sea Otters are also known as “indicators,” this title means that the species' health and condition can help to show how healthy the ecosystems are doing (Shimek, Cauldwell 1998). The biggest concentrations of sea otters can be found in the waters surrounding Alaska. Another endangered sea otter species is known as the european otter, also known as eurasian river otter, common otter, and old world otter. It has the thickest fur in the animal kingdom. This has been made possible by legal protection — in 1977 sea otters became protected under the Endangered Species Act — and by the work of nongovernmental organizations to support … In the 1990s, California's sea otter population stopped growing for reasons that are probably different from the difficulties facing Alaska's otters. 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