Large numbers of the beloved and charismatic sea otters have posted up in the kelp just off the shores of Cannery Row, drawing the attention of recreators, aquarium visitors and conservationists al…
If one playful otter splashing in the sea can brighten your day, imagine what 200 can do.
“It’s not unusual to see groups of this size, it’s just this really cool thing where people can now see it off the back deck of the aquarium or off the rec trail,” said Leilani Konrad, a research biologist in the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sea otter program who has the honor of being a regular otter counter.
The aggregation of animals is fun, but one thing researchers and conservationists have learned over time is that otters can change ecosystems — sometimes dramatically.The voracious foragers eat 25 percent of their body weight every day, devouring snails, clams, crabs and sea urchins — resources that humans also like to eat.In 1911, the Fur Seal Treaty outlawed capturing otters at sea and allowed the U.S. to regulate hunting on U.S. soil. Signed by Russia, Japan, Great Britain and the U.S.
Southern sea otters, the kind we see around here, are smaller than the ones up north, but they still eat a lot. Females can weigh up to 50 pounds and males can weigh up to 70. Some worry that the local ecosystem may not be able to support the influx of otters for very long. “Our area tends to be at roughly carrying capacity,” said Johnson, “but for limited times, animals can move in.” He said that if an area does become overfished — the otters will likely follow the food. “My guess is that animals will recalibrate and shift areas again once the weather the sea conditions improve,” he said.
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