Sea Otters in the Puget Sound

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) may be some of the cutest animals known to mankind, but they have been historically valued for their  pelts.  In the 19th century, the demand for otter pelts in the fur trade became so high that the sea otter population in the Pacific Northwest, due to excessive hunting, was virtually wiped out.  The loss of a species in and of itself is tragic, made even more so when that loss has a significant affect on that species' environmental niche.


Sea otters in the Pacific Northwest feed predominantly on sea urchins which, in turn, feed predominantly on sea kelp.  When the otter population was desiccated in the 19th century, urchins were released from predation by otters.    

The urchin population increased dramatically, causing an inversely dramatic decrease in the extent and health of the kelp forests.

Kelp forests provide habitat and shelter for numerous fish species.  Additionally, kelp acts as a source of carbon sink in the ocean.  When kelp forests are degraded, aquatic habitat is degraded, and the efficiency of the ocean as a carbon sink can be adversely effected.

 It wasn't until the early 1900s that a cap was set on the harvesting of sea otters.  The sea otter population struggled to come back from the brink of extinction.  Today, sea otter populations have rebounded to about two-thirds of their historic range.  This recovery is one of the most well know modern marine conservation successes.  With the recovery of the sea otters comes the restoration of the kelp beds.  This in turn leads to a restored habitat for numerous aquatic species, and a helpful addition to the ocean's role as a carbon sink.

Sea otters are protected today, and are slowly but surely extending their populations into their previous ranges.