For over two decades, the last week of September has been dedicated to the adorable furry critters of the ocean, sea otters.
Sea Otter Awareness Week encourages zoological and educational institutions, governmental agencies and communities to plan events highlighting this animal's existence.
The focus of this year, organized by Defenders of Wildlife and other organizations, aims to call attention to the pivotal role that sea otters play in coastal marine ecosystems.
As top predators of kelp-eating species, without sea otters, experts say kelp forests would be greatly reduced.
“Encouraging the natural healing of these damaged ecosystems by reintroducing critical species like the sea otter is a moral obligation at this point,” stated Andy Johnson, Defenders of Wildlife California representative in a press release.
Their soft fur nearly drove them to extinction during the maritime fur trade of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Now, even after half a century since the signing of the Endangered Species Act in 1977, their population is still at risk.
“Threats facing southern sea otters and coastal ecosystems are getting worse, not better,” Johnson said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week issued its finding that the southern sea otter will remain on the endangered species list.
Their investigation was based on five factors, including the destruction of a species’ habitat, levels of disease and predation, and natural or human-caused existential threats, and found the species “is likely to become in danger of extinction throughout all of its range.”
Still, defenders of these keystone species believe sea otters’ population can be restored.
Johnson states, “We … will have to resolve or mitigate longstanding conflicts with fisheries. But we can do it – and the otters, the ecosystems and the coastal communities will all benefit from our collective efforts.”
