Today is the final day of Sea Otter Awareness Week, a nationwide observance dedicated to sea otter education and conservation. Throughout the week, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has been sharing videos of Otter 696, an orphaned otter pup rescued by the aquarium off Point Lobos in February. Tens of thousands of people across the country have viewed these videos on the aquarium’s Facebook page, watching the otter drink from a bottle and eat his first solid food. One video of Otter 696 learning to swim has generated over 200,000 views.
Otters are native to the California coast, but were nearly hunted to extinction in the early 1900s. In the 1930s, a single remaining colony of about 50 otters was discovered off Big Sur. Thanks to intense conservation efforts, that colony has grown, and today over 3,000 otters can be found along California’s coast.
Although their numbers are rising, otters still face many challenges. Here are four things you can to keep California’s otters safe.
•Oil spills are one of the biggest threats facing otters today. Cut down on oil consumption by walking more and driving less, and by switching to plant-based soaps and detergents.
•Most garbage eventually makes its way into the ocean, especially in coastal areas. Make sure plastics are properly recycled.
•Avoid using flushable cat litter, and double-bag used cat litter when throwing it away. Toxoplasmosis gondii is a disease transmitted through cat feces. Although it presents no symptoms in cats, is can be fatal in otters.
•When viewing otters in the wild, keep your distance. Diving to avoid boats takes a lot of energy for otters, forcing them to spend more time eating and less time resting. This can be especially dangerous for nursing mothers.
Haven’t had your daily dose of cute? Here’s the video of Otter 696 learning how to swim:
https://www.facebook.com/montereybayaquarium/videos/10153593225187482
Otter 696
Haven’t had your daily dose of cute? Here’s the video of Otter 696 learning how to swim:
https://www.facebook.com/montereybayaquarium/videos/10153593225187482
Otters cute enough to merit their own "week"
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