SEA SEA OTTERSOTTERS

Life and Life and DeathDeath

Major ObjectivesMajor Objectives

Sea otter evolutionSea otter evolution

Relationship between sea otter and manRelationship between sea otter and man

Sea otter’s role as a keystone predatorSea otter’s role as a keystone predator

Sea otters and kelp forestsSea otters and kelp forests

Sea otter futuresSea otter futures

Evolution of today’s sea otterEvolution of today’s sea otter

2 million years ago…2 million years ago…Enhydra lutrisEnhydra lutris

Humans like sea otters Humans like sea otters

In the beginning…In the beginning…

A simple and complex lifeA simple and complex life

Food, shelter, breed, avoid being eatenFood, shelter, breed, avoid being eaten

Sea otters eat a lot of meatSea otters eat a lot of meat

Work of a keystone predatorWork of a keystone predator

Keystone predator in actionKeystone predator in action

Otters love urchinsOtters love urchins There are kelp forests because there are ottersThere are kelp forests because there are otters

Kelp forest stabilityKelp forest stability

Human hunting Human hunting changes the kelp changes the kelp forest structureforest structure

The first otter killThe first otter kill

8-9000 ya, otters 8-9000 ya, otters become an easy become an easy targettarget

Russians get lost in AlaskaRussians get lost in Alaska

Russians discover Russians discover Alaskan wildlife in Alaskan wildlife in 17411741

Sea cow is easy meatSea cow is easy meat

Last few thousand Last few thousand steller’s sea cows on steller’s sea cows on the planet have a the planet have a hard time of ithard time of it

Sea otter genocideSea otter genocide

Otters previously only hunted for warmth and foodOtters previously only hunted for warmth and food

The massacre continuesThe massacre continues

Demand for otter fur grows throughout the worldDemand for otter fur grows throughout the world

The process of skinningThe process of skinning

The fleshy pieces still attached to The fleshy pieces still attached to the fur are scraped off the fur are scraped off delicately so as not to cut into delicately so as not to cut into the furthe fur

What the otters used fur for…What the otters used fur for…

Otters can spend 50% of daylight hours cleaning their fur Otters can spend 50% of daylight hours cleaning their fur

A daily life of perilA daily life of peril

Otters can die from the cold

The last of the ottersThe last of the otters 150 years after excessive hunting, people realize a 150 years after excessive hunting, people realize a

mistake has been mademistake has been made

Otters repopulate the worldOtters repopulate the world

Miraculously, otter population has not been too far Miraculously, otter population has not been too far reduced for regrowthreduced for regrowth

Otter death still occursOtter death still occurs

Aleutians demand Aleutians demand cultural hunting rights cultural hunting rights backback

Ignorant violenceIgnorant violence

Californians deliberately murder protected sea Californians deliberately murder protected sea ottersotters

Otters are loved Otters are loved

Despite rare deaths, Despite rare deaths, otters now cherished otters now cherished in many parts of the in many parts of the worldworld

A new threat emergesA new threat emerges

In 1991, first killer whale attack on Alaskan otter In 1991, first killer whale attack on Alaskan otter is witnessedis witnessed

Otter killerOtter killer

3 killer whales, 3-6 otters a day, ten years3 killer whales, 3-6 otters a day, ten years

Whale killerWhale killer

The reasons whyThe reasons why

Red for murderRed for murder

Solutions to the problemSolutions to the problem

No solution except the impossibleNo solution except the impossible

Cetacean populationsCetacean populations

A great fallA great fall Whales, seals, sea lions, sea ottersWhales, seals, sea lions, sea otters

The threat of extinctionThe threat of extinction Can the sea otter still go extinct?Can the sea otter still go extinct?

A sign of things to comeA sign of things to come

Ripple effectsRipple effects

Rise and fallRise and fall

The sea otter’s life The sea otter’s life history has been history has been shaped by human shaped by human greedgreed

Sea otter todaySea otter today

A different A different relationship relationship currently existscurrently exists