The Extraordinary Sea Otter

Southern sea otters play a critical role as a keystone species, which means they have a profound positive impact on the nearshore ecosystems in which they live. For example, by consuming sea urchins, sea otters help keep urchin populations in balance; in turn, the kelp forests flourish. For kelp forests, sea urchins and sea otters to thrive in their highly interconnected ecosystem, they must coexist with another species that has a profound impact on others: humans.

Southern sea otters are currently found from Pigeon Point to Gaviota, CA, but this is just a fraction of the range they used to inhabit, which extended from Baja along the entire California coast and into Oregon, where it merged with northern sea otters that scientists now consider a separate subspecies. Intense hunting throughout the 19th century nearly wiped out the species in California except for a small remnant group along the Big Sur Coast. With international and federal protections, the sea otter population has clawed its way toward recovery over the past 100 years or so, but it hasn’t expanded beyond its roughly 300-mile range for more than two decades.

Any chance of reclaiming their full historic range depends on navigating threats from white sharks and oil spills, surmounting challenges from land-borne diseases and achieving true coexistence with humans.

Thanks to the many wildlife viewing points and overlooks along California’s rugged coastline and cliffs, it’s fairly easy to go sea otter spotting. If you visit this stretch of the California coast, you might be lucky enough to view sea otters on their own or floating in groups, known as rafts, without even getting your feet wet! Let’s take a look at some of the best locations to view sea otters and learn about the places in coastal California that have played an important role in sea otter history, research and conservation.

Please note: Website links and additional information can be found by clicking on each location icon in the map below.

Whenever viewing sea otters in the wild, remember that their health and well-being comes first! Sea otters live an incredibly delicate and vulnerable existence. Living close to shore in shallow waters, sea otters are more accessible to people than most other marine mammals and often live near highly urbanized areas. A life in the cold ocean means sea otters must eat and groom a lot to maintain body temperature.

Sea otter moms with young pups must work twice as hard to survive. When viewers get too close to an otter, they often cause it to wake up, become alert and swim away, which forces the otter to find extra food to recover that wasted energy. In some places along the central California coast, human activities like kayaking, boating and diving are very popular, resulting in chronic disturbance. Keep an eye out for these “Disturbance Hot Spots” on our map and use extra care to respect the nap of sea otters living there. Disturbance, no matter how slight, can have detrimental effects on sea otters, especially moms and pups. Be Sea Otter Savvy by  brushing up on our guidelines  before you go!

As we continue our efforts to protect sea otters and ensure safe wildlife viewing, we would love to know the places along the California coast where you have seen these incredible creatures.

Add your sightings and photos to our map below and include as much or as little information as you like! When photographing sea otters, be sure to give them plenty of space (at least 5 kayak lengths or 60 feet). Learn more tips for photographing sea otters at  www.seaottersavvy.org .

Going out sea otter spotting can be a great way to learn about this extraordinary marine mammal, but we all need to remember to be Sea Otter Savvy while doing so. Maintaining sufficient space between you and sea otters and respecting the nap are critical to keeping this species afloat.

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