size and health Graphs in Figure 2 show growth patterns observed in three sea otter population stocks in the north Pacific resulting from natural range expansion. The females are smaller, weighing 50â70 pounds. About 100 people from all ⦠Habitat is Habitat is divided into currently unâoccupied areas (dark gray shaded areas) and occupied areas (colored polygons), with the latter divided into smaller subâregions for Alaska is unique. However, in southwest Alaska, sea otters have experienced a sharp population decline in the last 20 years. 2003). It has been estimated that approximately three quarters of the sea otter population died In the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, these sea otter populations were among the first to recover, however, they are now at an extreme low. It is sometimes called the land otter (to distinguish from the sea otter). The good smaritans followed the proper protocols when spotting a wild animals in distress: they called the Alaska SeaLife Center after observing the otter from a safe distance for more than an hour. There are an estimated 650,000 hairs per square inch! Sea otters are not related to seals or sea lions, but are rather a member of the mink family. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean.Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg (31 and 99 lb), making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals. On the average, females are about 25 percent smaller than males. in length An orphaned sea otter pup that was found in critical condition on an Anchor Point beach is now swimming and playing with a companion sea otter at the Alaska ⦠To protect itself from the frigid waters, the sea otter's fur is the finest and densest of any animal. An estimate of otter population size in Alaska was 98,780 among the three populations in 2013 ( USFWS, 2013 ) with observed annual growth rates in some areas reaching 16â20% ( Bodkin et al., 1999 ; Estes, 1990 ). Status and Trends of Sea Otter Populations in Southeast Alaska, 1969â2003 Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5045 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Jointly supported by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S The female sea otter pup, now Adults weigh 15 to 35 pounds (6.8â15 kg) and are 40 to 60 inches (102â152 cm) in length. A sea otter mother keeps her baby warm and dry above the water on Wild Alaska. A sea otter pup, known as âLittle Boyâ was rescued in Kachemak Bay at about a week of age in 2015, and was brought to the Alaska SeaLife Center for raising and otter life skills. The Alaska SeaLife Center admitted a two-week-old sea otter pup to the Wildlife Response Program on November 12. Email Us, Board of Fisheries and Game: Actions & Activities, Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS), About the Division of Commercial Fisheries, Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Program (WASSIP), Online General Season & Registration Permits, Subsistence and Personal Use Fishing Permits, CSIS â Community Subsistence Information System, The Technical Papers and Special Publications Series. Image courtesy Daniela Ruiz, for USFS See the season finale Tuesday, March 24th at 10/9c, only on BBC America. Sea otters are an important component of nearshore ecosystems in the northern Gulf of Alaska. Mike Lockabey, of Wrangell, starts a discussion on solutions to sea otter management in Southeast Alaska on Wendesday, November 6, 2019, in Juneau, Alaska. When prime, river otter fur appears black-brown, with the belly slightly lighter in color than its back. In 2005, sea otter populations in the southwest Alaska population segment (which includes coastal habitat of Katmai National Park and Preserve) were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. For many years, there were no sea otters in Canadian waters and most of the sea otters in the world were located in the Aleutian Islands, off of the coast of Alaska. However, this did not prevent the sea otter population from continuing to decline, and in 1929, the last verified sea otter in Canada was shot and killed (Nichol, 2002). An orphaned sea otter pup that was found in critical condition on an Anchor Point beach is now swimming and playing with a companion sea otter at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. Sea otter numbers in the Kodiak Archipelago, the Alaska Peninsula coast from Castle Cape to Cape Douglas, and Kamishak Bay in lower western Cook Inlet are stable and may be increasing (Coletti et al. Divers once annually harvested 6 million pounds (2.7 million kilograms) of ⦠The males weigh 80â100 pounds but can weigh more than 100 pounds. Their dense fur keeps them warm in the chilly northern waters. The male sea otter pup was spotted by residents near a beachfront home in Homer. Southeast Alaska, USA, showing existing or potential sea otter habitat asâof 2012, deï¬ned as the nearshore zone <100m in depth. NPS/Jamie Womble By the early 1900s, sea otters were almost extirpated throughout much of their range due to commercial harvest. About Sitka, Alaska Sea Otter & Wildlife Quest Sea Otters, Raptors & Bears ⦠Oh My! âThe sea urchins can be ridiculously dense,â Konar said. Alaska Sea Life Center Wikipedia â Sea Otter WWF Sea Otter Adoption Alaska Zoo Support Donations Another bit of information before we get to the pattern( I know, I know itâs a long intro ð ) Susitna the Sea Otter is named for Email Us, Board of Fisheries and Game: Actions & Activities, Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS), About the Division of Commercial Fisheries, Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Program (WASSIP), Online General Season & Registration Permits, Subsistence and Personal Use Fishing Permits, CSIS – Community Subsistence Information System, The Technical Papers and Special Publications Series, Special Status page for northern sea otter. In Alaska, sea otter populations in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska have stabilized or are continuing to increase. Sea Otter Furs are the most sought after furs. (Alaska SeaLife Center) The pup has been stabilized and named Juniper. Fish and Wildlife Service 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 or call 907-786-3800 Bering Island was recolonized by ⦠2010, USFWS 2013a, In addition, the sea otter population size, density, and trajectory are all much greater in Alaska relative to California. 2009, Estes et al . Sea otter populations in Alaska are now quite healthy. 1 talking about this. Adult sea otters may grow up to 5 feet in length. The sea otter spends most of its time in the water but, in some locations, comes ashore to sleep or rest. Baby sea otter Juniper being cared for at the Alaska SeaLife Center. Shop sea otter t-shirts created by independent artists from around the globe. The sea otter was once abundant in a wide arc across the North Pacific ocean, from northern Japan to Alaska to Mexico. We print the highest quality sea otter t-shirts on the internet Description Only here, not in stores. Sea otters have strong effects on prey communities and sea otter numbers and behavior reflect habitat conditions; because of these Sea otter abundance in Yakutat Bay has also increased, by an estimated 14.6% per year, over the last decade, likely through reproduction, although some amount of ⦠Modern efforts in sea otter conservation began in the early 20th century, when the sea otter was nearly extinct due to large-scale commercial hunting. Sea Otter Reports To receive a copy of a publication or report listed here, please contact: Marine Mammals Management, U.S. the Alaska sea otter population is divided into three stocks (Gorbics and Bodkin,2001). Fishermen have watched their harvest shrink as sea otters spread and colonize, Doherty said. In A sea otter seen through a spotting scope. at a million hairs per square inch makes them the most densest and desirable furs on the planet. 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