Posted on 02/21/2023 1:16:12 PM PST by nickcarraway
Officials at the Monterey Bay Aquarium are reporting seeing larger rafts of sea otters off of the Cannery Row area in Monterey. A raft is a group of sea otters resting in the kelp.
“This is a really cool phenomenon that we don't typically see in this area. We have seen rafts of this size on the Peninsula but they are typically offshore,” Jessica Fujii, Sea Otter Program Manager for Monterey Bay Aquarium, said.
Fujii says it appears to be more of a localized movement rather than a big migration.
Usually, in this area, one can see anywhere from five to 50. Now, the aquarium is documenting 200 just right off of the Cannery Row area.
This large raft accounts for nearly half of the entire sea otter population previously documented in the Monterey Bay.
Keith Rootsaert with the Giant Giant Kelp Restoration Project goes out in the area most every weekend and says he’s noticed the numbers increase rapidly. But with the quick increase, Keith is concerned about the available food supply.
“We've been trying desperately to try and restore these kelp forests and we've been successful but there's not enough kelp in this area for all of these sea otters that have come into it,” Rootsaert said.
Gonzales youth found their livestock stabbed to death Saturday morning. Gonzales students' livestock stabbed to death, no arrests There are various reasons as to why officials believe there is this shift in sea otters in the area.
“We think this might be related to some of the storms we've been seeing. They're looking for protection from wind and swell, and also, as the kelp is getting ripped up, they're looking for places they can rest and anchor in and not drift away,” Fujii said.
Officials are also exploring climate change as another possible reason.
“As storms become more severe, as kelp has its varying challenges for reasons of growth, that can all play an impact on where we see the sea otters on where they find refuge and rest,” Fujii said.
At this point, the ecological response locally to the increase is still too early to tell, as many of the sea otters still aren’t accounted for.
Officials are advising everyone looking to enjoy the sea otters to keep a safe and responsible distance. If you are in a kayak, stay at least eight kayak lengths away, and 10 boat lengths if in a boat.
Yep global warming. More otters sounds like a good thing but the author relates how having too many might be bad because the kelp is under attack. It never ends with these journalists.
Wolves are eating them, in Alaska.
Gonzales youth found their livestock stabbed to death Saturday morning.
This is a weird part of the story that makes me wonder:
Are the sea otters suspected to be culprits in stabbing more traditional livestock like lambs and cattle?
Somebody probably got closer than eight kayak’s length to the otters, and the otters took action.
The article does warn that getting closer than that can be dangerous
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