Where to find otters in monterey

Right then, a sea otter popped up to our right, took a look at us, seemed to grin, and then in a swirl, dived under our little boat. That little guy was cuter than a truckload of baby ducks. Sea otter watching is one of the great, easy and cheap ways to get a refreshed view of the world.

Trips to see otters can range from easy paddles with rental kayaks or stand-up paddleboards, walks on secluded beaches and bluffs, and lookouts from coastal points. The best times of the year to sight otters are often winter and spring. To stay protected from rough weather out to sea, the creatures tend to raft up in areas shielded from wind in estuaries, coves and near inshore kelp forests.

You are also seeing wildlife history: the southern sea otter near Monterey will be eligible next year for delisting as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

The latest census, released by federal scientists in late September, counted 3, sea otters this year, most near Monterey. It was the fourth straight year where the population has been over 3, They are eligible to be delisted if the three-year average population tops 3,, and they are right on the leading edge of that.

At Elkhorn Slough, the No. Wildlife ethics require that you do nothing to affect the behavior of the animal you are watching. With sea otters, that is usually no problem. You can often just float in the vicinity of otters and they often choose to swim right up to you, do a swirl, and dive under your boat.

On one trip, I had an otter climb aboard the bow of my kayak and sit there. They are social, friendly little guys. About that rock: Sea otters often float around on their backs, sometimes even sleeping, sometimes cruising, with rocks on their chests.

Sea otters will use the rocks to break open sea urchins and other food. Naptime: Sea lions, often rafts of them, can spend a lot of time hauled out on rocks and tidal flats, sleeping in the sun. The reason is that a sea lion's circulatory system does not keep their flippers warm. So they often haul out to warm their flippers in the sun. The pups grow fast, and then in early summer, many, along with transient males, often disperse along the coast. Here are the best sites to see them:.

Since , Sea Otter Savvy has had a team of volunteer community scientists collecting data at seven different sites along the Central Coast, but the pandemic has put that on pause. With no hard data to go by, Bentall and her team have been relying on time-lapse videos of the waterways and anecdotal evidence like phone calls from concerned bystanders.

All over the country, kayak and paddleboard shops are seeing record sales. In Monterey, where marine recreation businesses began reopening in late May, paddle shops, like Monterey Bay Kayaks, have been consistently selling out of rentals and equipment. At shops that are doing rentals, employees are working hard to teach people to be mindful of wildlife. When they check-in and do our orientation in person, we also cover, among safety factors, how to approach sea otters and watch their behavior.

Energetically speaking, sea otters live paycheck to paycheck. Give a gift membership. Become a volunteer. Become part of the Aquarium family and enjoy exclusive membership benefits and events. Donate now. Act for the ocean Act for the ocean Plastic pollution. The challenge. What you can do. What we do. Sustainable seafood. Climate change. California's ocean ecosystems. Conservation stories.

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On view at the Aquarium in Sea Otters. Animal type Marine mammals. Size The southern sea otter measures up to 4 feet 1. Diet Crabs, snails, urchins, clams, abalone, mussels and other invertebrates; northern sea otters also eat fish.

Range Southern sea otters can be found along California's central coast, from San Mateo County in the north to near Santa Barbara in the south. Relatives Weasels, river otters, ferrets; Family: Mustelidae. All about the sea otter. Size Measuring up to four feet 1. R ange Southern sea otters can be found along California's central coast, from San Mateo County in the north to near Santa Barbara in the south. Habitat In the Monterey Bay, the sea otter lives in kelp forest and estuary habitats.

Diet What does a sea otter eat for dinner? A sea otter may hunt on the seafloor, but always returns to the surface to eat.

Rescued as a newborn pup in , Abby joined our sea otter exhibit in June Size The southern sea otter is the smallest marine mammal in North America at up to 4 feet 1. Population The current southern sea otter population averages around 3, individuals. Grooming To keep its luxurious coat waterproof, an otter spends many hours a day cleaning and grooming.

Metabolism Another way the sea otter stays warm is with its high metabolism — it will eat about a quarter of its body weight each day A pound person would have to eat 35 to 40 pounds of food a day to match that.

Sea otters and humans A sea otter, as cute as it is, should not be approached by humans. Related videos. Watch our Sea Otter series.

Otterly common questions. Can a sea otter breathe underwater? Can a sea otter live on land? Why are sea otters so cute? Why are sea otters important? Learn about our sea otter exhibit. View exhibit. At the Aquarium Surrogacy program The Aquarium is home to five non-releasable female sea otters. Extra healthy Our surrogacy program does double duty — not only do stranded pups get nursed to health and released into the wild, but pups returned to the wild also keep their estuary habitat healthy and thriving!

Life of a rescued otter Read about one of our rescued pups , otter , through his journey at the Aquarium — when he was rescued, regaining strength, meeting mom and more.

In Monterey Bay The sea otter is an iconic species, emblematic of the beauty and diversity of life in Monterey Bay. Tips for spotting a sea otter The sea otter can usually be found in kelp beds, and looks very much like lumps of kelp. Conservation Why is the sea otter endangered?

Can we prevent the extinction of sea otters? Live cam. Enjoy our sea otters as they frolic and swim. Watch the live cam. Read more. Download a beautiful, high-resolution sea otter wallpaper for your desktop or mobile device. See wallpaper. Privacy preference center When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience.

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