There are 13 known species of Otters left in the world with at least one that was removed from the list due to extinction. Sea otters are listed as a species of special concern under SARA. Sea otters first became protected from the fur trade by the International Fur Seal Treaty in 1911, after the population had decreased to about 2,000 as a result of unrestrained hunting for furs. Rafts can range in size from a handful of sea otters to well over 100 animals. There are many numbers when it comes to California (or southern) sea otters. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. These studies help us to understand the process of population recovery and changes in nearshore ecosystems that occur with reoccupation by sea otters. As top predators, sea otters are critical to maintaining the balance of nearshore ecosystems, such as kelp forests, embayments and estuaries. By the 1900s, the sea otter was nearly extinct with only 1,000 to 2,000 otters left. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society is dedicated to making Canada better known to Canadians, and the world. Nichol, L. M., M. D. Boogaards, and R. Abernethy. The RCGS acknowledges that its offices are located on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Peoples, who have been guardians of, and in relationship with, these lands for thousands of years. They commonly reside on the coast of California and other states in the northwest. 1997. The RCGS is a registered charity. The last sea otter in B.C. California’s sea otters acquire many infectious diseases because of elevated pathogen and contaminant pollution levels in nearshore waters. Report a Sighting: Phone: 250-756-7253 Email: Linda.Nichol@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. None were left off British Columbia’s coasts by 1929. Where are sea otters found? Updated status of the sea otter, Enhydra lutris, Canada. There are approximately 6,000 sea otters in British Columbia. Sign up today to get updates and alerts from Oceana Canada. Can. Re-introduction to British Columbia occurred between 1969 and 1972 with 89 sea otters released into Checleset Bay on the west coast of Vancouver Island. As of 2008, E. lutris is considered endangered by the IUCN. In many areas, there were none left to hunt, and Environment Canada estimates that there were less than 2,000 left by 1900. Population are very low for such an important species. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society family of sites: Canadian Geographic student geography challenge, Help designate an official bird for Canada, Grade 8 students exploring Parks Canada sites, Compare countries' statistics and explore our changing world, Innovative projects in the developing world, The revolution of mapping in the First World War, Canadian pilots heroically earn their wings, Canadian Geographic magazine in french: Géographica, Accessibility Standard for Customer Service Plan. Sea otters aggregate daily to rest in floating groups called rafts. The river otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. Ford. 2005. In Canada, they can be found in every province and territory except Prince Edward Island, where they appear to be extirpated. Sea otters dive to rocky reefs, where they collect invertebrates and also a large rock. was shot near Kyuquot on the west coast of Vancouver Island in 1929. The sea otter once ranged from central Baja California, Mexico to northern Japan, but was driven to the brink of extinction by the maritime fur trade that commenced in the 1700s and continued through the 1800s. Otters On The Kaw Kansas Riverkeeper Finds Evidence Of … Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. The only sea otters near Vancouver are the four living at the Vancouver Aquarium. Their population on the B.C. Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat Research Document 2009-016. iv+16p. Sea Otter Animal Encounter Experience Georgia Aquarium. But the fur trade, which began in the 1700s, almost wiped out all of them. An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). In Canada, sea otters are protected under the Species at Risk Act. Today, B.C. Some species are already protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) while some are under consideration for addition to the Act.Please check back regularly for … A thick layer of underfur covered by black, pale brown or silver guard hairs traps air for insulation. coast near Goose Island. Sea otters are famous for floating on their backs and using rocks to crack open shellfish on their chests. By 1929 the sea otter had been extirpated from British Columbia and small colonies persisted only in parts of Alaska and California. River otters thrive outside of water too, and can sometimes be seen playing in snow or sliding down muddy hills. In 1911, Sea Otters became protected, but it took until 1969 to 1972 for the species to be reintroduced. Re-introduction to British Columbia occurred between 1969 and 1972 with 89 sea otters released into Checleset Bay on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), also known as the northern river otter or common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent found in and along its waterways and coasts. The Southern Sea Otter is found in California. Nichol, J.C. Watson, J.K.B. Gregr E.J., L.M. Sea Otter The Northern Pacific Ocean is the primary location where you will find the Sea Otter. Male sea otters usually weigh 22 to 45 kg (49 to 99 lb) and are 1.2 to 1.5 m (3 ft 11 in to 4 ft 11 in) in length, though specimens up to 54 kg (119 lb) have been recorded. Download a printable version of this page, See more of our Animal of the Month features for kids, Subscribe to Can Geo Today >Digital Edition >Our FREE Newsletters >. The Sea Otter has been assigned Endangered status by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (cosewic), and receives legal protec- tion as a marine mammal under the Canada Fisheries Act. 's sea otter population ranges along much of the exposed west coast of Vancouver Island and parts of the central mainland B.C. between 1969 and 1972 and now there are around 2500 living off Vancouver Island and off the B.C. Upon returning to the surface, they float on their backs, with the rock on the stomachs. Nichol, L. M., J. C. Watson, G. E. Ellis, and J. K. B. Ford. Females are smaller, weighing 14 to 33 kg (31 to 73 lb) and measuring 1.0 to 1.4 m (3 ft 3 in to 4 ft 7 in) in length. In a normal day they’ll eat one quarter of their body weight by feasting on sea urchins, crabs, clams, mussels and octopuses. 22pp. Older sea otters sometimes get silvery heads as their guard hairs change colour. Field-Nat. As the population grows it is expected that its range will increase. Washington, Canada and Alaska have about between 65,000 and 78,000 combined. Once upon a time, there were close to a million of the California sea otters and their range extended many miles. Currently there are less than 3,000 Sea Otters in California, between 65,000 and 78,000 in Washington, Canada, and Alaska combined. Sea otters occupy rugged and remote sections of B.C. Sea otters are foragers that eat mostly hard-shelled invertebrates, including sea urchins and a variety of clams, mussels, and crabs. 2005. Only 13 remnant sea otter colonies existed from Russia to Mexico when the International Fur Seal Treaty, which banned the hunting of sea otters and fur seals, was established in 1911. See the attached PDF. There are about 100,000 sea otters left, living along the Pacific coast from California to southern Alaska. Today, B.C. Because the mismatch gives them a clumsy walk on land, sea otters rarely stray too far from the sea. ... Canada's only dedicated marine mammal rescue facility. African Clawless Otter In the 1960s and early 1970s, sea otters from Alaska were re-introduced into parts of their former range from Oregon to southeast Alaska. 111(2): 277-286. While mothers and pups are usually solitary, sea otters can form social groups of up to a few dozen. Sea otters often convene in large groups called rafts. Become a Wavemaker. 72(2): 382-388. When the sea otter began to disappear from many parts of the Pacific Northwest in the early 19th century, the fur trade continued with other animals, but … To get food, a sea otter may hammer open shellfish with small rocks or dive over 100 metres into the murky ocean depths. Wild. 2009. 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