Adorably fuzzy sea otters aren’t just cute. The marine mammals serve a crucial role, helping to restore the giant kelp forests they rely on by removing their top predators, the sea urchins. When ...

Some animals matter so much to their ecosystems that losing them is like removing the keystone from an arch—the entire ...

Scientists have made an interesting discovery connecting sea otters to forest recovery, reinforcing their role as a keystone species. The researchers were then able to identify patterns, explaining ...

Monterey Bay Aquarium researchers strengthen the link between sea otters and long-term health of California kelp forests in a new study released today. The paper, published in the journal PLOS Climate ...

The loss of one iconic species, sunflower sea stars, unleashed a voracious eater of seagrass habitats and upended the coastal ...

Sea otters play a vital role in their ecosystems by controlling sea urchin populations. Without otters, urchins can overgraze kelp forests, causing widespread destruction. By keeping urchins in check, ...

When people talk about sea otters, the words “cute,” “cuddly,” and “curious” often come to mind. But now you can add another descriptor to that list -- climate change fighters. Along the West Coast ...

Southern sea otters living along California’s coast are struggling in warmer seas, with new threats and changing food sources. They, like the other two sea otter subspecies, are classified as ...

On a blue-sky afternoon, kayakers paddle past dozens of sea lions lolling in the sun and make a beeline toward the sea otters lounging on beds of eel grass at Elkhorn Slough on California’s central ...

Sea Otter Awareness Week is celebrated annually from September 21 to September 27 to highlight not only why the keystone marine mammal needs to continue to be protected, but also the threats the ...

San Diegan Oriana Poindexter, a marine scientist and photographer, brings together art and science in her latest exhibition, ...