An Ode to Sea Otters

Sea Otter History:

After being hunted to extinction on the British Columbia Coast by the late 1700's sea otters were reintroduced in 1968.  The US Atomic Energy Commission decided to detonate their largest ever nuclear test on US soil in Amkchitka, Alaska the island home of 6,000 sea otters.  None were expected to survive the test.

British Columbia agreed to allow the sea otters to immigrate. Soon had a boat load of otters was headed to  Vancouver Island.  Unfortunately many did not survive the trip but 89 were eventually released into the waters of north Vancouver Island in 1968.  By 1990 the population had increased to 600.

Each year we sight a few more.  First solo otters, then small family groups and a few years ago a raft of 14 otters outside of Nakwakto Rapids.  This year there was a sea otter party outside of Abandon Cove south of Hunter Island.  This sighting  was more than 100 miles north of their original release.  We watched over 40 sea otters congregated together.

Partying Sea Otters

The reintroduction of sea otters is critical to the habitat because 

Sea otters eat sea urchins.  

And sea urchins eat kelp forests.

Sea Urchins at a very low tide

And kelp forests hold the herring eggs 

And herring eggs grow into bait fish

That feed the salmon

That feed the people and the bears and the wolves

Almost a Tyee

We are all linked together in the most unexpected ways!

A Photo Journey Aboard the SeaDrifter

Colors of the Land and Sea

Big Ling

Mama and Baby Orca

A Beautiful Morning