Oregon Needs You, Sea Otters

Via Seattle Aquarium, which writes:

Big news! 📣 We're partnering on new research. The goal? Eventually bringing sea otters back to Oregon. 🦦

Over 100 years ago, sea otters disappeared from Oregon as a result of the fur trade. So what would happen if sea otters returned to the Oregon coast now? We’re working to answer this question along with Oregon Coast Aquarium, Elakha Alliance, and Wildlife Conservation Network's Sea Otter Fund. 🤝

Using scuba divers and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), our researchers will spend the next three years gathering data on Oregon’s coastline, where sea otters have vanished, and Washington’s coastline, where sea otters were reintroduced in 1970s and have been gradually growing in population since. They’ll compare the two locations to understand how the presence of otters affects the populations of other marine species and the overall condition of the seafloor. 🔎🌊

"When otters are present, kelp forests and eelgrass meadows thrive," says Dr. Shawn Larson, senior conservation research manager at the Seattle Aquarium. "There is more food for other animals in the system, and the system itself is more resilient to climate change. That is what we would hope and expect to see if they are reintroduced in Oregon." 🦦

While a potential sea otter reintroduction would be years away, this research will provide a critical foundation for it. It will also contribute credible, detailed information that will allow for informed and collaborative discussions around reintroduction. 💙

Want to learn more about this exciting new research? Dive into our press release [here!]

Sea Otter Awareness Week 2026 continues! Check out the list of events here!