Their fur is so soft it almost led to their extinction, but otters’ recovery has been a boon to Pacific kelp forests, a key ...

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 ...

When sea otters were reintroduced along the coastlines of islands in Southern California and British Columbia, researchers ...

Historical analysis shows that the marine mammals likely kept some of California’s kelp forests growing over the past 100 years. By Laura Baisas Published Jan 23, 2024 12:00 PM EST Get the Popular ...

MONTEREY — Within the last century, the recovery of southern sea otters, the unofficial mascot of Central California, has contributed to the health of California’s underwater forests according to a ...

With their roly-poly bodies, child-like eyes, long whiskers and tiny padded paws, otters are some of the most charismatic animals in nature. But while being cute doesn't serve much purpose in the wild ...

Kelp is a large, brown algae that lives in relatively shallow waters close to shore. They grow in large groups that resemble forests on land. These kelp forests are important because they contain a ...

MONTEREY — Within the last century, the recovery of southern sea otters, the unofficial mascot of Central California, has contributed to the health of California’s underwater forests according to a ...