Ecologists have long observed that when food becomes scarce, animal populations exploit a wider range of food sources. So scientists studying southern sea otters at different sites in California’s ...

In parts of the ocean where sea otters face stark competition for their favorite kinds of food, some otters are getting by with the help of tools — like rocks and even glass bottles — that let them ...

Two complementary approaches were used to assess year-round variation in the diet of sea otters Enhydra lutris around Prince of Wales Island (POW) in southern Southeast Alaska, a region characterized ...

New research led by Monterey Bay Aquarium reveals a surprising ripple effect in coastal ecosystems: the collapse of one marine predator can benefit another. Published today in the journal Science ...

(Reuters) - Humans are not alone in the use of tools. Chimpanzees, for instance, crack nuts with stones and use sticks to get at tasty termites. Dolphins are known to employ sponges to protect their ...

SAN FRANCISCO – A California ecosystem has gotten a big boost from an adorable, fluffy and hungry friend. At Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, a newly-reinvigorated population of ...

An invasive species had taken over ecosystems across the West Coast and was threatening to dominate another one in Monterey County, California, when ecologist Rikke Jeppesen began her research two ...

Some coastal wolves in Alaska, U.S., have toxic levels of mercury in their bodies after shifting from a terrestrial diet of deer and moose to a marine diet heavy with sea otters, new research finds.

Q. You once said diamondback terrapins were your favorite turtle. What is your favorite mammal? A. Tough question, because all puppies and kittens, indeed most baby mammals, are engaging. But sea ...

Sea otters are the smallest marine mammals, but they have some incredible adaptations to thrive in the ocean. Unlike seals and whales, they don’t have a thick layer of blubber to keep them warm.

Sea otters are among the world’s most playful and adorable animals. They are beloved for their charming antics and cuddly appearance. Otters are social animals, and in the wild, live together in ...

In late 2020, a female coastal wolf collared for a study on predation patterns unexpectedly died in southeastern Alaska. The wolf, No. 202006, was only four years old. “We spent quite a bit of time ...