But beyond their undeniable charm, sea otters have profound ecological roles that are crucial to the health of their environments. Dark Kelp Forest in California. Image via Depositphotos. Kelp forests ...

Today, they face challenges from habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Oil spills are particularly devastating for sea otters because their fur, their only protection against the cold ...

When sea otters were reintroduced along the coastlines of islands in Southern California and British Columbia, researchers saw kelp forests return to areas that were destroyed by sea urchins.

from oil spills and pollution to devastating storms and habitat loss. As the video above shows, even a powerful wave could potentially spell disaster, especially for a sea otter mother and her pup.

The sea otter belongs to the Mustelidae family, which includes carnivorous animals such as skunks, weasels, wolverines and badgers. Sea otters’ diets comprises sea urchins, crabs, mussels and clams.

When sea otters returned to islands along Southern California and British Columbia, researchers saw kelp forests revive. These forests had been wiped out by unchecked sea urchin populations. However, ...

Get Instant Summarized Text (Gist) Human activities, particularly those involving close proximity to sea otters, significantly impact their behavior and energy expenditure. Sea otters are less ...

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.