A southern sea otter with a purple sea urchin in Monterey Bay, California. (Credit: Morgan Rector) (CN) — Sea otters are voracious eaters, munching away on shellfish, urchins and other invertebrates ...

Sea otters play a vital role in their ecosystems by controlling sea urchin populations. Without otters, urchins can overgraze kelp forests, causing widespread destruction. By keeping urchins in check, ...

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. But how ...

Southern sea otters living along California’s coast are struggling in warmer seas, with new threats and changing food sources. They, like the other two sea otter subspecies, are classified as ...

There’s a creature lurking in the sea. It’s slick, fast, and if you get too close, it might chomp your face off. No, not sharks or giant squid — sea otters. “Sea otters,” you might say. “Don’t they ...

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 ...

Scientists have made an interesting discovery connecting sea otters to forest recovery, reinforcing their role as a keystone species. According to a recent article published in Phys.org, scientists ...