Sea otter, Alaska, USA Sep 23, 2024

The otter featured in today"s image was photographed in Prince William Sound, Alaska, United States. Sea otters are native to the northern and eastern coasts of the North Pacific Ocean. Weighing 14 to 45 kilograms, they"re expert foragers, diving to the seabed to find food. These clever critters are smart as well as cute: they use rocks to crack open shellfish, making them one of the few animals that use tools. There used to be as many as 300,000 in the wild, but they were heavily hunted for almost two centuries, as their dense fur was highly prized. By 1911, it is thought that only around 2,000 were left. Thankfully, an international hunting ban, conservation efforts, and reintroduction programs have helped them rebound, and they are now found in about two-thirds of their historic habitat. So, whenever you see their fuzzy heads bobbing in the waves, remember, you"re witnessing a story of nature"s triumph.

© Gerald Corsi/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Sep 23, 2023Coyote Gulch, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah, USA
Sep 23, 2025Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 11, 2025Yungang Grottoes, Datong, China
Jan 11, 2025Heri es-Swani in Meknes, Morocco
May 26, 2024Methow Valley, North Cascades, Washington, USA
Nov 9, 2023Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
May 16, 2025Great green macaw, Mexico
Apr 4, 2024Lechwe herd, Botswana
Jun 2, 2024Ploumanach Lighthouse, France
Aug 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California, USA
Nov 27, 2023Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil
Mar 28, 2025Black-naped monarch
Mar 13, 2024Lesser flamingos, Lake Magadi, Kenya
May 22, 2025Baobab trees at sunset, Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
Jul 20, 2024The Moon
Apr 3, 2024Rainbow across the Kakshaal Too mountains, Kyrgyzstan
May 27, 2025Heidelberg, Germany
Jun 24, 2025Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Mar 15, 2025The Temple of Saturn, Rome, Italy
Dec 26, 2023Dedham, Colchester, England
Sep 23, 2025Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica
Oct 23, 2024Madame Sherri Forest, New Hampshire, United States
Jul 23, 2025Vatican City, Rome, Italy
Oct 25, 2024Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France
Oct 24, 2023Füzér Castle in the Zemplén Mountains, Hungary
May 23, 2025Yellow-spotted river turtle, Amazon Region, Ecuador
Sep 27, 2024Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
Oct 15, 2023European hedgehog
Nov 25, 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
Mar 22, 2025Cenote Nicte-Ha, Tulum, Mexico
Mar 11, 2025Broken Beach in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia
Aug 7, 2025Gasparilla Island Rear Range Light, Boca Grande, Florida, United States