Watching sea otters playing in the water is always a treat. But while they look cute, these furry critters are also the top predators in their food chain, "otterly" vital to keeping ecosystems in balance. Sea otters eat sea urchins and without them, sea urchins spread across the sea floor, destroying crucial kelp forests which provide food and shelter for many other aquatic animals. Unfortunately, sea otters are one of five otter species listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Five others are listed as near-threatened and two as vulnerable. Of the 13 otter species worldwide, only the North American river otter’s population is considered to be stable. On the last Wednesday in May, World Otter Day seeks to raise awareness about the threats to otters, and how to protect them.
World Otter Day
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Castle ruins on the island of Halki, Greece
-
Sitting down and taking a stand
-
World Whale Day
-
Exploring the wilder side of New York
-
A bison preserve
-
Albion Falls, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
-
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC
-
International Mountain Day
-
The ‘Living Forest’ in Biscay, Spain
-
Happy holidays!
-
A Christmas market with a long history
-
Hohenzollern Castle near Stuttgart, Germany
-
World Children s Day
-
Arromanches-les-Bains for the 81st anniversary of D-Day
-
Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
-
There once was a lighthouse from...
-
Miravet, Catalonia, Spain
-
Colorful cows of the reef
-
Who created the Easter Bunny?
-
How green is my valley
-
Fujian Tulou, China
-
Antarctica Day
-
Rocks on the move
-
Seville, Spain
-
Storseisundet Bridge, Norway
-
Ancient storage in the Grand Canyon
-
A rest stop for the birds
-
Cherry blossoms spring to life
-
World Art Day
-
National Fossil Day