World Otter Day May 31, 2023

World Otter Day

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.

© Donald M. Jones/Minden Pictures

palette

Today in History

May 31, 2018Leaves of Grass
May 31, 2019Mysterious prairie mounds abound
May 31, 2020Welcome to the pack
May 31, 2021Here we honor the women who ve served
May 31, 2022World Parrot Day
May 31, 2024Gunnerside, Yorkshire Dales National Park, England
May 31, 2025Knuthöjdsmossen, a nature reserve in Sweden

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep 30, 2023Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Apr 26, 2025Redwood National and State Parks, California
Sep 7, 2019Cloudy with a chance of enlightenment
Nov 9, 2020Autumn in Piedmont
Aug 31, 2021Bridge over the River Tara
Apr 11, 2024Churún Merú waterfall in Venezuela
Sep 9, 2024Iguazu Falls at the border of Argentina and Brazil
Apr 25, 2021One giant leap for penguins
Oct 22, 2021Jasper Dark Sky Festival
Oct 29, 2022Sea Slug Day
Jan 6, 2019A winter wonderland in Northeast China
Aug 27, 2024Young black caiman, Tambopata National Reserve, Peru
Jul 2, 2024The ruins of Italica, Andalusia, Spain
Aug 21, 2018Ingenuity in action on the Santa Monica Pier
Oct 3, 2018Monarch butterflies migrate south
Nov 20, 2018Flamingos of the Chilean desert
Feb 25, 2023Bryce Canyon National Park turns 100
Jul 28, 2018Defying gravity on a swing ride
Jun 8, 2021A day for our oceans
May 19, 2019High trekking season in Upper Mustang
Sep 25, 2025Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India
Mar 28, 2023The Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italy
Apr 27, 2018National Park Week: Yosemite National Park, California
Jun 19, 2023Juneteenth
Jun 14, 2024Flag Day
Oct 25, 2024Frankenstein Friday
Feb 18, 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
Dec 30, 2023Daiichi Tadami River Bridge, Fukushima, Japan
Aug 24, 2018A new park with a new mission
Dec 2, 2025Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act anniversary