World Otter Day May 31, 2023

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
May 31, 2026End of American Wetlands Month

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jun 21, 2019Ode to the sun
Aug 20, 2018Looking back at Yellowstone, 30 years after the fires
Aug 20, 2020Up in the Highlands
Jul 3, 2026Fireflies glowing above a stream, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
Aug 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California
Oct 1, 2021What s better than a smile?
Aug 18, 2025Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York
Apr 21, 2020Where do those colors come from?
Jun 12, 2026European bee-eater, Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, Cádiz, Spain
Aug 24, 2025European fallow deer in England
Sep 20, 2021Birds of a feather flocking together
Aug 26, 2024Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
Jun 13, 2022Okavango Delta, Botswana
Jul 10, 2019Put your helmet on, we’re going for a hike
Sep 30, 2019Wheels up in Beijing
Aug 13, 2018Look to the north sky tonight for the Perseids
Jul 13, 2025Iceland for International Rock Day
Mar 22, 2026World Water Day
Jan 4, 2024Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
Apr 1, 2026National Frog Month
Jun 30, 2018The aftermath of a meteorite
Jan 23, 2026Þorrablót, Icelandic midwinter festival
May 12, 2019The parenting of a piping plover
Jan 22, 2018Bird’s-eye view of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
May 29, 2025Miravet, Catalonia, Spain
Feb 21, 2023New Orleans for Mardi Gras
Nov 13, 2025Quiver trees, Keetmanshoop, Namibia
Apr 1, 2020It s Census Day—make it count
Mar 23, 2025World Meteorological Day
Dec 18, 2024English National Ballet performing The Nutcracker