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:
-
The Children’s Cultural Festival in Reykjavik begins today
-
Summer’s in home stretch
-
Honoring our veterans
-
Nazar amulets, Goreme National Park, Cappadocia, Turkey
-
Keep shining
-
Ancient town of Sorano, Tuscany, Italy
-
Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island, Chile
-
Big Bend National Park turns 78
-
World Wildlife Day
-
A day for the dolphins
-
Making it work—in Norway
-
Rooftops in the walled city of Urbino, Italy
-
Darwin Day
-
Listening to the sea
-
A day to celebrate the sun
-
Southern right whales sail home to South Africa
-
Splendid leaf frog
-
Cinco de Mayo
-
One giant leap for penguins
-
Black History Month
-
Thomsons gazelles, Maasai Mara, Kenya
-
Mont-Saint-Michel
-
Why does this panda cub look so happy?
-
Gem State views
-
Celebrating Minnesota’s statehood
-
Looking down upon Edinburgh
-
Amelia Earhart
-
Mossy Grotto Falls, Oregon
-
Harvest time in the Palouse
-
Wayag Islands in the Raja Ampat Islands of Indonesia