It"s hard not to smile when you spot a sea otter. Their whiskery faces, busy paws, and thick fur give the impression of a stuffed animal that has come to life and taken to the ocean. These heaviest members of the weasel family aren"t just cute though, they also play a vital role in the kelp forest ecosystem, keeping the destructive sea urchin population in check. Sea Otter Awareness Week aims to help protect their populations, which once numbered as high as 300,000 but then dropped to fewer than 2,000 after widespread hunting. International protections were put into place in 1911 and numbers have rebounded to around 125,000, but they still remain endangered. While some habitats never recovered, others have emerged in entirely new locations, such as Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. In 1995, five sea otters were spotted in Glacier Bay, and today there are over 8,000 that hunt, play and raise pups in the kelp-abundant waters.
Sea Otter Awareness Week
Today in History
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A grove glows green
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International Dark Sky Week
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Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Bada Bagh complex in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
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Gayathri Reservoir, Karnataka, India
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All is calm
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This clever bird passes with flying colours
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Samuel Beckett Bridge, Dublin, Ireland
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A train journey to remember
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Happy New Year!
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Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
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A pair of high achievers
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More of a moustache than a beard?
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International Sloth Day
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Hampi, Hospet, Karnataka
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A day for cousins of every stripe
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International Tiger Day
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Tasmans Arch, Tasman National Park, Tasmania, Australia
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