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Fur Real: The Science Keeping Sea Otters Warm - Latest Stories

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Northern sea otters, unlike other marine mammals, lack blubber. Instead, they rely solely on their dense and specialized fur to keep warm. In the frigid waters of Alaska that can reach around 32°F, that’s one incredible coat! Let’s take a close look at how this impressive fur works.

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Dive into MPAs with this printable booklet for kids and adults alike to enjoy!

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Check out the California Adventure Pass! Every 4th grader can get a free pass to come visit the Museum and other CA State Parks with their family

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Check out the California Adventure Pass! Every 4th grader can get a free pass to come visit the Museum and other CA State Parks with their family

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What?

In partnership with the First Partner's Office and the Natural Resources Agency, the California State Park Adventure Pass provides free entry for fourth graders and their families at 19 amazing state parks throughout the state. Mountains, deserts, forests, rivers ... the choice of where to visit is yours. Learn more About the California State Park Adventure Pass.

Who?

You (a fourth grader from California), your family (up to three adults and other kids) and friends (everyone in your car) can enjoy all sorts of adventures at 19 state parks during your whole fourth grade year-and the summer, too. This Pass is valid for the one-year period during which the child is a 4th grader or 4th grade equivalent, from September 1 to August 31 of that year. For full terms and conditions, click here.

How?

Have your parent or guardian go to ReserveCalifornia.com or call (800) 444-7275. All they have to do is set up a profile by providing their name, address, phone number and email address, and we'll send them your free California State Park Adventure Pass to their email right away! For individuals who do not have access to a smartphone, computer or printer and/or do not have an email address, they can still get a pass by visiting a State Parks Pass Sales Office. for a list of locations.

Where?

Once you've got your Pass, you can use it by either printing it out or keeping it on your phone to show a uniformed state park staffer at one of these 19 state parks.
Free Passes Available for Purchase

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California State Parks, State of California

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In partnership with the First Partner's Office and the Natural Resources Agency, the California State Park Adventure Pass provides free entry for fourth graders and their families at 19 amazing state parks throughout the state. Mountains, deserts, forests, rivers ... the choice of where to visit is yours.

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The beautiful central California coast offers both excellent opportunities for human ocean recreation activities and optimal habitat for sea otters. When the favorite places of both humans and sea otters overlap, interactions between them are inevitable. These interactions can be positive (harmonious for both human and sea otter) or negative (disturbance to sea otters and/or injury to human). As both human and sea otter populations grow, interactions - including disturbance - inevitably increase. One of the first steps toward mitigating negative impacts of these interactions is for humans to recognize the power of their behavioral choices to help or harm.

We at Sea Otter Savvy believe that most disturbance to sea otters is unintentional, motivated not by the intent to do harm but by lack of awareness. Essential to preventing disturbance before it occurs is an understanding of the unique vulnerability of sea otters and the importance of a healthy sea otter population to our coastal ecosystem. Through research, outreach, and education, we hope to increase awareness of the importance of protecting sea otters as part of our coastal community, and inspire everyone sharing the coastal environment with sea otters to adopt responsible viewing guidelines and share them with others.

Together we can create a "sea otter savvy" community promoting responsible wildlife viewing, awareness of the effect our behavior can have on sea otters and other wildlife, and a safer, healthier coastal environment for all of us, otter and human alike. Be sea otter savvy and YOU can make a difference!

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Sea Otter Savvy | Sea Otter Viewing Guidelines & Disturbance Education

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The beautiful central California coast offers both excellent opportunities for human ocean recreation activities and optimal habitat for sea otters. When the favorite places of both humans and sea otters overlap, interactions between them are inevitable. These interactions can be positive (harmonious for both human and sea otter) or negative (disturbance to sea otters and/or injury to human).

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This 10 minute video will show you how MPAs work, what they protect, and who is helping to protect them.

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California Department of Fish and Wildlife

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The California MPA Network:  Safeguarding an Underwater Wilderness

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Animals show stress and fear differently than people do. Your behavior should never cause a change in animal behavior. Fidgeting, aggression, avoidance, and fleeing are universal signs of disturbance, though different species may react differently. As a general rule: if an animal is looking at you, you are disturbing them!

Here are some common signs of disturbance in wildlife (adapted from NOAA):
Birds

Head-bobbing

Increased vocalizations

Adult birds leaving their nest

Flocks of birds taking flight

Acting injured to try to lure predators (you) away from young

Seals and sea lions

Increased or rapid movements away from the disturbance

Hurried entry into the water or herd movement toward the water, known as flushing

Increased vocalizations or loud exhalations, known as chuffing

Prolonged diving

Several individuals raising their heads simultaneously, known as alerting

Aggressive behavior

Whales, dolphins, and porpoises

Rapid changes in swimming speed or direction

Escape tactics such as prolonged diving or underwater exhalation, which is evident in the appearance of bubbles at the surface

Surface displays like tail slapping

A female attempting to shield a calf with her body or her movements

Sea otters

Resting otters raising their heads simultaneously toward the source of a disturbance, known as alerting

Resting otters becoming active and swimming away from the source of a disturbance

Rising out of the water, known as periscoping

A sudden startle response and immediate diving, known as flushing

Sea turtles

Rapid retreat into the water by a resting turtle on land

Rapid changes in swimming speed or direction

Abandonment of a nesting attempt by a female turtle

Change in direction of hatchling turtles on land, such as moving toward a light or a distraction instead of the water

Sharks Tidepool animals

Anemones: retract tentacles

Crabs and snails: scurry away, retract into shell

Sea stars and urchins: no visible cues, but can be injured if handled

Octopuses: fleeing, hiding, color changing

Mussels and barnacles: no visible cues, but can be injured if stepped on or removed

Others: reaction may not be obvious, any contact can cause harm

Animals will not always exhibit a change in behavior when they are distressed. Some animals may freeze when they feel threatened. When in doubt, assume that you are too close for comfort and take a few generous steps away from wildlife.

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How to Respect Wildlife - Respect Wildlife

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Animals show stress and fear differently than people do. Your behavior should never cause a change in animal behavior. Fidgeting, aggression, avoidance, and fleeing are universal signs of disturbance, though different species may react differently. As a general rule: if an animal is looking at you, you are disturbing them!

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¡A descubrir áreas marinas protegidas!, guía del explorador costero de California

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¡A descubrir áreas marinas protegidas!, guía del explorador costero de California

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At about 4 or 5 years old, female sea otters typically have their first pup after a four-to-five-month-long pregnancy. Females can give birth any time of the year, but most in California have their pup between January and March.

Newborn sea otters weigh 3 to 5 pounds. A sea otter pup's fur traps so much air that they cannot dive underwater. When a mother leaves to go hunt for food, she will wrap her baby in kelp, leaving it to bob on the surface of the ocean like a cork. Mothers spend much of their time grooming their pups and are often observed carrying them on their chest.

Sea otter pups begin to learn to swim at around 4 weeks old. After about eight months staying alongside their mothers, pups are weaned and on their own.

Sea otters are a social species-females and their pups are often observed spending time together in one group and males in another.

As one of the few animals that uses tools, sea otters feed on shelled creatures like clams and abalone, using a rock to break them open. When sea otters are underwater foraging for food, they make use of the loose skin under their armpits, using the area like pockets to store food as they continue their search.

Sea otters can eat 25 to 30 percent of their body weight in one day, which would be equivalent to a 175-pound human eating 45 pounds of food in one day.

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At about 4 or 5 years old, female sea otters typically have their first pup after a four-to-five-month-long pregnancy. Females can give birth any time of the year, but most in California have their pup between January and March. Newborn sea otters weigh 3 to 5 pounds.

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       Morro Bay National Estuary Program

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       Morro Bay National Estuary Program

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Protecting and Restoring the Morro Bay Estuary.

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Morro Bay National Estuary Program

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Respect Our Existence-Keep Your Distance

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Live Sea Otter Cam - Monterey Bay Aquarium

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Sea Otter Behavior 101: Foraging, Part 1

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Use the controls at the bottom of the screen to rewind, change the speed of the video, or play it in fullscreen.

Still photographs

Updated every two minutes.

Protecting and Restoring the Morro Bay Estuary.

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Morro Baycam: Live video from Morro Bay!

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Use the controls at the bottom of the screen to rewind, change the speed of the video, or play it in fullscreen. Updated every two minutes. Protecting and Restoring the Morro Bay Estuary.

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More ways to connect with CA State Parks!

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More ways to connect with CA State Parks!

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Visit the website below to discover how the CA State Parks PORTS Program is offering many ways to virtually experience parks.

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If you are a teacher looking to connect with PORTS for Summer Learning Opportunities, please Contact Us directly.

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Flipgrid designated CA State Parks as one of its featured playlists in the Disco Library! Check out the link for videos from Park staff all over the state.

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The bull kelp forest is a fascinating and complex place with lots of different organisms interacting with each other in different ways in different places. We hope you are curious about it!

Dive in by exploring by region or by your favorite character from the kelp forest community, or...start with Kelp As Kin.

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This web-based book celebrates the power of art and science to tell the story of kelp forests on the North Pacific Coast.