In May 2024, UC Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay Aquarium convened a workshop aimed at bridging the gap between scientific ...

They are known for helping kelp forests flourish, particularly in central California. Otters like to eat sea urchins, which feed on kelp. If there are too many sea urchins, they can eat up all the ...

Despite their low numbers, sea otters consume voracious kelp-eating sea urchins at a high enough rate that kelp forests continue to persist and provide habitat for numerous species. Without sea ...

Researchers examining a century of ocean maps made an exciting discovery linking sea otter populations to kelp forests: Where sea otters thrive, so do these critical underwater habitats.

South of the San Francisco Bay, however, healthier kelp forests still coat the coasts and give life to California's iconic sea otters. At Fort Ross Cove, the scientists unraveled these inoculated ...

Below the ocean surface, there’s another type of forest is in danger: the kelp forests off the coast of northern California. Warming sea water has ... for this task: Otter Force One, an ...

HABITAT: Sea otters inhabit coastal waters, usually less than half a mile from shore. Their typical haunts include precipitous rocky shores, barrier reefs, tidewater stones, and dense kelp forests.

“Bull kelp is an iconic West Coast species and important habitat for fish and sea otters. Endangered Species Act protection will give our kelp forests a safety net.” After the 2014 marine heatwave, ...

South of the San Francisco Bay, however, healthier kelp forests still coat the coasts and give life to California’s iconic sea otters. At Fort Ross Cove, the scientists unraveled these ...

But it’s not just staying afloat that’s key to a life at sea – groups of otters hold hands and tangle themselves in kelp forests to make sure they don’t drift apart.