The World’s Cutest Sea Creatures Are Also Important Eco-Warriors

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I’ve never heard of anyone who doesn’t love sea otters.

And honestly, what’s not to love? They’re furry, they’re cute, they’re playful, and they even hold hands while they sleep!

You’ve probably seen pictures of these amazing creatures cuddled up together in pairs or groups, linked together while floating in a bay. And then there are the thousands of otter memes all over the internet with funny sayings and adorable pictures of them that never fail to put a smile on my face—and I’m guessing yours, too.

But did you know that otters are much more than just heart-warming, lovable sea creatures? They also play an important role in keeping our planet functioning!

Despite their cute, cuddly appearance, they’re actually the top predator in the giant kelp forest ecosystem in Monterey Bay, California.

This area of rocky shores, coves, and bays is home to over 1,000 plant and animal species in total, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium explains why:

A kelp forest has a greater variety and higher density of plants and animals than almost any other ocean community. This is largely because its physically varied structure offers more kinds of homes than habitats with less variation, like beaches.

And the kelp itself is a vital part of the health of this California ecosystem, but its importance extends way beyond one ecosystem or area to the planet at large.

As a National Geographic program says, “Kelp acts as the planet’s lungs, storing nearly 20 megatons of carbon in its leafy limbs. That’s about 15 million passenger cars’ worth of carbon emissions a year.”

A lack of kelp isn’t good for anyone, and the bad news is, something is destroying it.

Sea urchin populations have been growing wildly out of control in recent years, and they’re overfeeding on the kelp that forms the basis of these underwater forests.

That’s where the sea otters come to the rescue. Part of their diet is sea urchins, and they can eat up to 25% of their body weight every day! Now that’s a feast! Southern sea otters actually use tools like rocks to crack open the hard outer shells of their prey in order to access the tasty part inside.

So when you think about it, “Sea otters are actually saving the planet, one snack at a time,” Nat Geo WILD says.

And that’s exactly why they need to be protected. Sea urchin populations are already ballooning to proportions that are unhealthy, but without sea otters to keep them in check, there’d be an even bigger crisis on hand.

Jim Curland, the former Program Director of Friends of the Sea Otter, a conservationist group that recently merged with Defenders of Wildlife, says:

You have a very vibrant kelp forest ecosystem with lots of animals when you have sea otters present.

If you want to see these sea shepherds in the wild, you can travel by boat, kayak, or paddleboard, with March and April being the best time to see them. Two areas in California with the highest concentration of sea otters are Monterey Bay and Elkhorn Slough.

Before heading out on the water, though, you should educate yourself on proper viewing practices to ensure that you’re not doing the animals any harm or breaking any federal or state laws protecting this endangered species.

Several commercial operators have undergone a training and certification process to become Certified Wildlife Stewards, and booking a guided tour with them or renting equipment from them means you’ll receive proper information on how to responsibly and respectfully interact with these special animals.

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