Did you know that sea otters were almost hunted to extinction for their fur? In this Episode of H2O and Beyond, I'm joined by Mr. Ian Giancarlo from Environment Oregon to discuss the importance of Sea Otters in the ecosystem!

We'll talk about the history of sea otters, the exact role they play in maintaining kelp forests, what threats they face today, and future plans to help stabilize their populations.

We'll even share some fun facts about sea otters that may surprise you! Did you know that sea otters have the densest fur out of any mammal on earth?

0:00 Intro

4:38 What are Sea Otters?

7:36 What is a keystone species?

8:40 Why were they almost hunted to extinction?10:21 Failed reintroduction of sea otters

13:10 Historical attempts to help save sea otters

14:35 What happens to an ecosystem without otters?

18:49 Kelp Forests for oxygen production

22:15 How else do otters contribute to the ecosystem?

25:12 Biggest challenges otters face in today's world

29:48 Orcas eating sea otters

32:42 What's being done today to save the otters?

42:20 Closing Remarks

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