Yeah ***.
Sea Otter Awareness Week begins today
Sea Otter Awareness week runs through September 27
Updated: 1:45 PM PDT Sep 21, 2025
Sunday, September 21, marks the start of Sea Otter Awareness Week on the Central Coast and across the country. It’s a time to celebrate and learn about the, which are an important part of oceanic ecosystems. Sea otters are a type of marine mammal found from parts of the Alaskan and Canadian coastlines, and all the way down to parts of Southern California. Otters that live in the far northern parts of the U.S. and Canada are a subspecies known as the Northern Sea Otter. Otters found in California are known as Southern Sea Otters.Three otter-ly amazing facts about sea ottersHere in California, sea otters are a very important part of the oceanic ecosystem that you “otter” know about. The marine mammals are often considered a keystone species, meaning that they are crucial to keeping the balance of living things in coastal environments such as kelp forests and estuaries. Of all the mammals in the world, sea otters have the densest coats around. On average, their coats have up to 1 million hairs per square inch. That dense coat also plays an important role in keeping them warm while in the cold waters of the Pacific, as it helps trap air and save heat to keep warm. It’s also good for helping otters and otter pups stay afloat. Sea otters are mainly found in and around thick patches of tall algae growing underwater known as kelp forests. Kelp forests are home to a wide array of fish and other types of marine life. Animals like sea urchins, which graze on kelp, can pose a threat to kelp forests. However, otters eat urchins, which helps to strengthen kelp forests. Sea otters have also been known to wrap themselves in kelp while sleeping.Check out more information and events related to Sea Otter Awareness Week here, or check out some of our past stories on sea otters and their importance to the Central Coast:
Sunday, September 21, marks the start of Sea Otter Awareness Week on the Central Coast and across the country. It’s a time to celebrate and learn about the
, which are an important part of oceanic ecosystems.
Sea otters are a type of marine mammal found from parts of the Alaskan and Canadian coastlines, and all the way down to parts of Southern California. Otters that live in the far northern parts of the U.S. and Canada are a subspecies known as the Northern Sea Otter. Otters found in California are known as Southern Sea Otters.
Three otter-ly amazing facts about sea ottersHere in California, sea otters are a very important part of the oceanic ecosystem that you “otter” know about. The marine mammals are often considered a keystone species, meaning that they are crucial to keeping the balance of living things in coastal environments such as kelp forests and estuaries.
Of all the mammals in the world, sea otters have the densest coats around. On average, their coats have up to 1 million hairs per square inch. That dense coat also plays an important role in keeping them warm while in the cold waters of the Pacific, as it helps trap air and save heat to keep warm. It’s also good for helping otters and otter pups stay afloat. Sea otters are mainly found in and around thick patches of tall algae growing underwater known as kelp forests. Kelp forests are home to a wide array of fish and other types of marine life. Animals like sea urchins, which graze on kelp, can pose a threat to kelp forests. However, otters eat urchins, which helps to strengthen kelp forests. Sea otters have also been known to wrap themselves in kelp while sleeping.
Check out more information and events related to Sea Otter Awareness Week here, or check out some of our past stories on sea otters and their importance to the Central Coast: