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The sea otter was once abundant in a wide arc across the North Pacific ocean, from northern Japan to Alaska to Mexico. By 1911, hunting for the animal's luxurious fur had reduced the sea otter population to fewer than 2000 individuals in the most remote and inaccessible parts of its range. The IUCN lists the sea otter as an endangered species.
The sea otter population is thought to have once been 150,000 to 300,000, [24] stretching in an arc across the North Pacific from northern Japan to the central Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. The fur trade that began in the 1740s reduced the sea otter's numbers to an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 members in 13 colonies.
Habitats vary widely as well, from the arboreal marten to the fossorial European badger to the marine sea otter. Population sizes are largely unknown, though two species, the sea mink and Japanese otter, were hunted to extinction in 1894 and 1979, respectively, and several other species are endangered.
Due to this great demand and worth of the sea otters pelt, the Russian-America Company (RAC) annual expenses was around 1000,000 rubles each year and profited over 500,000 rubles per year. [130] The fur of the Californian southern sea otter, E. l. nereis, was less highly prized and thus less profitable
Southern sea otters, whose population dwindled to about 50 in 1938, are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service. They are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and are protected ...
Most have sharp claws on their feet and all except the sea otter have long, muscular tails. The 13 species range in adult size from 0.6 to 1.8 m (2.0 to 5.9 ft) in length and 1 to 45 kg (2.2 to 99.2 lb) in weight. The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species and the giant otter and sea otter are the largest.
Northern fur seal, Callorhinus ursinus VU; Steller sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus NT (ssp. jubatus - western Steller sea lion EN, ssp. monteriensis - Loughlin’s Steller sea lion LC) Australian sea lion, Neophoca cinerea EN; South American sea lion, Otaria byronia LC; New Zealand sea lion, Phocarctos hookeri EN; California sea lion, Zalophus ...
Santa Cruz's sea otter, 841, has given birth to a wee pup — suggesting that her erratic behavior could have been hormonally driven. After terrorizing surfers, California's angriest otter finds ...