ON AVERAGE, 340 DECEASED, SICK, INJURED, OR ORPHANED SOUTHERN SEA OTTERS STRANDED IN CALIFORNIA ANNUALLYBETWEEN 2019 AND 2022. A PROVEN WAY TO SUPPLEMENT THE SEA OTTER POPULATION IS TO RESCUE ANDREHABILITATE STRANDED SEA OTTERS, INCLUDING ORPHANED PUPS, AND RETURN THEM BACK TO THE WILD. THIS ISESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AS THE SEA OTTER POPULATION CONTINUES TO REMAIN THREATENED, LIMITED IN RANGE, ANDVULNERABLE TO SHARK BITE MORTALITY, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, HUMAN-CAUSED POLLUTANTS AND PETROLEUM SPILLS.RESPONDING TO AND DOCUMENTING LIVE AND DEAD SEA OTTER STRANDINGS AS WELL AS FACTORS RELATED TOSUCCESSFUL REHABILITATION AND RELEASE OF SEA OTTERS INCREASES KNOWLEDGE ABOUT FACTORS THAT AFFECT SEAOTTER HEALTH AND THREATS TO THE SPECIES AND ITS ECOSYSTEM. THIS INFORMATION IS ESSENTIAL TO SEA OTTERMANAGEMENT AND RECOVERY PLANS AND HELPS IDENTIFY EMERGING THREATS TO THE POPULATION SUCH ASPREDATION, DISEASE, OR HABITAT CHANGES.US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE FUNDING WILL ALLOW THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM TO ACHIEVE ITS GOAL TO (A)PROVIDE DIRECT RESPONSE TO STRANDINGS AND (B) REHABILITATE AND RELEASE SEA OTTERS WITHIN THEIR RANGE INCENTRAL CALIFORNIA. OUR OBJECTIVES INCLUDE:1. COORDINATE WITH STRANDING NETWORK PARTNERS TO RESPOND TO APPROXIMATELY 120 SEA OTTER STRANDINGREPORTS FOR LIVE AND DECEASED SOUTHERN SEA OTTERS.2. COLLECT APPROXIMATELY 50 DECEASED SEA OTTERS AND REPORT PRELIMINARY DATA TO CDFW.3. PROVIDE VETERINARY CARE AND REHABILITATION TO AT LEAST 3 RESCUED SEA OTTERS THAT WE WILL RELEASE BACKTO THE WILD AND MONITOR.4. GENERATE DATA THAT INCREASES SCIENCE-BASED UNDERSTANDING OF THREATS TO THE SOUTHERN SEA OTTERPOPULATION TO INFORM RECOVERY MANAGEMENT AND RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS.TO ACHIEVE THE PROJECTS GOALS, MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM STAFF WILL COORDINATE WITH STRANDING NETWORKPARTNERS TO RESPOND TO SEA OTTER STRANDING REPORTS, COLLECT DECEASED SEA OTTERS, RESCUE LIVE-STRANDED SEAOTTERS, AND PROVIDE HUSBANDRY AND VETERINARY CARE TO RESCUED SEA OTTERS. AS CAPACITY ALLOWS, AQUARIUMSTAFF WILL MOVE RESCUED SEA OTTERS INTO THE AQUARIUMS REHABILITATION OR SURROGACY PROGRAMS FOR FUTURERELEASE BACK TO THE WILD OR TRANSFER THEM TO ANOTHER AQUARIUM OR ZOO WHEN DEEMED NON-RELEASABLE BYTHE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. AFTER RELEASE, AQUARIUM STAFF WILL CONDUCT POST-RELEASE MONITORING TOENSURE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE RELEASED SEA OTTER. WHEN NECESSARY, AQUARIUM STAFF WILLRECAPTURE RELEASED SEA OTTERS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CARE BEFORE RELEASING THEM TO THE WILD AGAIN.AQUARIUM STAFF WILL ALSO GENERATE DATA TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THREATS TO THE SEA OTTER POPULATIONTO INFORM MANAGEMENT AND RECOVERY PLANS, AND EXPAND THE PUBLICS UNDERSTANDING OF SEA OTTERS, THEIRROLE IN HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS, THREATS TO THE POPULATION, AND WHAT STEPS THE PUBLIC CAN TAKE TO PROTECT THISTHREATENED SPECIES.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $0 | 2/19/25 | ||
| Not listed | $149.7k | 7/27/23 |