A sea otter floating above ribbons of kelp is undoubtedly one of nature’s cutest scenes. It’s well known that the marine mammals help make these sea surface ‘pillows’ more abundant ...

Adorably fuzzy sea otters aren’t just cute. The marine mammals serve a crucial role, helping to restore the giant kelp forests they rely on by removing their top predators, the sea urchins.

sea lions, sharks and cetaceans. “Kelp forests provide all these different resources and a lot of them are fished or fishable,” Beas explains. “[But] when the kelp forest is gone ...

Their typical haunts include precipitous rocky shores, barrier reefs, tidewater stones, and dense kelp forests. RANGE: Sea otters can be found in California, Washington, Canada, Alaska, Russia, and ...

Sea otter 841, known as the surfboard ... rolling and spinning in the kelp and waves with a little otter pup on her belly. Mark Woodward, her biggest fan and most dedicated chronicler, said ...