Sea Otter Habitat Research Articles

Informing sea otter reintroduction through habitat and human interaction assessment

Sea otters Enhydra lutris have been absent from Oregon, USA, following their extirpation over a century ago. Stakeholder groups and native tribes are advocating for reintroduction to restore historic populations. We investigated the potential for successful reintroduction by: (1) estimating expected equilibrium sea otter densities as a function of habitat variables to assess sea otter habitat in Oregon; and (2) spatially relating areas of high expected densities to human activities (e.g. fisheries, recreation, vessel activity, protected areas) to anticipate potential disturbance or fishery resource competition. We estimated that 4538 (1742-8976; 95% CI) sea otters could exist in Oregon, with higher expected abundance (N = 1551) and densities (x̄ = 2.45 km-2) within the southern region. Most core habitat areas (97%), representing clusters of high expected densities, overlapped with some form of human activity. While commercial shipping and tow lanes overlapped little (1%) with core habitat areas, recreational activities (58%) and fisheries (76%) had a higher degree of overlap, posing higher disturbance risk. We anticipate higher resource competition potential with the commercial red sea urchin fishery (67% of harvest areas) than the commercial Dungeness crab fishery (9% of high-catch crabbing grounds). Our study presents the first published carrying capacity estimate for sea otters in Oregon and can provide population recovery targets, focus attention on ecological and socioeconomic considerations, and help to inform a recovery plan for a resident sea otter population. Our findings suggest current available habitat may be sufficient to support a sea otter population, but resource managers may need to further investigate and consider whether current human activities might conflict with reestablishment in Oregon, if plans for a reintroduction continue.

Testing the nutritional-limitation, predator-avoidance, and storm-avoidance hypotheses for restricted sea otter habitat use in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska.

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) inhabiting the Aleutian Islands have stabilized at low abundance levels following a decline and currently exhibit restricted habitat-utilization patterns. Possible explanations for restricted habitat use by sea otters can be classified into two fundamentally different processes, bottom-up and top-down forcing. Bottom-up hypotheses argue that changes in the availability or nutritional quality of prey resources have led to the selective use of habitats that support the highest quality prey. In contrast, top-down hypotheses argue that increases in predation pressure from killer whales have led to the selective use of habitats that provide the most effective refuge from killer whale predation. A third hypothesis suggests that current restricted habitat use is based on a need for protection from storms. We tested all three hypotheses for restricted habitat use by comparing currently used and historically used sea otter foraging locations for: (1) prey availability and quality, (2) structural habitat complexity, and (3) exposure to prevailing storms. Our findings suggest that current use is based on physical habitat complexity and not on prey availability, prey quality, or protection from storms, providing further evidence for killer whale predation as a cause for restricted sea otter habitat use in the Aleutian Islands.

Sediment-associated aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in coastal British Columbia, Canada: Concentrations, composition, and associated risks to protected sea otters

Sediment-associated hydrocarbons can pose a risk to wildlife that rely on benthic marine food webs. We measured hydrocarbons in sediments from the habitat of protected sea otters in coastal British Columbia, Canada. Alkane concentrations were dominated by higher odd-chain n-alkanes at all sites, indicating terrestrial plant inputs. While remote sites were dominated by petrogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), small harbour sites within sea otter habitat and sites from an urban reference area reflected weathered petroleum and biomass and fossil fuel combustion. The partitioning of hydrocarbons between sediments and adjacent food webs provides an important exposure route for sea otters, as they consume ∼25% of their body weight per day in benthic invertebrates. Thus, exceedences of PAH sediment quality guidelines designed to protect aquatic biota at 20% of the sites in sea otter habitat suggest that sea otters are vulnerable to hydrocarbon contamination even in the absence of catastrophic oil spills.

Type X Toxoplasma gondii in a wild mussel and terrestrial carnivores from coastal California: New linkages between terrestrial mammals, runoff and toxoplasmosis of sea otters

Sea otters in California are commonly infected with Toxoplasma gondii. A unique Type X strain is responsible for 72% of otter infections, but its prevalence in terrestrial animals and marine invertebrates inhabiting the same area was unknown. Between 2000 and 2005, 45 terrestrial carnivores (lions, bobcats, domestic cats and foxes) and 1396 invertebrates (mussels, clams and worms) were screened for T. gondii using PCR and DNA sequencing to determine the phylogeographic distribution of T. gondii archetypal I, II, III and Type X genotypes. Marine bivalves have been shown to concentrate T. gondii oocysts in the laboratory, but a comprehensive survey of wild invertebrates has not been reported. A California mussel from an estuary draining into Monterey Bay was confirmed positive for Type X T. gondii by multilocus PCR and DNA sequencing at the B1 and SAG1 loci. This mussel was collected from nearshore marine waters just after the first significant rainfall event in the fall of 2002. Of 45 carnivores tested at the B1, SAG1, and GRA6 typing loci, 15 had PCR-confirmed T. gondii infection; 11 possessed alleles consistent with infection by archetypal Type I, II or III strains and 4 possessed alleles consistent with Type X T. gondii infection. No non-canonical alleles were identified. The four T. gondii strains with Type X alleles were identified from two mountain lions, a bobcat and a fox residing in coastal watersheds adjacent to sea otter habitat near Monterey Bay and Estero Bay. Confirmation of Type X T. gondii in coastal-dwelling felids, canids, a marine bivalve and nearshore-dwelling sea otters supports the hypotheses that feline faecal contamination is flowing from land to sea through surface runoff, and that otters can be infected with T. gondii via consumption of filter-feeding marine invertebrates.

Estimating Carrying Capacity for Sea Otters in British Columbia

ABSTRACT We estimated carrying capacity for sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in the coastal waters of British Columbia, Canada, by characterizing habitat according to the complexity of nearshore intertidal and sub‐tidal contours. We modeled the total area of complex habitat on the west coast of Vancouver Island by first calculating the complexity of the Checleset Bay‐Kyuquot Sound (CB‐KS) region, where sea otters have been at equilibrium since the mid‐1990s. We then identified similarly complex areas on the west coast of Vancouver Island (WCVI model), and adapted the model to identify areas of similar complexity along the entire British Columbia coast (BC model). Using survey data from the CB‐KS region, we calculated otter densities for the habitat predicted by the 2 models. The density estimates for CB‐KS were 3.93 otters/km2 and 2.53 otters/km2 for the WCVI and BC models, respectively, and the resulting 2 estimates of west coast of Vancouver Island complex habitat carrying capacity were not significantly different (WCVI model: 5,123, 95% CI = 3,337–7,104; BC model: 4,883, 95% CI = 3,223–6,832). The BC model identified the region presently occupied by otters on the central British Columbia coast, but the amount of coast‐wide habitat it predicted (5,862 km2) was relatively small, and the associated carrying capacity estimate (14,831, 95% CI = 9,790–20,751) was low compared to historical accounts. We suggest that our model captured a type of high‐quality or optimum habitat prevalent on the west coast of Vancouver Island, typified by the CB‐KS region, and that suitable sea otter habitat elsewhere on the coast must include other habitat characteristics. We therefore calculated a linear, coast‐wide carrying capacity of 52,459 sea otters (95% CI = 34,264–73,489)—a more realistic upper limit to sea otters in British Columbia. Our carrying capacity estimates are helping set population recovery targets for sea otters in Canada, and our habitat predictions represent a first step in Critical Habitat identification. This habitat‐based approach to estimating carrying capacity is likely suitable for other nonmigratory, density‐dependent species.

Density dependence and risk of extinction in a small population of sea otters

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris (L.)) were hunted to extinction off the coast of Washington State early in the 20th century. A new population was established by translocations from Alaska in 1969 and 1970. The population, currently numbering at least 550 animals, A major threat to the population is the ongoing risk of majour oil spills in sea otter habitat. We apply population models to census and demographic data in order to evaluate the status of the population. We fit several density dependent models to test for density dependence and determine plausible values for the carrying capacity (K) by comparing model goodness of fit to an exponential model. Model fits were compared using Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). A significant negative relationship was found between the population growth rate and population size (r 2 = 0.27, F = 5.57, df = 16, p < 0.05), suggesting density dependence in Washington state sea otters. Information criterion statistics suggest that the model is the most parsimonious, followed closely by the logistic Beverton–Holt model. Values of K ranged from 612 to 759 with best-fit parameter estimates for the Beverton–Holt model including 0.26 for r and 612 for K. The latest (2001) population index count (555) puts the population at 87–92% of the estimated carrying capacity, above the suggested range for optimum sustainable population (OSP). Elasticity analysis was conducted to examine the effects of proportional changes in vital rates on the population growth rate (λ). The elasticity values indicate the population is most sensitive to changes in survival rates (particularly adult survival).

AN ESTIMATION OF CARRYING CAPACITY FOR SEA OTTERS ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST

AbstractCarrying capacity (K) for the California sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) was estimated as a product of the density of sea otters at equilibrium within a portion of their existing range and the total area of available habitat. Equilibrium densities were determined using the number of sea otters observed during spring surveys in 1994, 1995, and 1996 in each of three habitat types where sea otters currently exist. Potential sea otter habitat was defined as from the California coastline to the 40‐m isobath and classified as rocky, sandy, or mixed habitat according to the amount of kelp and rocky substrate in the area. The amount of habitat available to sea otters in California was estimated using a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program. The estimated mean number of sea otters that could be supported by the marine environment to a depth of 40 m in California was 15,941 (95% CI 13,538–18,577). The GIS‐based approach incorporated detailed bathymetric contours, produced repeatable and accurate estimates, and served as an innovative method of measuring sea otter habitat. We believe the approach described in this paper represents the best available information on how a sea otter population at equilibrium would be distributed along the California coast.

POTENTIAL IMPACT OF OIL SPILLS ON CALIFORNIA SEA OTTERS: IMPLICATIONS OF THE EXXON VALDEZ SPILL IN ALASKA

AbstractBased on the survival of sea otters held at rehabilitation centers during the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, we built two models of otter mortality. One was based on the relationship between mortality and distance from spill origin, the other was based on the relationship between mortality and time from the spill origin. These models are simplistic and are meant as first steps in arriving at realistic risk estimates and in providing a conceptual framework for relating oil spills and sea otter mortality. Using the distance model, we simulated the impact of an Exxon Valdez event occurring at different locations along the California coast. A spill at the Monterey Peninsula had the greatest impact, exposing 90% of the California sea otter population to oil and killing at least 50% of the individuals. The time model was used to predict the mortality of otters exposed to oil of various ages and for various periods of time. It suggested that efforts to rehabilitate otters should be discontinued 20‐30 d after a spill. The limitations of the data available from the Exxon Valdez spill emphasize the importance of being prepared to conduct appropriate research during the next oil spill in sea otter habitat.

DETECTION OF SEA OTTERS IN BOAT-BASED SURVEYS OF PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND, ALASKA

Boat-based surveys have been commonly used to monitor sea otter populations, but there has been little quantitative work to evaluate detection biases that may affect these surveys. We used ground-based observers to investigate sea otter detection probabilities in a boat-based survey of Prince William Sound, Alaska. We estimated that 30% of the otters present on surveyed transects were not detected by boat crews. Approximately half (53%) of the undetected otters were missed because the otters left the transects, apparently in response to the approaching boat. Unbiased estimates of detection probabilities will be required for obtaining unbiased population estimates from boat-based surveys of sea otters. Therefore, boat-based surveys should include methods to estimate sea otter detection probabilities under the conditions specific to each survey. Unbiased estimation of detection probabilities with ground-based observers requires either that the ground crews detect all of the otters in observed subunits, or that there are no errors in determining which crews saw each detected otter. Ground-based observer methods may be appropriate in areas where nearly all of the sea otter habitat is potentially visible from ground-based vantage points.

Abalones, Shells, and Sea Otters: Dynamics of Prey Populations in Central California

Densities, sizes, and species composition of abalones, Haliotis refescens, H. walallensis, and H. kamtschatkana, remained stable from 1972 to 1981 within a sea otter habitat in central California. Almost all censused abalones were in crevices, with densities averaging 1.8 animals/10 m2. Live abalones and empty abalone shells resulting primarily from predation by sea otters averaged 7.5 and9 cm length, respectively. In contrast, out of the range of sea otters, live abalones were over twice as large and were numerous outside crevices (when protected from human predation). At our study site within their range, sea otters selected abalones larger than were proportionately available in crevices, and they broke many large shells with stone tools. An average of 55 freshly produced empty abalone shells, equivalent to °20% of the crevice population of live abalones, were found each month in our study area over a 12—mo period. Indirect calculations of feeding rates of sea otters also indicated a high production rate of abalones, as did observations of abalones in mapped crevices. The high production rates of abalones must result from high rates of juvenile recruitment and growth, and are indicative of a highly dynamic population, with a turnover time of 1—3 yr.

Effects of Sea Ice on Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris)

Sea ice advanced beyond its normal limits along the Alaska Peninsula in March 1971 and again in February, March, and April 1972. Observations of the reactions of sea otters inhabiting the area to various ice conditions were made during a series of aerial surveys. In 1971 during extremely cold temperatures the ice advanced rapidly through the sea otter habitat. Sea otters were trapped as the ice formed around them. They were forced to travel across the ice and the adjacent land, searching for open water in which to dive for food. Large numbers died from causes related to malnutrition when they could not maintain access to open water; however, little effect on the range of the population was observed. In 1972, the ice advanced more slowly under warmer temperatures. Most of the sea otters were able to move with the ice edge until they were concentrated near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula and Unimak Island. Although the ice in 1972 was denser and persisted longer than in 1971, relatively little mortality was observed, but the distribution of this population was at least temporarily altered. Observations made during the two years indicate that sea otters are able to tolerate severe ice and weather conditions as long as they are able to dive through leads for food. However, the northeastern expansion of the Bristol Bay population is being limited by the periodic formation of heavy sea ice.