Sea otters are keystone species for kelp ecosystems, with welfare threatened by oil spills, shark attacks, and the ongoing challenge of population recovery.
Oil spill victims suffer rapid hypothermia as fur loses insulating capacity, a prolonged and painful death unless rescued. Pups separated from mothers in storms or through maternal death slowly starve. Shark attacks, while natural, cause severe injuries that often do not heal fully. Entanglement in fishing gear causes drowning.