Sea otters are a classic keystone species whose recovery from near-extinction has revealed the interconnection between individual animal welfare, population health, and ecosystem integrity.
Sea otters that encounter oil spills suffer acute toxicity, hypothermia from fur contamination, and death without intensive rehabilitation. Entanglement in fishing gear causes drowning and injuries. Orphaned pups that lose their mothers before weaning face starvation without human intervention. Marine mammal centers that rehabilitate stranded and oiled otters provide critical individual welfare services that also support population recovery. The interdependence of sea otter welfare and kelp ecosystem health illustrates how animal welfare and ecological conservation goals align. Protecting individual otters from oil, bycatch, and other anthropogenic threats contributes to both animal welfare and ecosystem function.