Sea otters are charismatic keystone species whose individual welfare is shaped by shellfish availability, pollution, and shark predation in California and Alaskan coastal waters.
Sea otter welfare is closely tied to the kelp forest ecosystem health that determines shellfish abundance. Otters without adequate food face hypothermia as their metabolic rate cannot sustain insulation without sufficient caloric input. Shark attacks cause non-lethal injuries in many cases — bite wounds that become infected and debilitating. Oil spill contamination causes acute hypothermia and skin damage requiring intensive rehabilitation. Conservation efforts protecting kelp forests, monitoring shark interaction patterns, and maintaining oil spill response capacity all support individual sea otter welfare.