Sea otters are keystone predators whose welfare is inseparable from kelp forest ecosystem health, with their conservation representing both a welfare and ecological imperative on North American coasts.
Sea otter welfare is uniquely visible because of their expressive social behavior and the ease of observing them from shore. Individual otters show clear behavioral indicators of welfare state - anxious otters dive repeatedly in response to disturbance while comfortable otters rest and groom. Oil spill response requires immediate capture and cleaning of affected otters, with survival depending on sustained intensive care. The welfare of individual otters is intrinsically connected to kelp forest health - otters in degraded habitats without adequate prey face nutritional stress that increases mortality.