Sea otters are a keystone species whose recovery from near-extinction is one of conservation's great success stories, but their populations remain small and vulnerable to pollution, disease, and shark bites.
Sea otters experience specific welfare challenges tied to their unique physiology. Without blubber insulation, they must eat constantly - an otter that cannot find enough prey becomes hypothermic and dies. Shark attacks - even when the shark does not consume the otter - cause severe traumatic bite wounds that may be fatal or require intensive rehabilitation. Toxoplasma encephalitis from cat feces causes progressive neurological deterioration. Domoic acid poisoning causes seizures and brain damage before death. Rescued otters require intensive care including feeding live prey to maintain hunting skills before release. The recovery of sea otters demonstrates that dedicated conservation works, but their continued vulnerability requires ongoing vigilance.