Sea otters are a keystone species of kelp forest ecosystems. Their recovery from near-extinction demonstrates both conservation success and the welfare challenges of managing a recovering population.
Recovering sea otter populations face welfare challenges from both anthropogenic and natural sources. Domoic acid toxicosis from harmful algal blooms is increasingly common, causing acute neurological distress and cardiac damage - events that are likely increasing with climate-driven changes in algal bloom frequency. Fishing gear entanglement causes drowning and injury. Shark attacks cause acute traumatic injury and death. The rehabilitation of stranded or injured sea otters is particularly demanding - their extreme metabolic rate requires continuous feeding during recovery, and their social behavior requires careful management. Animals rescued as pups face lifetime welfare decisions - individuals that have imprinted on humans cannot be released, requiring permanent care in aquarium settings where their ecological drive to forage in open ocean cannot be expressed.