It’s possible to observe sea otters and other wildlife, and maintain a respectful distance (NOAA guidelines suggest 50 yards). Photo courtesy Frank Steube.
Kayakers and paddleboarders looking to get up close and personal with sea otters – and maybe snag a selfie – may unintentionally be causing harm to these beloved (and threatened) marine mammals.
When approached directly by people in the wild, sea otters often feel threatened and may dive or swim away to avoid them. This evasive maneuver can cost sea otters precious energy – energy they can only recoup by spending less time resting and more time hunting and eating.
Approaching too close to sea otters is both bad for their health and a violation of federal law. Photo courtesy seaotters.com.
Because portions of sea otter habitat are already at their carrying capacity, making up the lost calories can be challenging at best. and life-threatening at worst. It’s an especially big problem for nursing mother otters who are already energetically stressed by the burden of pup rearing.
The best thing to do when out on the water is to keep your distance from sea otters as much as possible. When approaching, it’s better to float the kayak or paddleboard parallel to the animal from a safe distance, instead of paddling directly at them – a maneuver the otter may interpret as threatening. Learn more about how to behave around wild sea otters.
