Kelp Forest Mural, California sea otter detail
Time period shown: Modern
Pictured:
California sea otter.
Did you know?
Sea otters historically were found across the north Pacific, from the northern islands of Japan to Baja California. A lucrative fur trade began in the 18th century, reducing the California sea otter population from approximately 16,000 sea otters to as few as 50 individuals by 1911. Currently, approximately 2,700 sea otters live along the central coast of California.