Adorably fuzzy sea otters aren’t just cute. The marine mammals serve a crucial role, helping to restore the giant kelp forests they rely on by removing their top predators, the sea urchins.

DESCRIPTION: Sea otters use their rear flippers to move and their flat, muscular tails to steer. They have an exceptional sense of smell, hearing, and eyesight above water and below. Lacking blubber, ...

Wild sea otters are no longer such a rare sight along the eastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island. Experts reckon there are now more than 50 of the endangered marine ...

A sea otter floating above ribbons of kelp is undoubtedly one of nature’s cutest scenes. It’s well known that the marine mammals help make these sea surface ‘pillows’ more abundant ...

HAMANAKA, Hokkaido--Sea otters have pupped off Cape Tofutsu here in eastern Hokkaido. Four pairs of mothers and pups have been spotted since the beginning of July, in a community of up to 14 otters.