Home Animals Heartwarming Otter Facts That Will Make Your Day A Little Brighter
Animals By Monica Gray -

Heartwarming Otter Facts That Will Make Your Day A Little Brighter
Bored Panda

We Need To Help Save Them

There are 13 species of otter in total, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe from endangerment. Five of them are endangered, five are near-threatened, and two are considered vulnerable. Out of all the species in the world, the North American river otter is of the least concern. Mainly, they’re threatened by pollution, destruction of their habitat, poaching, and overfishing, most of which can be stopped and prevented by humans. Rogue fishing gear also poses a threat to them, which is yet another thing humans can easily change. According to Oceana, “it is thought that oil spills pose the greatest threat due to the proximity of sea otters to major tanker routes and their susceptibility to hypothermia if their fur comes into contact with oil.” The best way we can prevent this is to start rethinking how we treat the world. Humans are the biggest threat to nature, anyway.

Heartwarming Otter Facts That Will Make Your Day A Little Brighter
Medium

We Want To Protect Them

Because they’re fragile and necessary for the ecosystem, the U.S. and international law have reinforced laws protecting sea otters. Otters were “hunted to the edge of extinction by fur traders in the 18th and 19th centuries, the few remaining sea otters (about 2,000 scattered in remnant colonies throughout the North Pacific rim) were first protected by the International Fur Seal Treaty in 1911. Sea otters in the United States received additional protections with the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s” (DOI). Reading this eases our anxiety. It looks like most humans are doing everything they can to help these little critters survive.

Advertisement
Advertisement