Otters' Major Role

In the 1700s, otters were endangered because they were hunted for their thick, warm fur. By the time hunting of otters was banned in 1911, only 2000 otters were left.  To combat this decrease in population, scientist began moving otters to places where they had disappeared. This serves as a warning for poachers that are in operation today. I believe the same thing will happen to certain species like elephants who are hunted for their ivory tusks. Today there are around 125,000 otters, mainly in Alaska. The importance of otters should not be overlook, otters are a key factor in the environment. One of the otters' major food source is sea urchins. Without otters, there would be an overpopulation of sea urchins, which eat kelp. Without the otters the sea urchins would eat all of the kelp and leave many animals, such as seals and fish, without their major food source. Kelp also helps absorb carbon dioxide released in the air by cars and cause problems for other marine animals. This makes me realize how important one species, such as the otters, is to the environment, and without one species an entire ecosystem could be destroyed.


Kellaher, Karen. "All Classroom Magazines." Otters on the Job. Scholastic, Web. 19 June 2017.