Sea otters are found in shallow, near shore waters of the North Pacific Rim, from the southern Kuril Islands, north along the Kamchatka Peninsula, then east along the Aleutian Islands to the Alaska Peninsula and Prince William Sound, and thence southern California. Historically, sea otters have been hunted by aboriginal people of the North Pacific for many centuries. In the 20th century the survivors thrived and increased under protection and intensive management efforts. However, recently there have been several disturbing declines in abundance. IUCN status is endangered. Sea otters are most often seen floating on their backs in and around kelp beds or in protected areas while resting. The color of the fur is dark reddish brown to black. Some individuals, especially older ones, may become grizzled, with the fur around the head, neck and shoulders becoming almost white. Male sea otters reach length of 150cm and weight of 45kg. |