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For Immediate Release
Trend setting California gives sea otter conservation international appeal
CENTRAL COAST, Calif. – One of California’s most charismatic critters, the sea otter, is making a big splash this year in zoos and aquariums across the country. Cities from Omaha, Neb. in landlocked middle-America to locales as far-flung as Melbourne, Australia will celebrate the important role sea otters play for coastal waters and their local communities.
Last month, the California state legislature, led by State Sen. Abel Maldonado (D-Santa Maria), spearheaded an initiative to recognize Sea Otter Awareness Week and its importance to sea otter conservation. With unanimous support from state lawmakers, the last week in September was officially designated as Sea Otter Awareness Week in California, and the trend is catching on.
“It’s inspiring to see such widespread support for raising awareness of the threats and challenges that sea otters still face on their road to recovery,” Jim Curland of Defenders of Wildlife said. “Even a zoo in the middle of Nebraska is gearing up for Sea Otter Awareness Week, which encourages the public to get informed about the need to protect California's sea otter population and the coastal waters they call home.”
Sea
Otter Awareness Week 2008 begins on Sept. 21 and goes through Sept. 27. There
will be a series of free public talks and other events in the
Monterey
Bay
area, as well as in San
Mateo,
Morro
Bay,
Santa
Barbara
and Ventura,
and in Alaska.
Aquariums and zoos throughout North
America
will participate in up-close educational activities to celebrate this special
week. Special showings of the film, Precipice of Survival: The Southern Sea
Otter, produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, will be held at a variety of
locations.
Find out how you can participate in Sea Otter Awareness Week and to view the week’s activities.
Defenders of Wildlife has partnered with sea otter researchers, marine institutions, museums, aquariums and zoos, and many others to show the integral role they play in the coastal marine ecosystem, and this year’s sixth annual celebration of Sea Otter Awareness Week promises to reach even more people than ever. Elected officials from cities throughout California, and for the first time ever, mayors from cities across the country and in Canada, including Seattle and Vancouver, Washington, Seward and Homer, Alaska and Victoria, British Columbia, have also officially proclaimed Sea Otter Awareness Week.
“Sea Otter Awareness Week is about informing people of the threats that sea otters still face and about what concerned citizens can do to help sea otters make a thriving comeback,” Curland added. “As this special event continues to broaden it’s outreach nationally and internationally, it demonstrates how public education can make a difference in the understanding of the plight of sea otters and the need to recover their populations.”
Protecting sea otters has become an international issue. Before hunting sea otters for their valuable fur became widespread, the worldwide range was continuous from Japan all the way to Baja, Calif. Between 16,000 and 20,000 sea otters used to call the Golden State’s waters home. But by the early 1900s, many considered the sea otter extinct in California until a small population of 20-50 otters was discovered off the coast of Big Sur. As of this year, the spring census shows a three-year running average of 2,826 sea otters.
Defenders of Wildlife is joined this year by Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Seymour Marine Discovery Center, Monterey Bay area schools, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Coyote Point Museum, Alaska SeaLife Center, Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Ty Warner Sea Center, various other participants, and sixteen aquariums and zoos in North America, and one abroad.
Sea Otter Awareness Week is partially funded through generous contributions from SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund and proudly sponsored by Defenders of Wildlife, New Leaf Community Markets, Kayak Connection, Aqua Safaris SCUBA Center, EcoGoods, Hulas Island Grill & Tiki Room, Passionfish, Monterey Bay Kayaks, Monterey County Weekly, Light & Motion, Glenn’s Aquarius II Dive Shop, Backscatter, Morro Bay National Estuary Program, Good Clean Fun, New Times and the Santa Barbara Independent.
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Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than one million members and activists nationwide, with more than 210,000 of which are in California, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org.
