SOUTHERN SEA OTTER Enhydra lutris nereis (Meriam) 



Order: CARNIVORA Family: MUSTELIDAE 



Distinguishing characteristics : Large marine otter, about 4 feet long, dark brown 

 with short stout tail . 



Present distribution : Off California coast, Santa Barbara County to Santa Cruz County. 



Former distribution : Pacific Coast, Washington to central Baja California. 



Status : Once nearly extinct, but now recovering on California Coast; extirpated off 

 Washington and Oregon since 1876. 



Estimated numbers : Official census (1957) reported 638 (Anon., 1964). In 1964 Kenyon 

 counted 396 and estimated a total of 500 in California waters . California Department of 

 Fish and Game estimated 1,200 animals in 1969 (M. Odemar pers . communication) . 



Breeding rate in the wild : One pup per female per year. 



Reasons for decline : Slaughtered for furs since latter half of 18th century, and later 

 poaching by Japanese and Russians . 



Protective measures already taken : Protected by State law and Marine Mammal 

 Protection Act of 1972. 



Measures proposed : Continued protection by California and Federal law . According 

 to Kenyon (personal communication) the sea otter does not range regularly beyond 

 3-mile limit off the coast of California. 



Number in captivity : During 1972 California Fish and Game placed 4 at Sea World, 

 San Diego. 



Breeding potential in captivity : Unknown . 



Remarks : Together with Alaska subspecies, total catch 1842-62 was about 26,000; 

 1881-90, total catch was about 48,000. By 1910 the total catch of a fleet of 16 schooners 

 was only 31. Rediscovered off Monterey County, California, 1939, and since have 

 extended south to Pt. Conception and probably the Channel Islands; one found to the 

 north of Santa Cruz County, 1940, and several at Ano Nuevo Island, San Mateo County, 

 1963. 



References : 



Allen, G. M. 1942. Extinct and vanishing mammals of the Western Hemisphere. 



American Committee for International Wildlife Protection, Spec. Publ. 11, 



pp. 417-424. 

 Anonymous . 1964 . Sea otter population determined by census . Commercial 



Fisheries Review, 26(8):15. 



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