The California sea otter
Hoping to spot an iconic sea otter?
Head to Elkhorn Slough, Monterey Bay,
and Morro Bay. Just don’t forget to #RespectTheNap.
Habitat and Range
Southern sea otters mainly inhabit shallow, nearshore coastal ecosystems such as Elkhorn Slough. You can typically spot a sea otter in rocky marine habitats with abundant kelp canopy. Sea otters rely on kelp for rest and foraging.
California Coast
Along the Pacific Coast, sea otters once inhabited the nearshore coastal ecosystem from northern California all the way to Baja California in Mexico. However, the current southern sea otter range only extends from north of Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County to Point Conception in Santa Barbara County.
Monterey Bay
The most recent sea otter population survey found the most sea otters between Seaside and Cayucos, with the area of greatest population density in the Monterey Peninsula.
