3/3/2016
The Otter Project
&
MPA Watch
Keeping warm
• No blubber, it’s all about that FUR!
o 1,000,000 hairs per square inch.
Humans have a tenth of that on
our whole heads if we’re lucky…
o Fur has two layers, a short under
layer and a longer top layer of
guard hairs. Guard hairs trap air
and insulate against cold water.
o Otter pup life vest.
More Than a Cute Face
• How do otters keep warm in our cold California
waters?
• What do otters eat?
• How do otters sleep?
• What dangers do otters face?
• Why should otters be protected?
• What can you do to help otters?
Sea Otters Are Expensive Dates
• Otters Must eat 25-30% of body weight daily so must
be efficient food gatherers
o If you weigh 150 lbs you’d have to eat about 37 to 45
pounds EVERY DAY. An adult otter weighs 40 to 60 pounds,
eating 10 to 20 pounds of food each day.
• Otters eat shellfish
o How do they crack the puzzle?
• Tools!
• An otter will sometimes use
the same rock over and over again.
Where do they keep it?
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Sleeping in the Ocean
• Cannot sleep all night, instead they take lots of
naps.
• When ready to nap otters sometimes wrap
themselves in kelp to avoid drifting away.
• Sleeping groups of otters are called rafts and can
be as small as a couple otters or as large as over
100.
• Never disturb a sleeping otter!
Why Protect Sea Otters?
• Sea otters are a keystone species
o Keep marine herbivores in check
o Kelp forest gardeners
• Sequester carbon
• Protect shoreline
• Provide habitat
• Sea otters are a sentinel species
o Eat filter feeders
• Bioaccumulate toxins
What Threatens Sea Otters?
Quality habitat
•
• Pollution
o
o
o
o
Disease
Domoic Acid
Pesticides
Parasites
• Oil Spills
o Could wipe out entire
California sea otter population
What can we do to help?
• Pollution
o Buy organic
o Reduce, reuse, recycle, and refuse
• Oil spills
o Walk, bike, electric or hybrid cars, bus or trains
o Ban the bag!
• Over a cup of crude oil to make a single plastic bag.
• Nationwide, each person uses about 250 plastic bags
each year.
• Use cloth bags you and conserve15 gallons of oil.
• Vote
• VOLUNTEER!
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The Otter Project
Mission: Promote the rapid recovery of the threatened California Sea Otter through science‐
based policy and advocacy. What is the Otter Project?
What are MPAs?
North Central Coast
North Coast
I Marine Protected Areas
South Coast
Central Coast
San Francisco Bay
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Levels of Protection
•
State Marine Reserve (SMR) – The most restrictive classification,
these are no-take areas.
•
State Marine Park (SMP) – May allow recreational take, or limit
in some way, but does NOT allow commercial take.
•
State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) – May limit
recreational and/or commercial take to protect a specific
resource or habitat.
Benefits of MPAs
• Science proves that MPAs allow
fish to thrive by protecting
ecosystems, not just individual
species.
• Reduced human disturbance.
• MPAs leave the vast majority of
the coast open for fishing.
• Increased biodiversity
• Species can grow & reproduce
• Bigger Fish
• More Fish
MPA Watch
• MPA Watch is a citizen science program
• Volunteers collect scientific data on coastal and
marine resource use
• Collected data helps inform MPA management
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Expectations for Volunteers
Where do volunteers survey??
Santa Cruz
Be 18 years or older
Have access to vehicle or public transportation
Attend one class and field training
Complete 8 surveys/month, commit to 3 months
Insert data at www.mpawatch.org within 48 hours
Take care of your loaned binoculars/compass &
return equipment if you no longer need it
• Can coordinate surveys with a partner, timing is
flexible
• Enthusiasm for contributing to science without
having to wear a white lab coat or have a degree
•
•
•
•
•
•
Monterey
San Luis Obispo
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3/3/2016
Identifying Activities
• Onshore vs. Offshore
• Non-consumptive vs. Consumptive
Datasheet
Onshore Activities
Beach Recreation
Wildlife Watching
Beach Recreation
Offshore Activities
Standup Paddleboarding
Swimming
Domestic Animals –
On Leash
Tidepooling
Beach Recreation
Board Sports
Board Sports
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3/3/2016
Non‐consumptive Activities
Consumptive Activities
Hand Collection of Biota
Boat Fishing – Nets, Commercial, Active
Shore Based Fishing ‐ Nets
Boat Fishing – Hook & Line, Recreational, Active
Non‐consumptive SCUBA/snorkeling
Beach Recreation
Dive Boat
Beach Recreation
Paddle Sports
Sign up today!
volunteer@otterproject.org
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