Sea Otter
Sea otters are the largest member of the weasel family and the smallest
marine mammal. Ninety percent of the world’s sea otters live
in coastal Alaska.
The Marine
Mammal Protection Act protects sea otters. It prohibits commercial
harvest of sea otters, and allows Alaska natives to hunt sea otters
for subsistence and creation of handicrafts.
Historically, sea otter populations made a dramatic comeback after
near extinction due to overhunting, and later survived the Exxon Valdez
oil spill.
The population there has been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. See the southwest Alaska sea otter recovery team page for more details.
Last updated: September 10, 2008
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