Something’s off in this scene… can you spot it? 👀 Take a close look and see if you can identify 3 potential disturbance risks for sea otters. Remember: not all disturbance is obvious. Sometimes it’s subtle—a shift in distance, noise, or positioning that changes how wildlife behaves. 🧵👇

#StewardshipSaturday Every summer, @noaa.gov Sanctuary’s Team OCEAN volunteers are on the water at Elkhorn Slough and Cannery Row, connecting with kayakers and other ocean lovers while helping keep wildlife safe. Sea Otter Savvy is proud to support their work with sea otter training each spring.

The storm has passed and the sun is back. ☀️ After a busy weekend along the coast, this sea otter is glowing in the sunlight and doing what sea otters do best—resting. A good Monday reminder to slow down and #respectthenap. 🦦

Are sand dollars yummy? 🤨 Sea otters think so! 🦦 These flat cousins of the urchin may look unappetizing but they have an energy-packed center. Otter spotter tip: It takes a lot to make a meal, so look for “purple cookies” on the 🦦belly. This #TastyTuesday is respectfully taken by @seaotterchannel 👏

BREAKING (kind of): a giant sea otter has been spotted cruising past the Santa Cruz Boardwalk! Experts are calling it Enhydriodon… locals are calling it “who ate all the clam chowder?” Savvy tip: even when they’re 20x normal size, give wildlife space—and maybe keep a firm grip on your snacks.

Full house, full hearts. Wrapping up the 2026 Southern Sea Otter Research Update Meeting (SSORUM) in Santa Cruz with an incredible community dedicated not just to the conservation of the southern sea otter but the recovery of vibrant, biodiverse, and resilient coastal ecosystems. 🙏❤️🦦

3rd photo is my expression whenever I see people getting too close to sea otters (or any wildlife)

👀 Do you see it now? People often get closer than they realize. What looks “calm” to us can actually be a sea otter on alert. Sea otters don’t actually need angry cartoon eyes to tell us how they feel; we just need to pay better attention. Observe. Don’t disturb. 🦦 #RespectTheNap #SeaOtterSavvy

Fishing gear can become a serious hazard for wildlife. This sea otter pup in Morro Bay was found entangled in a hook and lure rig—but thanks to a skilled rescue by CDFW, she was safely freed and returned to her mom. Fish with care. Pack out all gear. Pick up stray line. Report entanglements

Tickets Available Now! Join us to celebrate 10 years at Humble Sea Brewing in Santa Cruz on May 31st! Grab your tickets today for an epic Savvy event with special guest speakers, an auction and raffle, and of course some sea otter cake! Get your tickets today: www.seaottersavvy.org/our-program/...

This is your sign to stop scrolling, stay a moment, & enjoy this sea otter mom & dreaming pup. #mondaymood This is the 'nursery zone' at Morro Bay. When you are calm and quiet, you can observe serene moments of wild sea otters like this one. #respectthenap Follow us and Stay Savvy #seaottersavvy

#SlowSaturday Sea otter moms are masters at stealthy maneuvers that avoid waking their napping pups. This mom quietly uses her hind flippers and tail in a move called sculling when her proximity to the crowd becomes uncomfortable. 🤫 Shhhhh. Sea otter nursery zone.

Congrats to our new Certified Active Wildlife Steward, @saltnoelle.bsky.social ! Founder Alexis Galasso leads with a clear “Admire from Afar” ethic, pairing coastal wildlife imagery with transparent, low-impact practices and engaging storytelling. 🧵👇

What’s the opposite of respecting the nap? Approaching resting sea otters so close you cause a “full flush”—most or all otters dive. On average it takes them 15 to recover to rest from this, and that energy deficit adds up. Respect the nap!

Slow Saturdays are for napping. Sea otters spend half their day resting to conserve energy and convert food to body heat to stay warm in cold water. Floating. Snoozing. Thriving. Help sea otters survive andthrive by giving them space and quiet. #RespecttheNap #slowsaturday

📣 This February, the Oregon Legislature has a chance to secure long-term funding for Oregon’s most vulnerable fish, wildlife, and habitats. Use your voice to let your legislators know you support the 1.25% For Wildlife Bill! actionnetwork.org/letters/urge... #oregon #wildlife #wildlifeconservation

“Say ahhhhhh” As this sea otter uses their lower incisors to scape mussel from the shell we get a peek at those flat, mussel-crushing molars. 📷 by the #seaottersavvy @ecoexposurephotography #TastyTuesday #seaotterfacts

Here’s a quick tip to avoid disturbing #seaotters: Pass by parallel. Paddle past tracking alongside rather than head on. Adopt this tip and you’ll be much less scary to sea otters and other wildlife! Parallel passers, remember to maintain distance too—no closer than 5 kayak lengths. ⚠️

Functional redundancy is nature’s backup plan. In CA kelp forests, a team of predators eat urchins–sea otters, sheephead, lobsters, crabs, and (before disease) sunflower stars. More predators sharing the job = a more stable kelp forest that’s resilient to catastrophic events.

Our igloo post was inspired when this super cool video by Be Smart on @pbs.org "How an Igloo Keeps You Warm", popped up in my YouTube recommendations. youtu.be/1L7EI0vKVuU?...

What do sea otters and igloos have in common? Sea otter fur and an igloo keep things warm using the same underlying principle: They both trap air to create insulation. 🧵👇

Even while tidepooling, our volunteers are otter spotting!

Santa's watching a bunch of Monterey otters spending the holidays. #Christmas2025 #MunchingUrchins #LollingOnTheWaves #SeaOtters

We wrapped up the year with an incredible enrichment weekend for our volunteers — otter spotting, tidepooling, potluck feasting, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center & a necropsy demo. 🧵👇

We almost cancelled data collection today because of the storm forecast. Turn out it was a delightful day in Monterey Bay! #marinemammalresearch

Peace on Earth, goodwill toward all creatures. Happy holidays from the staff and volunteers of Sea Otter Savvy. Stay Savvy! #AllIWantForChristmas #MerryChristmas #peaceonearth #happyholidays

Post 1 — What is a Kelp Forest Mosaic? Under the ocean off central California, an underwater mosaic has taken shape–a mosaic of adjacent pieces and patches. 🧵👇

After the Moss Landing battery fire, toxic metals — nickel, cobalt & manganese — settled on wetlands. New research shoes that rain & tides are now spreading contamination across marshes, which could have future impacts to wildlife 🦦. Read more → theconversation.com/when-the-wor...

This Thanksgiving, we’re grateful for the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. These landmark laws gave southern sea otters a fighting chance — and their continued recovery is proof that strong environmental laws work. Have a safe and wildlife-friendly Thanksgiving.

1 week until #GivingTuesday! This giving season, promote Peace on Earth with Sea Otter Savvy's Holiday sweatshirt ❤️🦦- a perfect gift - and sure to be a big hit at any party! Your purchase directly funds our programs and furthers sea otter conservation and recovery. @givingtuesday.bsky.social

Partners from Sea Otter Savvy & CDFW teamed up to test the loudness of a quadcopter using a #seaotter decoy, dosimeter, 3 iPhones, and a pair of sea otter socks. This is how we science. This was follow up research to our study on the effect of drones on sea otter behavior—currently under review.

“You want to know what comes between me and my Calvin’s? One million hairs per square inch.” 👖🦦 #genx #generationx #brookshields #calvinklein

New research (Grewelle et al.) reveals a surprising threat to southern sea otters: their prey. Young otters eating Pacific mole crabs can ingest parasitic worms that cause the deadly disease acanthocephalan peritonitis (AP).

Sea otters in Morro Bay are more than just a pretty face—they’re indicators of estuary health. Since 2019, Cal Poly students have tracked sea otter foraging here, and a new grad student is diving into the data to explore sea otter ecology as this population expands in the estuary. Stay tuned!

Start your Monday with stories from Alonso Daboub, Max Chun, Jana Marcus, Wallace Baine, Hillary Ojeda and more, plus Community Voices opinion.

On October 19, 2025, a sea otter mother and her tiny pup were struck by a boat in Monterey Harbor. They were crowded and harassed at their haul out spot. A few days later, the pup was found dead. Read the blog from our Director: www.seaottersavvy.org/one-pup

Listen to the new FurReal podcast featuring Sea Otter Savvy today: open.spotify.com/episode/5msb...

Pup size matters! Compared to their mustelid relatives, sea otters have evolved to have fewer—but larger—pups. This evolutionary trade-off may reflect the challenges of raising young entirely at sea, where a bigger body offers warmth, buoyancy, and a better chance of survival. 🧵👇

These kind of incidents are an inevitable product of our relentless encroachment on the sea otters’ home, a process that initiated nearly 300 years ago at the start of the maritime fur trade. @scsentinel.bsky.social www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/10/17/p...

Our President, Dr. Lance Morgan, joined by First Officer of the Beach and Sea Otter Ambassador Guinness, were excited to attend our friends @seaottersavvy.bsky.social event at Doran Beach last weekend. We’re looking forward to more fun at Sea Otter Awareness Week September 21-27, 2025!

⏰ 1 week to go! Join us at Doran Beach, Bodega Bay for Sea Otters Were Here: Coastal Ecology Pop-Up! 🦦🌊 📅 Sat, Sept 6 | 10 AM–2 PM 🧵👇

Join our raft! Sea Otter Savvy is recruiting volunteers for our community science and outreach teams in all of our regions: Monterey Bay Area, San Luis Obispo county, and Northern California (outreach only). Make new friends and participate in community science and stewardship! 🧵👇 #volunteer

📣 Announcement! Our newest certified Community Active Wildlife Steward is A Kayak Shack in Morro Bay! CAWS businesses are certified when they meet our criteria for wildlife stewardship in their business practices. #StewardshipSaturday

Jack of all trades or master of one? When sea otters first recolonize an area, they will all eat similar prey — whatever is abundant and calorie rich. But what does a savvy sea otter do when more otter neighbors settle in and favorite prey is harder to find? Diversify!🧵👇 📸Joan Tisdale #tastytuesday

It’s time for our #SummerSeaOtterSafetySeries! Level 1: Sea otters are naturally wary of people and avoid interactions; if a sea otter approaches you, that is abnormal behavior. It is your responsibility to avoid and discourage these interactions: steps 🧵👇 #KeepWildlifeWild #SeaOtterSavvy

The Sea Otter Savvy team had the pleasure of meeting Senator John Laird at Saturday’s Day on the Beach event in Santa Cruz! We shared our concerns about the weakening of long-standing laws that protect our coasts and the amazing wildlife that depends on them. #wildlifeWednesday 🧵👇

Home with your pups and needing a fun sea otter science activity? Sea Otter Savvy can help with that! Make your own 'Blubber' (crisco) glove and even 'Fur' (wool) glove and test out which one is better for staying warm in cold water: www.seaottersavvy.org/blubber-glov... Answer below 👇🦦🔬

Way to be sea otter savvy!!

For your #MondayMotivation Take the Sea Otter Savvy Pledge: www.seaottersavvy.org/pledge and join us in supporting sea otter conservation and community stewardship! Make you pledge and spread the Savvy! #SeaOtterSavvy

#Seaotters resting in kelp may wrap themselves in fronds to stay safe and secure while they sleep. Just like kelp offers protection, we can all help sea otters feel safe in their home. By watching from a distance and minimizing disturbance, we support a more peaceful ocean for everyone.