OTTERS ARE THE CANARIES OF THE SEA
In the early days of coal production canaries were used to alert minors to poisonous gasses in mind shafts. A deceased canary meant an unsafe environment in which minors were at risk. Species of many kinds have served mankind well in this unique capacity. Otters, those furry animals’ people love so much, also serve man as a watch dog for marine health. Like the canaries, the otters are an indicator of the environmental well being of marine waters.
The otter at one time populated the west coast of North America all the way to the Aleutian Islands. In the 18th century the environmental impact of the otter habitat began to drastically change. It was at this time that Russian fur traders discovered otters in the Aleutian Islands and the race was on. The traders had a ready market for this valuable fur and the otter were harvested with no thought of conservation. The otters were almost wiped out and only now making a comeback of sorts. See the book "The Great Eagle Spirit". There are still areas today where otters are extinct in areas where they once lived.
The otter’s fur is the densest of any mammal and is an absolute necessity in the cold Pacific waters since they have very little body fat. It is a member of the weasel family but smallest of marine mammals. Animals like the seal, sea lion, and walrus dwarf the otter. Otters have habits quite unlike other marine animals in that often times they float on their backs and use rocks to crack open their favorite food like clams, sea urchins, and other shellfish.
The otter and the kelp beds in which they live are made for each other. If either one disappears in appreciable numbers the organisms that depend on the kelp bed, and indirectly on the otter, will also suffer.
The otter, as are a host of other organisms, are very susceptible to any changes to the waters in which they live. Some changes are natural in that warmer waters may interfere with the natural cycle of organisms that provide life. Others, however, may be man made. Seals and sea lions are also decreasing in numbers due to over fishing, fishing net entanglements, and numerous toxins that affect their numbers. Whenever seals and Sea Lions are reduced in numbers, the Orcas, often times turn to the otter for food. It does not take long for otter to decrease in numbers and when this happens; the whole kelp bed is in jeopardy.
Species like the otter are very important to scientist in monitoring the health and well being of marine waters. Changes are harbingers of future events and must be taken seriously in order to identify and arrive at solutions. In this sense the scientific community monitors animals like the otter and know that their well being is essential to the health of the waters in which they live.
Just as the canaries alerted minors to potential dangers, so do the otters. They give mankind a leg up on problems and the opportunity to face these dangers and come up with solutions to eradicate them. The only problem is that the community of nations must also recognize these dangers and actually do something about them. These solutions can not be left only to scientists and governmental officials to solve, but must be the personal goal of each person to do their part by being an activist and contact ones one representative to do their part.
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