Sea Otters:

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After reading, Emotions for the Oceans: The Beauty of it All, Marissa DeVogel developed a step by step plan about how we as humans can help protect our local and global sea otters. Marissa points out that kayaks and too much human interaction can disrupt normal eating and sleeping habits of California otters. According to the Marine Mammal Protection Act and NOAA, it is illegal to change the behavior of any marine animal. Sea otters are also affected by oil spills, entrapment and habitat degradation. During the early 1900’s otters were almost driven to extinction due to their valuable fur during the fur trade. Their population’s again rose after Canada, japan, Russia and the U.S. signed a peace treaty in 1911 to prohibit hunting sea otters. Since 1989, otters and other marine mammals have been protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Although the otters are protected under this, humans can still damage otters’ habitats without hunting them. Everyone is able to help their local otters by visiting the Wildlife Action Center to send a message to government leaders and being an advocate for wildlife. Otters can be helped worldwide by recycling and keeping our oceans garbage free. By taking care of our earth we can help all animals thrive in it.

 

Marissa’s Video

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