Sea otters

In California, otters turn to tools to eat prey in Monterey Bay

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Sea otters on the West Coast are turning to resource use to exploit richer prey and gain a competitive edge, a new study shows. In Monterey Bay, an incredible rebound in sea otter populations has made their favorite prey scarce — and prompted them to pursue tougher options, according to findings published Thursday in Science. … Read more

How US nuclear tests in the 1970s led to today’s thriving otter population on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean

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Sea otters had disappeared from Washington, Oregon and other parts of the US until scientists relocated them to save them from a nuclear weapons test.Kevin Schafer/Getty Images In 1971, the US initiated its largest underground nuclear weapons test on a remote island in Alaska. Previously, scientists managed to relocate hundreds of sea otters that may … Read more