Sea Otter Savvy

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Sea Otter Savvy We are a nonprofit organization using outreach and research tools to foster a community dedicated to protecting sea otters from human disturbance.

The beautiful central California coast offers both excellent opportunities for human ocean recreation activities and optimal habitat for sea otters. When the favorite places of both humans and sea otters overlap, interactions between them are inevitable. These interactions can be positive (harmonious for both human and sea otter) or negative (disturbance to sea otters and/or injury to human). As both human and sea otter populations grow, interactions – including disturbance – inevitably increase. One of the first steps toward mitigating negative impacts of these interactions is for humans to recognize the power of their behavioral choices to help or harm. We at Sea Otter Savvy believe that most disturbance to sea otters is unintentional, motivated not by the intent to do harm but by lack of awareness. Essential to preventing disturbance before it occurs is an understanding of the unique vulnerability of sea otters and the importance of a healthy sea otter population to our coastal ecosystem. Through research, outreach, and education, we hope to increase awareness of the importance of protecting sea otters as part of our coastal community, and inspire everyone sharing the coastal environment with sea otters to adopt responsible viewing guidelines and share them with others. Together we can create a “sea otter savvy” community promoting responsible wildlife viewing, awareness of the effect our behavior can have on sea otters and other wildlife, and a safer, healthier coastal environment for all of us, otter and human alike. Be sea otter savvy and YOU can make a difference!

What’s a sea otter’s handiest tool for cracking a crab claw? It’s the poor crab’s carapace itself. 😬 Swipe through to se...
10/13/2026

What’s a sea otter’s handiest tool for cracking a crab claw? It’s the poor crab’s carapace itself. 😬 Swipe through to see the process. 🔨🦀

Sometimes it’s pretty cringy to watch a sea otter eat, but we’re happy this female got a much needed good meal.

📷s by Sea Otter Savvy from shore, using zoom lens. Cropped to appear closer. Always preserve the natural behaviors of wildlife when photographing.

10/13/2026

A heartfelt thank you to Louis Trevino and Vincent Medina of mak-'amham/Cafe Ohlone , and The Lawrence Hall of Science for inviting us today to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day and the ‘ottoy Project! We are grateful to be part of this celebration uplifting Indigenous knowledge, culture, and connections to the natural world, and to spend the day learning alongside our friends and partners.

Today is also an opportunity to reflect on the importance of Indigenous voices and leadership in sea otter recovery. Reconnecting sea otters to their historic habitats is more than an ecological conversation; it is also a cultural one. Through our Sea Otter Recovery & Community Engagement (SORCE) program, we are grateful for opportunities to learn from and alongside Tribal partners, from shared field experiences observing wild sea otters to meaningful conversations about restoration, cultural connections, and the future of our coast. These relationships remind us of the importance of listening, learning, and working together. May we continue building bridges, supporting Indigenous-led efforts, and creating opportunities to reconnect people, cultures, and sea otters. 🌊

From the Central Valley to the Central Coast! We loved teaming up with Lost Isle Adventures to give high school students...
10/09/2026

From the Central Valley to the Central Coast!

We loved teaming up with Lost Isle Adventures to give high school students from California’s Central Valley a chance to explore the wonders of Morro Bay!

While Lost Isle Adventures took students out on harbor cruises and whale-watching adventures, Sea Otter Savvy brought the sea otter science and stewardship to the dock! Students explored educational activities, learned about sea otter behavior and conservation, and even got to put their new knowledge to work spotting sea otters right from the dock with the Cal Poly Sea Otter Team

Experiences like these help connect young people with coastal wildlife and inspire the next generation of ocean stewards.

A big thank you to Lost Isle Adventures for inviting us to this fun day of learning, exploration, and ocean discovery!

Want to go undercover for sea otters?Sea Otter Savvy is recruiting Undercover Shoppers to help us evaluate wildlife stew...
10/03/2026

Want to go undercover for sea otters?

Sea Otter Savvy is recruiting Undercover Shoppers to help us evaluate wildlife stewardship among California marine recreation businesses for our Community Active Wildlife Stewards program.

Your mission: rent a kayak, SUP, hydrobike or other watercraft, or join a guided tour. Then pay attention to what you see and hear. How does the operator prepare customers to encounter wildlife? What happens when wildlife is actually encountered? Afterward, report back to us through a short online survey. We’ll reimburse the cost of one rental or tour ticket.

We’re currently recruiting in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and select Northern California counties, with a special need for local residents who can conduct shops regularly.

A good undercover shopper is observant, objective, comfortable on or around the water, and committed to helping people and wildlife coexist.

🥸 Discretion required. Fake mustache optional.

📷: all photos were taken by undercover shoppers on their excursions!

Interested in joining the undercover team? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Undercover Shopper” in the subject line.

Learn more: https://www.seaottersavvy.org/undercover-shopper

Last day to put your savvy to the test! Enter to win a Sea Otter Awareness Week t-shirt by taking our 7 Days of Sea Otte...
10/03/2026

Last day to put your savvy to the test! Enter to win a Sea Otter Awareness Week t-shirt by taking our 7 Days of Sea Otter Savvy quiz by 5 PM PT today (Oct 3).

There’s one question from each of our seven posts—and yes, it’s open book! Everyone who scores 100% will be entered into a random drawing for the prize. So review the 7 Days of Sea Otter Savvy posts and ace the quiz!

Take the quiz here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KVSYPJJ

10/02/2026

There’s a new Morro Bay resident! Happy birthday, little one, we just missed you on our Wednesday count.

Sea otter mom’s aren’t able to ask for what they need. It’s up to you to give them space, quiet, and respect. This is a critical time for otter pups, only about half survive their first 3 weeks.

Be a hero for them. Be sea otter savvy.

Video by Sea Otter Savvy team member ChrissyAnne Osborn Asquith

Since you all should be satiated with sea otters after last week, we thought you might not mind today’s bald eagle takeo...
09/30/2026

Since you all should be satiated with sea otters after last week, we thought you might not mind today’s bald eagle takeover for . This Morro Bay resident was spotted this morning during our sea otter survey. What other birds can you spot in these photos? There’s one particularly fun photobomb.

Sea Otter Awareness Week 2026 has come to an end. Sea Otter Savvy’s small team of staff and volunteers are leaders in or...
09/27/2026

Sea Otter Awareness Week 2026 has come to an end.
Sea Otter Savvy’s small team of staff and volunteers are leaders in organizing partnerships and collaborations throughout this week-long annual event.

If you enjoyed the week or learned something new, share your appreciation with a donation here: https://www.seaottersavvy.org/donate

The 7 Days of Sea Otter Savvy quiz is now live. Followers have until October 3 to score 100% to be eligible to win a SOAW t-shirt. Take the quiz here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KVSYPJJ

Thank you for your attention. Now we rest.

7 Days of Sea Otter Savvy: Day 7 LAST DAY! Q: How can I take and share sea otter photographs without causing or promotin...
09/26/2026

7 Days of Sea Otter Savvy: Day 7 LAST DAY!

Q: How can I take and share sea otter photographs without causing or promoting disturbance?

A: Give them space, use your zoom, and use caution when posting, sharing and liking photos.

A great wildlife photo should capture a natural moment, not create one.

When photographing sea otters, stay far enough away that they do not change their behavior because of you. Even looking your way indicates a reaction. Use a telephoto lens or your camera’s zoom rather than moving closer. If a sea otter repeatedly looks at you, swims away, dives, or otherwise responds to your presence, you are too close. Consider zooming out for photos featuring the sea otters in their environment!

And ethical wildlife photography does not end when you put down the camera.

The images we share can influence how other people behave around wildlife. Avoid posting photos or videos that normalize close approaches and startled behavior, even if the encounter was not intentional. Be thoughtful about captions, cropping, and location information. Use your post to model respectful viewing rather than making proximity part of the attraction.

The most Sea Otter Savvy photograph is the one that celebrates the sea otter and not their reaction to you.

Give them space. Get the shot with your zoom. Share with care.

Think you’ve been paying attention? Our 7 Days of Sea Otter Savvy quiz opens tomorrow, Sept. 27 at 12 PM PT and closes Oct. 3 at 5 PM PT. There’s one question from each of our seven posts, and yes, it’s open book! Everyone who scores 100% will be entered into a random drawing for the prize. So save the posts and come back ready to ace it!

09/26/2026

7 Days of Sea Otter Savvy: Day 6

Q: What does “canopy” mean from a sea otter’s perspective?

A: A floating refuge to rest, anchor, hang out with others, and maybe get a bit of camouflage from predators below.

When we hear forest canopy, we usually look up (imagine walking in a redwood forest). But in a kelp forest, giant kelp grows from the seafloor toward the light, spreading its blades across the surface to form a floating canopy.

And that’s exactly where sea otters like to be.

Sea otters commonly rest in surface kelp, sometimes wrapping themselves in the blades to help keep from drifting while they sleep. Kelp canopy may also obscure sea otters from white sharks hunting below and provides a gathering place for individual sea otters or whole rafts to socialize and rest. Did you spot the mom with a pup on her belly?

But here’s an important twist: kelp isn’t the only type of canopy used by sea otters. They also thrive in places with little or no kelp, including bays and estuaries. In Morro Bay and Elkhorn Slough for example, sea otters may rest in eelgrass beds. Some may simply raft together in open water when canopy isn’t available.

So, from a sea otter’s perspective, the canopy isn’t overhead. It’s right where it needs to be for the perfect nap.

📹 by Sea Otter Savvy. Watch to the end to see how far away we were!

🦦 Think you’ve been paying attention? Our 7 Days of Sea Otter Savvy quiz opens Sept. 27 at 12 PM PT and closes Oct. 3 at 5 PM PT. There’s one question from each of our seven posts—and yes, it’s open book! Everyone who scores 100% will be entered into a random drawing for the prize. So follow along, save the posts, and come back ready to ace it!

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2370 CA-1
Moss Landing, CA
95039

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