What Impact Might an Otter Have on Glacier Bay?
Sea otters inhabit near shore waters that are less than 54 m (177.17 feet) deep. Their habitats are near reefs, rocky shores and thick kelp forests. These kelp forests are dependent on the otter to protect them from excessive grazing by the otters’ prey. Increased and rapid otter colonization in Glacier Bay is due to the immigration of adults and juveniles and to reproduction, as evidenced by the increasing number of dependent pups. As sea otters continue to colonize Glacier Bay, dramatic changes will most likely occur in the type, abundance and size of many species in the nearshore marine ecosystem. Since sea otters were not seen here before 1995, Glacier Bay provides the perfect opportunity to study an area before and after their introduction and learn exactly how these changes occur. In order to accurately describe and understand the magnitude of the otters’ likely effect on the region’s ecosystem, researchers are currently studying: • the number and location of the otters and the p
