In the early 1700s, thousands of otters could be found all along the coast of North America and the Pacific. The fur trade in the 1700s wiped out almost all of the otters, leaving only a few colonies of under 50 otters. One of these colonies was found in 1915 off the coast of Point Sur in Monterey, CA. Since we have worked to protect otters, they have started to recover along the central coast, but are considered locally extinct

Go through the questions below and let’s think about what role otters played in that ecosystem and how that ecosystem may have changed when otters were hunted to local extinction. 

In 1740, before the fur trade reached its peak, there were many other organisms in the Santa Barbara coastal ecosystem besides the otter. For example, the California brown pelican eats pacific mackerel. 

In 1850, otters off the central coast have been poached for their fur. The central coast ecosystem off of Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands has lost a lot of its kelp forests. 

In 1911, otters are locally extinct on the Santa Barbara coast and most of the coastal ecosystem has transitioned from a kelp forest to an urchin barren. 

Come up with a possible explanation for how and why the coastal ecosystem changed from 1740 to 1911 after otters were poached for their furs. Give evidence and reasoning. *making a hypothesis

“The otters were removed from the ecosystem due to poaching in the 1700s. This caused…” 

explain how and why the ecosystem may have changed due to the poaching of otters or other factors.

Evaluate claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

Otters & Urchins