If there is one furry animal that Monterey Bay is most known for, it is the sea otter. The climate and rocky shores along Monterey County's coastline are ideal for these critters and the bountiful kelp forests are full of all of their favorite snacks. Here's our list of the top five places to spot Monterey County's favorite mascot.
1. Moss Landing
Moss Landing State Beach and the Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing are almost always a sure bet to see these cuddly creatures. There is a protected cove in particular near the dunes on Moss Landing State Beach, where you can often find groups of bachelor otters huddled together in "rafts." A raft is a group of single-sex sea otters and they typically contain 2 to 100 of the furry little creatures! Otters in rafts often sleep side-by-side, wrapped up in strands of kelp, so that they don't drift far from each other.
The best place to encounter a sea otter in its natural habitat is out on the water! Rent a kayak or take an Elkhorn Slough Safari tour to observe these marvelous animals in action. You will most likely see more than one!
2. Fisherman's Wharf
Dine at one of the fabulous seafood restaurants along Old Fisherman's Wharf and you might just spot an otter or two swimming beneath you. Sea otters also find this area a great place to socialize, play and feed on fresh seafood, including clams, mussels, crab, squid and urchins.
Visitors can also catch a glass bottom boat or whale watching tour from the wharf for an ocean excursion where sea otter sightings are always a possibility.
3. Cannery Row
Take a walk along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail from Fisherman's Wharf to Cannery Row and keep your eyes open for sea otters twisting and turning near the shoreline; this is also a hot spot for lazy harbor seals.
Further down Cannery Row is A Taste of Monterey. This place offers incredible views of the Monterey Bay and most of the time, you get to catch a glimpse of an otter in the ocean below; if not, the Monterey Bay Aquarium just down the street is a sure bet!
4. Lovers Point Park and Beach
Want to get a closer look? Rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard from Adventures by the Sea at Lovers Point and search for otters, seals and other marine animals. But please keep your distance and respect their space.
5. Point Lobos State Reserve
Further south from Lovers Point is Point Lobos State Reserve in Carmel. This animal sanctuary is a great place for hiking, scuba diving, birding and spotting sea otters, of course. You can often see them bobbing around near the rocky shores and protected coves. Be sure to check out Sand Hill Cove, Whalers Cove and Cypress Cove in particular.
Bonus! Monterey Bay Aquarium
If all else fails, you can always stop in at the Monterey Bay Aquarium where you are guaranteed to see a handful of friendly sea otters. The two-story exhibit shows sea otters romp, tumble and wrestle above and below water. Be sure to check the daily schedule beforehand to view the sea otter feeding times held at various times throughout the day. Review Sea Otter Cam at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Enjoy the marine wildlife that calls Monterey Bay home but remember to leave in your wake no trace that you were there, not even a moment of unnecessary swimming or stress. Learn why sea otters are sensitive to human disturbance and how you can help prevent it: www.seaottersavvy.org.
7 Facts You Didn't Know About Sea Otters
Monterey County’s unofficial mascot and arguably most popular resident, the sea otter, can be found up and down the coast. Otters have the “awww” factor going for them, but there is much more to them than just adorable looks. Did you know that…
- Sea otters have the densest fur of any animal on Earth! To give you an idea of just how fuzzy they are, sea otters have an estimated 1 million hairs per square inch on their bodies, while the average human has 100,000 hairs on their entire head.
- It was thought that fur trappers hunted sea otters to extinction, but a small group was discovered hidden down the coast of Big Sur in 1938. From those 50 otters, today’s Central Coast population has grown to around 3,000.
- To keep from drifting apart and floating away, sea otters are often seen sleeping while holding paws.
- Sea otters are considered a keystone species, which means that they have an essential role in keeping the Monterey Bay ecosystem balanced and healthy.
- To keep warm, sea otters have to keep their fur obsessively clean for it to retain air bubbles that are key in helping retain body heat. This makes them particularly vulnerable to oil spills, as dirty fur could lead to a potentially deadly case of hypothermia.
- To keep up with its fast metabolism, a sea otter has to eat about a quarter of its weight in food a day.
- Sea otters are one of the few mammals, other than primates, that are known to use tools. They will often use stones to pry snacks like abalone from rocks and to break open shellfish to feast on the meaty interior.
How many of the 7 sea otter facts did you know? Perhaps this can serve as your excuse (as if you really need one) for planning a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.