Sea otters are a symbol of the beauty and diversity of marine life that can be found along the California coast.
They're also important to the health and stability of coastal marine ecosystems, hence they're considered critical species.
Sea urchins and other invertebrates that graze on giant kelp provide food for them.
Without sea otters, kelp forests and, with them, a variety of animal species that rely on kelp environments for existence would be destroyed.
Kelp forests also safeguard the coast from storm surges and absorb a significant amount of dangerous carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Sea otters are especially important since their health reflects the health of the coastal waterways of California.
