Sea Otter Awareness Week

September 20 – 26, 2026

Annually, throughout the last full week of September, we celebrate sea otters during Sea Otter Awareness Week. We encourage zoological and educational institutions, governmental agencies and communities to plan and undertake events that highlight sea otters. These activities include sharing stories, disseminating science and generating media that inspire a deeper awareness of these unique marine mammals, their ecological importance and the many challenges they face.

Sea Otter Awareness Week is organized and sponsored by Defenders of Wildlife, Sea Otter Savvy, California Department of Parks and Recreation, the Elakha Alliance, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Jump to Calendar of Events

2026 Theme: Rooted in Resilience

For Sea Otter Awareness Week 2026, we celebrate the deep connections among sea otters, kelp forests and the natural communities that depend on healthy oceans. Just as the roots and rhizomes of eelgrass beds and the holdfasts of kelp grip coastal substrates, true resilience begins with durable attachments.

The interrelationships between sea otters, their habitats, other wildlife and people create resilient networks that can adapt, recover and thrive amid change. Sea otters have demonstrated a remarkable ability to support the diversity and biomass of kelp and estuarine ecosystems; however, building resilience for sea otters and coastlines in today’s world takes a cohesive effort. This includes enforcing protections, advancing research, increasing awareness and nurturing coexistence. It could also involve conversing with local communities about reintroducing sea otters to areas where they have remained absent since the maritime fur trade hunted them to regional extinction. Reestablishing the sea otter’s keystone role in nearshore environments will likely reinforce the hardiness of those systems while aiding the species’ recovery.

Resilience is also about people. Wildlife conservation requires long-term adaptability, collaboration and persistence. Generating opportunities for dialogue about coastal renovation, including potential sea otter reintroduction, will cultivate informed human communities that can navigate change. Restoring healthy ecosystems through open participation among people and nature-based solutions—with an emphasis on sea otters, of course!—will require a sophisticated, steadfast, integrated approach…one firmly rooted in resilience.

Logo designed by Heather Barrett

Calendar of Events

Virtual

YouTube Livestream Event

Hosts: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Sea Otter Savvy | Featuring Josie Iselin

Photographer, author, and book designer Josie Iselin will discuss her connection to the ocean world of seaweeds and kelp.

YouTube Livestream Link Coming Soon

Portland, OR

Sea Otter Extravaganza at the Portland Aquarium

Host: Elakha Alliance | Featuring Elakha Alliance, The Portland Aquarium and Mike Bennett Studios

Come to the Portland Aquarium for a special day of sea otter conservation, marine science, and cartoon ocean adventures! You can meet our marine biologists, ask questions, learn why sea otters are a keystone species, and discover how their return could help restore healthy, resilient marine ecosystems along the Oregon coast. You’ll also get to learn more about the Elakha Alliance and its work to bring sea otters back home. This event marks the final day of Sea Otter Awareness Week, so we’re going out with a splash!

Learn More

Virtual

Ethical Considerations of Sea Otter Reintroduction

Hosts: Defenders of Wildlife and Sea Otter Savvy | Featuring Gena Bentall, Sea Otter Savvy

Gena Bentall, director and senior scientist at Sea Otter Savvy, will explain how to ensure that a potential reintroduction of sea otters to Northern California and Oregon follows an ethical framework. Prepare to engage with Gena and Defenders’ representative Andy Johnson in a lively discussion about reintroducing wildlife in a way that places the welfare of individual animals as paramount.

Live via Zoom and YouTube Livestream | Registration and YouTube Livestream Links Coming Soon

Sausalito, CA

Marine Science Sunday: Sea Otter Spectacular

Host: The Marine Mammal Center | 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM PDT (30 minutes each)

Otters are an amazing keystone species that help to keep our ocean healthy. The Marine Mammal Center celebrates how far this marine mammal has come, from being hunted extensively for their luxurious fur to the work the Center does to help bring them back from the brink of extinction. Reserve a spot for one of these 30-minute multimedia presentations and tours. A local artist will join this event, bringing art education to Marine Science Sunday. Adorable otter content guaranteed!

Reserve Your Tickets

Avila Beach, CA

Science after Dark at the Central Coast Aquarium Sea Otter Snacks: Sea Otter Foraging and Habitat Use in the Morro Bay Ecosystem

Hosts: Sea Otter Savvy and Central Coast Aquarium | Featuring Morgan Martinez and other Cal Poly students

Cal Poly students, led by Morgan Martinez, will talk about their projects studying sea otters in Morro Bay. Grab a drink and a nosh while learning about the vital role sea otters play in the bay and estuary.

Tickets: $30 ($20 for students) | Appetizers and Cocktails

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Sea Otter Resilience Recharge Raft

Host: Wildlife Conservation Network’s Sea Otter Fund

It’s normal at times to feel tired, discouraged, or even heartbroken by the challenges we face. For all of you who love sea otters, Dr. Jen Miller, Senior Manager of the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Sea Otter Fund and a certified meditation teacher, has recorded a gentle 15-minute guided visualization. This practice offers a moment to reconnect with sea otters, reflect on the difference each of us is making, and draw strength from the wider community working to protect wildlife. You’ll leave feeling refreshed, encouraged, and ready to rejoin the raft. Return to this recording whenever you need a resilience recharge!

Recording available throughout Sea Otter Awareness Week (Link coming soon!)

Please fill out Sea Otter Savvy’s online survey, which seeks public input on sea otter reintroduction and recovery.

Survey