Defenders hosts virtual and in-person events to engage with and educate wildlife lovers across the nation. When Defenders has upcoming national events, you’ll find details on this page. You can also explore past events by checking out our recorded events here!
The Road to Restoration in Oregon Webinar
Noon-1:00pm PDT
The Elakha Alliance is pleased to kick off the 20th Anniversary of Sea Otter Awareness Week! Bob Bailey, Board President of the Elakha Alliance, will present the results from the Alliance’s scientific Feasibility Study and describe the next steps for returning sea otters to Oregon’s coastline. Register for the Zoom webinar or stream it live on the Elakha Alliance’s YouTube channel.
Hosted by the Elakha Alliance
A We Were Here Event
Connecting the Dots Between Sick Sea Otters and Land-Based Pollution Webinar
1:30-2:30pm PDT
For this Science Sunday presentation, Dr. Melissa Miller, DVM, PhD, of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, will explain how the things we do on the land affect sea otters and other marine wildlife. Register for this virtual event here.
Hosted by the Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Marine Mammal Monday: Sea Otter Spectacular
4:00-5:00pm PDT
In honor of Sea Otter Awareness Week, The Marine Mammal Center has teamed up with Sea Otter Savvy’s We Were Here program to present this special edition of Marine Mammal Monday! Learn about the intricacies of otter rehabilitation and ask our colleagues at the Monterey Bay Aquarium about their specialized surrogacy program. Register for this virtual event or stream it live on The Marine Mammal Center’s Facebook.
Hosted by The Marine Mammal Center
A We Were Here Event
USFWS Panel Discussion: Sea Otter Reintroduction along the Pacific West Coast
6:30-7:30pm PDT
The Elakha Alliance has invited three biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to summarize and discuss the findings of a recent Feasibility Assessment regarding the potential reintroduction of sea otters to Northern California and Oregon. Registrants for this event can submit questions in advance via the registration page. Register for this virtual event here.
Hosted by the Elakha Alliance
Characterizing the Impact of Recovering Sea Otters on Commercially Important Crabs in California Estuaries
4:00-5:00pm PDT
Rebecca Lewison, PhD, of San Diego State University, will present recent research on the positive ecosystem benefits of sea otter recovery in coastal estuaries versus the impacts that sea otter predation can have on commercially valuable species, such as Dungeness crab. Register for the webinar or stream it live on PRNSA's Facebook page.
Hosted by Point Reyes National Seashore Association
A We Were Here Event
Float Down the Coast!
Noon-1pm PDT
Join us as we float down the coast—starting in Alaska and ending at a unique location in Southern California—as we visit current and historical sea otter habitats and learn why these locations are significant for sea otters and coastal communities. Streaming live on Sea Otter Savvy’s YouTube channel or Facebook.
Hosted by Sea Otter Savvy
A We Were Here Event
Sea Otter Savvy and the We Were Here Program Go to the Ballpark
Oakland Athletics vs. Seattle Mariners
The Oakland Athletics are hosting Sea Otter Savvy and the We Were Here program as their Nonprofit Partner of the Game at the Oakland Coliseum on September 22 at 12:37pm PDT. They will face, appropriately enough, the Seattle Mariners!
Order your tickets here, and join us at the ballpark!
A We Were Here Event
How Can We Value the Costs and Benefits of Sea Otter Recovery?
Noon-1:00pm PDT
The recovery of sea otters can flip invertebrate-dominated ecosystems to more productive states. Dr. Edward Gregr, PhD, University of British Columbia, and his team assessed these effects to compare the economic losses expected for commercial invertebrate fisheries with anticipated increases in tourism, finfish production, and carbon sequestration. Estimates of these costs and benefits are central to understanding the trade-offs ecosystem managers face. Registration coming soon or stream it live on Defender’s YouTube channel.
Hosted by Defenders of Wildlife
A We Were Here Event
Happy Hour with a Sea Otter Biologist
5:30pm-6:30pm PDT
Got a question about sea otters? Want an insider’s view on a day in the life of a California sea otter biologist? Join Sea Otter Savvy Director Gena Bentall and California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Colleen Young, MS—a biologist with years of experience counting, tracking, diving with, and doing necropsies on sea otters—as they discuss all things sea otter over cocktails at the Moss Landing Harbor. Follow @seaottersavvy and join this broadcast on Instagram Live.
Hosted by Sea Otter Savvy
Elkhorn Slough Reserve Open House
10:00am - 4:00pm PDT
The Elkhorn Slough Reserve presents its annual Open House, sharing highlights from their work in conserving the Elkhorn Slough's wildlife and wild lands. Meet the teams researching and restoring salt marsh and eelgrass habitat in the Elkhorn Slough, and learn about the southern sea otter population from Ron Eby, lead monitor for the Reserve's Otter Monitoring Project. For full details and a lineup of talks and events for the day, visit: www.elkhornslough.org
Recovering Sea Otters Increase Eelgrass Genetic Diversity and Show How Species Restorations Can Support Ecological Resilience
Noon PDT
By digging for food in eelgrass beds, sea otters increase eelgrass genetic diversity and make eelgrass more resilient to environmental change. Dr. Erin Foster of Fisheries and Oceans Canada will explain how the recovery of long-absent species like the sea otter can build resilience in today's ecosystems.
Hosted by Marine Conservation Institute
A We Were Here Event
Webinar Series: Smart from the Start Renewable Energy Planning
Where We Work
