Sea Otters Being Hunted In California

A $10,000 reward is being offered by the California wildlife officials after they found three sea otters fatally shot along the Central Coast over the past month. One adult and two juvenile males were killed in late July and early August, and have washed up between Santa Cruz Harbor and Seacliff State Beach in Aptos.

$10,000 Reward Offered In Sea Otter Killings Off Santa Cruz County https://t.co/Hl2rPvBTNL

— Richmond SF News (@RichmondSFNews) August 29, 2016

Time reported that southern sea otters, which are also known as California sea otters have been known to navigate the waters between San Mateo and Santa Barbara counties as well as the area around San Nicolas Island in Ventura County. Once plentiful, today, only around 3,000 of the species exist along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Washington. Heavy hunting in the 19^th century nearly wiped them out, and by 1977, they have been listed as threatened species.

The otters, which washed up the harbor between August 12-19, were revealed to have been killed days or weeks before they were found. A fourth otter was also found washed up at the Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, but according to the San Francisco Gate, rangers were unable to determine whether or not it had been shot due to its deteriorated condition.

The Los Angeles Times noted that these animals are protected under the Endangered Species Act as well as the state law, and killing a Southern sea otter is punishable by up to $100,000 in fines as well as jail time. The money put forth for the capture of the person or persons who shot the animals is from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the state fish and wildlife agency, and a private donor.

Those with information about the killings are encouraged to contact hotline number (888) 334-2258.