Otters are undeniably cute animals, but they're far from universally beloved. As the science writer Todd McLeish (Basking with Humpbacks) explains in the fascinating Return of the Sea Otter: The Story of the Animal that Evaded Extinction on the Pacific Coast, the little wide-faced animals compete with Alaskan commercial fisheries for sea urchins and crab. Otters are also "unfairly blamed for invertebrate declines" that are much more likely caused by overfishing. As such, otters are frequently hunted and killed, which is especially threatening because their numbers are already dangerously low.
Traveling the coast from California to Alaska, McLeish speaks with scientists, wildlife refuge managers, and others to learn more about the vital relationship otters have with their environments, and how killing otters throws delicate ecosystems into death spirals: "Sea otters have an unusual influence on the health and maintenance of their kelp-forest ecosystem," writes McLeish.
McLeish's book is more than lovely and informative writing about otter life on the Pacific coast--it's a call to action. Though these creatures have natural enemies, like white sharks, humans are their biggest threat. The early 19th-century fur trade almost drove the animals to extinction, writes McLeish. And today, otters are not only hunted but frequently maimed and killed by boats and fishing equipment. From beginning to end, Return of the Sea Otter warns that humans must change our ways or prepare to lose the otter forever. --Amy Brady, freelance writer and editor