Sea Otter Awareness Month recognizes efforts to bring otters back to the Oregon Coast

Sea otters have been missing from the Oregon Coast for more than a century, but some organizations across the state are making efforts to bring them back.

September is Sea Otter Awareness Month in Oregon, and the Elakha Alliance is using the month to highlight sea otters, their role in coastal ecosystems, and ongoing work toward their possible return to Oregon waters.

Here’s what to know about the effort and where travelers and locals can learn more this month.

Why are there no sea otters on the Oregon Coast?

Sea otters once lived along the Oregon Coast, but the majority of the state’s population was eliminated by the early 1900s by the maritime fur trade.

Sea otters have since returned to other parts of the West Coast, including Washington, Alaska, and California. Oregon, however, remains part of a large gap in their current range.

The Elakha Alliance is working to change that. The Oregon nonprofit focuses on research and planning that could eventually lead to sea otters being reintroduced along the coast.

Could sea otters actually return to Oregon?

There is still no set date for sea otters to return to Oregon, and a reintroduction has not been approved.

However, the effort has moved beyond simply studying whether a return is possible.

The current planning phase could be completed in 2028, according to the Elakha Alliance.

If funding, government coordination, public support, and other pieces are in place, moving sea otters to Oregon could potentially begin as early as 2030.

Any reintroduction would likely happen over several years.

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians are also involved in regional planning for sea otter restoration, while researchers continue studying potential effects on Oregon’s coastal communities and marine environment.

Why would sea otters matter to the Oregon Coast?

One reason for the interest in bringing sea otters back is their role in nearshore ecosystems.

Sea otters eat sea urchins and other marine animals. Urchins feed on kelp, and large urchin populations can contribute to the loss of kelp forests.

Restoring sea otters could therefore have effects that extend beyond the animals themselves.

Researchers are also looking at what their return could mean for shellfish, fisheries, tourism, and coastal communities. Those questions are expected to remain an important part of the planning process.

How can Oregonians learn more during Sea Otter Awareness Month?

Sea Otter Awareness Week runs Sept. 20-26, with several events planned around Oregon.

The Oregon Zoo in Portland will host a sea otter viewing station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 20.

On the Oregon Coast, visitors can stop by a Sea Otter Awareness Week viewing station at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 26. The event will include information about sea otters and the effort to restore them to Oregon waters.

Additional activities are planned in Portland, Eugene, and other communities during September.

For now, spotting a wild sea otter remains an unusual occurrence along the Oregon Coast. But the ongoing restoration effort could eventually bring an animal that once lived throughout Oregon’s coastal waters back to the state.