Aggregations of Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) Feeding on Fish Eggs and Kelp in Prince William Sound, Alaska
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Dietary studies of sea otters often focus on the ecological implications of foraging on large, energy rich prey. Although fish eggs and kelp have been documented as part of sea otter diets in the past, their relative importance and ecological implications have often been overlooked. Evidence of a relatively large aggregation of sea otters foraging on fish eggs and kelp is presented in this study with the potential implications for local herring fishery recovery. A gradual increase in the number of individuals using this resource over time also indicated that sea otters were attracted to large feeding aggregations which may increase exploitation of previously under utilized resources.
