How Surrogate Mum Sea Otters Train 'Environmental Engineers'
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2023
- The last full week in September is ‘Otter Awareness Week’. This video looks at how captive female otters have been successful surrogate mothers to stranded pups. These otters have gone onto be released in the wild, having pups of their own and having extraordinary effects on the ecosystem.
Sources:
Sea otter personality quiz
www.montereybayaquarium.org/s...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyston...
montereybayaquarium.tumblr.co...
pics
news.ucsc.edu/2016/11/marine-...
www.cambridge.org/core/journa...
www.montereybayaquarium.org/s...
www.sciencedirect.com/science....
It's remarkable that some species (sea otters, koalas, rare parrots and red pandas) are too cute (perhaps) for their own good. In the sense that they attract too much human interaction which is detrimental to their own survival. On the opposite end of the spectrum, many others like sharks, crocodilians and several canine and feline predators are feared and hated because we have a genetic memory of them as threats to our lives. Both types need to be allowed a niche for the ecosystems to find a healthy balance. The cuteness/ugliness curse needs to be overcome.
As one of the locals, we pronouncel it "Elkhorn Sloo" not "Elkhorn Sluff". As a child in the late 1970's, before the Monterey Bay Aquarium was built in 1984, my brother and I came across a wild sea otter in big rocks about 100 feet/33 meters from the water. It looked bloody like it had been in a fight. I later looked it up and it could have been a mating fight, but could have been a predator, too. The sea otter looked a little shocked so we got some garbage bags and filled them with water and let a small stream of water pour over the otter. That seemed to make something in it's brain kick in and it began grooming it's dense fur. It was a cute thing, but we knew not to get near enough for it to bite us and got up on rocks above it to let the water stream land on it. After a while, people noticed our weird behavior of carrying bags of sea water and holding them to drain in the rocks. Fortunately by then, the sea otter seemed to have come out of it's shock and been rested enough that when other people showed up, it made it's way out of the rocks and across the tidal pools on the other side that us two kids hadn't seen at the time and it got away before a larger crowd than a few other kids and teens showed up. This is what I can remember of the incident that happened about 45 years ago. Back then, we had no idea about contacting someone about a wounded wild animal and the otter would most likely have disappeared before someone could have shown up from Santa Cruz which was where there was some place they had been taking care of them at the time.
Oh, no! I'm sooooo sorry, there is nothing worse than hearing somewhere you know well, mis pronounced!!!! What a remarkable adventure you had as a child 😀
Like number 45. As always, a great video! These are such wonderful animals. I'm glad that this program is working so well.
Cheers,
Chris
Teaching kids about climate change and ocean acidification with corals in the classroom
My favorite footage of them is one that attacked a clam twice its size with a rock.
Was looking forward to this vid..and it was well worth the wait.
Super cute, a given, but also a wonderful example of how patience and persistence pays off. Teaming up the scientists and preservation teams with the rescued sea otter surrogates , Selka in particular, is a great example of how we can improve the environment..and benefit a whole area.
Great story..and well crafted video sharing it...and I'm really glad your family got to see it first hand. Thanks as always 🙂👍
Thank you. 😀. Unfortunately, for at least a little while, my videos are not going to be so regular - I am about to start a new job!
@OneWorldNT That's awesome! Congratulations 😀 still teaching? Or something different?.
I wouldn't worry to much about the channel...folks who watch know you for quality videos, and will understand you need to drop out for a bit ..well be here when you can get back 🙂 I don't know if you can, or are comfortable with doing a channel update ( message or vid) about it, but it would help...most will be like me, delighted and excited that you are heading off on a new adventure😀
I shall miss our little comment chats..but I know UA-cam isn't your main focus, and you'll be back when things settle back down a bit.
Meanwhile..Good luck, take care...and have fun! 😀👍
Aww thank you! I hope to still upload every couple of weeks, but we will see how it goes. Its teaching in a 'special school', it was my first day yesterday, but I'm not working Wednesdays. It is very 'challenging' behaviour. I'm on supply, so if it doesn't work out, then I'm not 'tied into it'. I had hoped, over the last few months when I have had more time to devote to the channel, that it would make a bit of money. I love doing it and if I could be a bit more successful it would help pay the bills, but if anything my views seem to be going down! Its a bit disheartening, anyway, I will keep going with it, you never know....... @@solospirit4212
Frank Zappa would approve ...
... he was a founding member of the M-otters of intervention. 😜
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Cute, until you learn about some of the unspeakable things the males do!
I mean, rabbits eat their own poop. Nature doesn't conform to our preconceived notions of cuteness.
Yes, I do know about the males. I wanted to focus on the great job the surrogate mums do, so I didn't want to mention it - they are really not nice are they? My 'boys' were horrified!
@@OneWorldNTSorry, I didn't see these replies until now. I appreciate you were focusing more on the maternal side - another great video, thank you! Also/unrelated your boys are fine young men and its been lovely to see both them and their channel grow over the past few years. I wish you all continued growth and success as science communicators
@@Nmethyltransferase Sorry, I didn't see these replies until now. Of course it doesn't and I'm not claiming it should (cute is a subjective term, afterall). I will say that coprophagy is one thing and common among many fauna - however necrophilia generally isn't.
Aww, thank you - that means a lot to me!@@Do_Odles