Southern (California) Sea Otter Population Status and Trends at San Nicolas Island, 2023-Winter 2026
Joseph A. Tomoleoni, Julie L. Yee, Elizabeth Seacord, Michelle M. Staedler, Brian B. Hatfield, Lilian P. Carswell, Jessica A. Fujii, Gena B. Bentall, Leilani Konrad, Colleen Young, Martin Tim Tinker, Lizabeth Bowen
This paper reports a 8.1% annual decline in southern sea otter population at San Nicolas Island from 2023 to 2026, with shifts in habitat use and foraging patterns observed.
bioRxiv · Aug 31, 2026 · PreprintEcology