Summer is here, and many of us are going to be out enjoying the ocean! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to remind us that we share these waters with sea otters and other coastal wildlife. Let’s work together to keep them healthy and wild. That means keeping a safe distance.
Maintain a safe distance
Please be aware of your surroundings and alert to nearby wildlife when recreating. Maintain a safe distance (if a sea otter is looking at you, you are too close and should back away). If you're on the water and taking photos or videos, make sure you are not drifting too close.
Kayaking
Keep kayaks at least 60 feet (or five kayak lengths) away from otters and don’t point your kayak directly at an animal. When passing marine mammals, maintain the 60-foot buffer and pass in parallel moving slowly but steadily past rather than stopping.
Handling Your Pets
Keep pets on a leash on and around docks and harbors and never allow them to interact with wildlife, even if the animals appear to be playing. Never feed otters, seals, or sea lions as they can become aggressive, which could result in their removal from the wild.
