Sea Otters, seen mostly on the Pacific Coast from Japan to Alaska and California were almost driven to extinction as people hunted them for their fur. At one time last century their numbers had plunged from a million to several thousand. An international ban on hunting has halted the decline, and today it is estimated that there are 100,000 of them, with 3,000 on the coastline of California.
When we arrived at Moss Landing Wildlife Area, we were pleasantly surprised to see dozens of them swimming on their backs in Elkhorn Slough.

Sea Otters at Moss Landing Wildlife Area. The two in the middle were intertwined and twisted in the water as they swam.
Some climbed ashore to rest and sleep.