How Sea Otters Help Save Kelp Forests (and How We Help Them!)

You really otter subscribe! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Otters are more than just cute, adorable little fuzzballs, they are one of the greatest conservation success stories of all time. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning that an entire ecosystem depends on their presence. After they were nearly hunted to extinction for their dense fur, sea urchins (the otters' favorite food) nearly destroyed the Pacific kelp forests, a habitat that hundreds of species rely on for food and shelter. Thanks to the hard work of conservation scientists at places like the Monterey Bay Aquarium, sea otter populations are on their way back. Here's the story of one orphaned sea otter pup's journey back to the wild (Whale illustrations by Nobu Tamura/CC-BY-3.0) Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/okaytobesmart Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation Katie Graham - Camera John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Other music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted)