Although most people enjoy watching these cute animals, not everyone likes them. Sea otters almost became extinct because hunters and fishermen killed them for fun and because they ate too many fish. Some were even killed when tangled in fishing nets. Oil spills are another reason why they are dying out. In 1989, the biggest oil spill occurred in Alaska and killed one thousand sea otters. Another reason is that people are taking away their homes. By the early 1900’s more than one million may have been killed. Just at the last minute when the otters were almost extinct, in 1911 Russia, United States, Japan and England signed a fur treaty (agreement) protecting sea otters and fur seals. There were only between five hundred and a thousand sea otters left
Sea otter is a marine mammals. Unlike most marine mammals, the sea otter's primary form of insulation is an exceptionally thick coat of fur, the densest in the animal kingdom. Although it can walk on land, the sea otter lives mostly in the ocean.
 Sea otters are carnivores (meat-eaters). They eat crabs, clams, mussels, octopuses, squid and fish. They hunt for their prey in the ocean and on the sea floor. These intelligent mammals use rocks to help crack open clams and abalone.