Sea Otters, Moss Landing, California

Two days have been spent at Moss Landing 2 hours drive south of San Francisco. Moss Landing is an estuarine habitat for California Sea Otters, Harbor Seals, California Sea Lions and several species of shorebird. The harsh sunlight conditions on day one caused many images too be just too contrasty while the second day provided overcast conditions resulting in slower shutter speeds and small f stops! Ideal lighting was only available for a short period of time and I was lucky that at that particular time a few otters were out and about.
Sea Otters have variances in the colour of their fur and colour can range from jet black through to rustic browns to blonde. The otter population at Moss Landing is stable with three dozen or so individuals.

We observed several behavioural aspects; mating, feeding, sucking young, hunting and sleeping. Otters raft up together for protection and mothers carry their young on their stomachs. A variety of food is consumed with bi valves being the favoured prey, which they capture from the sea floor and devour on their stomach whilst swimming on their back.