| dc.description.abstract | Enhydra lutris nereis, otherwise known as the Southern Sea Otter, has been listed as threatened since 1977. The initial reasoning for their listing was the population deficit due to hunting in the era of fur trading and the threats they faced due to ships and anthropogenic influences. However, recent studies have shown that the primarily imminent threat to the sea otter population is disease and pollutants entering their habitat from terrestrial sources. For example, Toxoplasma gondii has been found in an increasing frequency in the bodies of dead sea otters. T.gondii are most commonly found in cats or mice, as the parasite causes the fear response in mice to dampen and go near the cats. This muted instinct allows the mice to get close to the cats and infect them so that the parasite can complete it’s life cycle. The growing cat population in North America combined with anthropogenic runoff is the cause of infection in the marine environment. The results of this study and others like it will provide an example of otter behavior in captivity so that we may better understand their native population’s behaviors. This information can be used to help determine the boundaries of protected areas to preserve natural behaviors beyond the bare minimum needed for mating and foraging. | en |
