Located in Monterey, California, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a global leader in conservation programs. Its unique sea otter surrogacy program is the only one of its kind in the world and has been vital to sea otter population restoration efforts in Monterey Bay. The Sea Otter Program’s mission is to support sea otter population recovery, to rescue and reintroduce abandoned sea otter pups, and to raise public awareness of the sea otter’s importance in the ecosystem.

As a keystone species, sea otters are an essential part of maintaining the ecosystem in Monterey Bay. By preying on urchins and crabs, sea otters maintain the health of kelp forests and promote the growth of eelgrass. Sea otters are sometimes referred to as “ecosystem engineers,” meaning that their activities support their habitat’s health. Without a thriving sea otter population, California’s central coast is susceptible to weakened coastal integrity.

The aquarium’s sea otter surrogacy program has been instrumental in restoring the sea otter population of California’s central coast. Once hunted to near extinction, the population has bounced back in the last 15 years because of the program. It promotes population restoration by rescuing and reintroducing sea otters to coastal habitats to aid in coastal rehabilitation.