The Oregon coast is a rugged, untamed landscape, shaped by powerful waves and teeming with marine life. But one critical species is missing from this ecosystem – the sea otter.
Once a thriving part of the coastal environment, sea otters were hunted to local extinction over a century ago, leaving the ecosystem out of balance.
What if their return could restore Oregon’s kelp forests and bring resilience back to these waters?
The Elakha Alliance was recently interviewed on Rewildology, the nature podcast that explores the human side of conservation, travel, and rewilding the planet.
In this episode, we’re exploring the effort to bring sea otters back to Oregon with Chanel Hason, Director of Outreach and Community Relations at Elakha Alliance.
Chanel’s journey from marine biologist to community leader is as inspiring as it is unconventional. From training sea lions and competing in Miss Scuba to manifesting her dream job, Chanel’s passion for ocean conservation helps drive Elakha Alliance’s mission to restore sea otters to their historical range.
In this conversation, we discuss the ecological importance of sea otters, when and how they were extirpated from much of their region during the fur trade era, the challenges posed by urchin barrens, and how Elakha is working with tribes, federal and state government representatives, scientists, and local communities to make reintroduction a reality.
You’ll walk away from this conversation with a deeper understanding of the delicate balance within marine ecosystems, the role of apex predators like sea otters, and how grassroots conservation efforts can create lasting change. Listen and learn more.
