Where to ooh, ahh over otter pups
The one thing that might be cuter than a truckload of baby ducks is a raft of newborn otters.
You can take in such an otter scene right now at a number of places, crowned by Elkhorn Slough near Moss Landing, Grizzly Island Wildlife Area south of Suisun City and Point Lobos State Natural Reserve at Carmel, with a fair chance at several other locations.
In the past 10 days, this year’s crop of otters started popping like gumballs out of a vending machine.
In a two-hour tour last week with Elkhorn Slough Safari on a pontoon boat, Joe Mancino counted 13 otter pups and 28 seal pups.
On a kayak trip with naturalist Giancarlo Thomae, he pointed out how the calls and cries of the newborn pups carried across the water and echoed back against the banks. “It sounds like a schoolyard,” he said.
Thomae was preparing to fly to Alaska this weekend for a new job as a naturalist on a cruise ship, but he made sure he first ventured out to see this spring’s otter show. “Moss Landing is one of the best places in the world to see otters,” Thomae said.
The annual sea otter count on the coast will take place in the first 10 days of May. Wildlife biologists expect to count about 80 adults, along with the pups and many transient males, at Elkhorn Slough.
In one of the great wildlife success stories, sea otters are on the threshold of being delisted as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In last May’s census, observers counted 3,272 sea otters, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If the count exceeds 3,090 for three straight years, otters will be considered for delisting.
Fur traders virtually wiped out sea otters in the 1930s, but they missed killing a few near Bixby Creek at Big Sur. About 50 otters eluded the commercial trappers, and those 50 became Adam and Eve for the crops that followed, including those born this past week.
Prospects for spotting sea otters are best, biologists note in their survey, from Monterey Bay to Cambria. Occasionally you can see them at the northern and southern fringes of this range, and biologists note there is room for population expansion with new colonies along the Bay Area coast.
Here are the five best spots to see otters, plus a bonus site for river otters:
Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing: This has turned into the must-do trip that has been shared by thousands. I keep going back myself. You can get a lookout perch for free at the Moss Landing Jetty for likely sightings, rent a kayak and paddle into the slough, or take the pontoon boat tour. One of the best spots is on the north side of the mouth of the harbor. Once you are in the vicinity, you don’t need to paddle to the otters; they often swim right up. I’ve seen them come alongside, then pop up, swirl and dive right under my kayak and come up on the other side. You also get to see harbor seals (and their pups right now), sea lions and an array of shorebirds. Contacts: Kayak Connection, (831) 724-5692, www. kayakconnection.com; Monterey Bay Kayaks, (800) 6495357, www.montereybay kayaks.com; Blue Water Ventures, (831) 345-2417; www.blue waterventures.org; Elkhorn Slough Safaris, (831) 633-5555; http://elkhornslough.com. Point Lobos, Carmel: Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is one of the prettiest state parks on the Pacific Coast. You can turn your visit into a treasure hunt by exploring a series of coves to sight sea otters. The Cypress Grove Trail is routed above Headland Cove, Pinnacle Cove and Cypress Cove. I’ve seen otters there on their backs, paddling along with their favorite rocks for breaking shells and sea urchins on their chests. Whaler’s Cove is gorgeous, with occasional otter sightings along the kelp beds. Another strategy is to venture to the other side of the reserve, to China Cove, the Slot, Bluefish Cove and Sand Hill Cove. Contact: Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, (831) 6244909, www.parks.ca.gov. Wilder Ranch, Santa Cruz: Wilder Ranch State Park is just north of Santa Cruz off Highway 1 and is known as one of the best parks for mountain biking. From the parking lot, most tour the ranch or continue under the subway to bike the hills. Instead, walk out the Ohlone Bluff Trail. It leads a short distance to the cliffs with dramatic views across the ocean and to beaches and coves directly below. From the bluffs, I’ve seen otters below in the cove at Sand Point Beach. One time, for as long as I watched, I saw a sea otter sleeping on its back, bobbing around in the cove. Nearby, just south out of Santa Cruz Harbor, you can rent a kayak and often see otters in the vicinity of the inshore reefs and the kelp beds. Contacts: Wilder Ranch State Park, (831) 423-9703; www.parks.ca.gov; Venture Quest, (831) 427-2267, www. kayaksantacruz.com; Kayak Connection, (831) 479-1121, www.kayakconnection.com.
Pillar Point Harbor, Princeton: In their northern range, sea otters become far less populous. But they can still surprise you. From the beach near the boat ramp, I paddled a kayak over to the north jetty (and to Mavericks Beach), and saw sea otters come up and swirl on the surface. The best spot seems to be the better protected, calmer waters of the western harbor, in the wind shadow of Pillar Point Head. Grebes can provide a sideshow. Contacts: Half Moon Bay Kayak Co., (650) 773-6101, www. hmbkayak.com; Pillar Point Harbor, harbormaster, (650) 726-4382, www.smharbor.com/ pillarpoint. Bolinas Lagoon, Marin: Bolinas County Park is nestled on the western shore of Bolinas Lagoon. You’ll find the Bob Stewart Trail, a short walk from Pine Gulch Creek that is routed out toward Pine Creek Point. You get great water views there. Most visitors come for the bird-watching. What happens is that in the process of scanning sectors of water for egrets, herons and migratory shorebirds, a sea otter pokes its head up or cruises upside down along the shore. There are definitely a few resident otters in the area. Contact: Marin County Parks and Open Space, (415) 4996387, www.marincountyparks.org. Suisun Marsh/Suisun City (for river otters): The No. 1 site in America to see river otters is at the Suisun Marsh and Grizzly Island Wildlife Area south of Suisun City. As you drive in — that is, about a mile from the Department of Fish and Wildlife entrance station — a small slough will be on your right: This is a great spot to see families of otters playing. As you enter the wildlife area, continue on Grizzly Island Road into the interior of the property. About 3 to 4 miles in, directly to your right, a slough parallels the road. Drive slowly, then stop and get out often and scan the slough, up and down, with binoculars. This stretch of water is a nearsure thing to see river otters. When you try to photograph them, they seem to know it and will often taunt you as though they are playing popgoes-the-weasel. Contact: Grizzly Island Wildlife Area (707) 425-3828; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; www.wildlife.ca.gov — under conservation, click on “public lands.”