How Can YOU Help

Once a month we will feature an
endangered animal at this web
site outlining efforts by different
groups to save the species from
extinction. If you would like to
help, send you donations marked
Sponsor a Species. They will be
forwarded to the groups fighting to
save our wildlife on this planet.

Attention Educators

Would you like free lesson
plans on the American eagle
and its habitat in North
America? The Ask Earthman
Foundation is offering free
lesson plans for grades 1 thru 3
this month. For information e-
mail
earthmanonline@earthlink.net

AskEarthman is a project of the non-profit Ask Earthman Foundation.

Back to home Page

Sponsor a
Species

The disturbing answer to this question is
OTTER. Otters in the past almost became
extinct because Russian hunters in the
1800's trapped them and sold their incredibly
rich pelts to China. Only one small colony
survived. Today there is a new threat to the
Otter, and it can be traced to global
warming. Orcas, usually called "killer
whales" are decimating the otter population in
its own struggle for survival. The Orcas, main
food source is the Steller Sea Lion. The sea
lions have left their normal habitat because
their food source is changing. The Orcas are
now forced to move down the food chain and
eat OTTERS. In an Alaskan preserve, an
Otter population totalling 70,000 has been
reduced to 6,000.

Have you seen an otter lately? We drove
the Washington and Organ coast all the way
to Montery, California before we saw an otter.
In California the otter count is around 2,000.
The last pup count is about 600. Otters also
face another environmental struggle from
boats. Studies are showing that anti-fouling
paint is harmful to this species. Otters are an
indicator species to the health and balance of
the Marine eco-system.