… In sheltered estuaries like Elkhorn Slough, a coastal inlet where freshwater meets seawater just inland from Monterey Bay, researchers have found that sea otters can help keep underwater sea grass meadows and nearby marshes intact. Around a hundred otters now make their home in the slough, one of California’s last great coastal wetlands. … The connection runs through the food web: Otters eat crabs. When crab numbers drop, tiny grazers like sea slugs survive and multiply. … That keeps the meadows healthy even in estuaries loaded with pollution from fertilizers and other runoff. … When shore crab numbers explode, the crabs burrow into marsh banks and chew on plant roots. … By eating those crabs, otters slow the loss of marsh edges that protect nearby communities from flooding and storm surge.

Other wildlife news:

• Bay Area News Group: From death trap to lifeline: Coyote Valley’s plan for wildlife crossings
• California WaterBlog: Resilient California fishes: Tule perch
• Los Banos Enterprise (Calif.): Surprise wildlife sighting: river otters spotted at Fahrens Park