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Scientists Report Drop In California Sea Otters

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Jul 1, 2009 5:15 pm US/Pacific

Scientists Report Drop In California Sea Otters

Environment & The Green Beat

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / AP) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: A sea otter in Monterey Bay.
AP

Scientists are reporting a decline in the number of sea otters on the Central California coast, and they believe humans are at least partially to blame.

The U.S. Geological Survey said Tuesday that only 2,654 otters were counted in a spring survey of the threatened southern otter population, which lives along 375 miles of coast between Half Moon Bay and Santa Barbara. That represents a 3.8 percent drop from a year earlier.

USGS scientists say the latest 3-year average of the southern otter population dipped 0.5 percent from the previous year, the first time it has declined in a decade.

Lab tests show the marine mammals are mainly dying from disease carried by parasites, viruses and bacteria found in sewage as well as urban and farm runoff.