High Country News: Sea Otters To Get Another Chance In Oregon and Northern California

In 2024, the Siletz Tribe and its partners got a major boost in the effort to reintroduce sea otters: through the Biden administration’s America the Beautiful grants they received a $1.56 million grant over three years to reintroduce the species to Oregon and Northern California. The return of sea otters (xvlh-t'vsh in the native Siltz language) to the coast of Oregon will not only impact the broader ecosystem of animal and kelp forest life, it will also affect a cultural ecosystem as well: The Yurok Tribe, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation and Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians will work together to renew their long relationship with the sea otter once it has returned. Read MORE.