Discovering British Columbia · Drawing 06 of 32
Sea Otters in the Kelp
Vancouver Island coast
Sea otters eat sea urchins, which graze on kelp. With fewer urchins around, more of this big seaweed can grow. Here, a pup floats near the adult.
Did you know?
Sea otters also eat crabs and clams.
Look together
How can a sea otter help a kelp forest?
An idea to try
Draw an otter, a sea urchin and kelp on a sheet of paper. Connect them with arrows to explain who eats what.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
The fur trade nearly eliminated sea otters from this coast. They were reintroduced to British Columbia between 1969 and 1972. Their feeding changes coastal habitats: fewer sea urchins can allow more kelp to grow.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Simplified interpretation for colouring. Settings and people may be composed. Details, distances and proportions are not a measured record of the place.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada: Sea otters return, nearshore ecosystems changePlace, history or habitat described on this page.
Page prepared on October 3, 2026. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
This drawing is from the book My British Columbia to Colour
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