California sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) census results, spring 2018

The 2018 census of southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) was conducted from late April to mid-May along the mainland coast of central California and in April at San Nicolas Island in southern California. The 3-year average of combined counts from the mainland range and San Nicolas Island was 3,128, a decrease of 58 sea otters from the previous year. The 5-year average trend in abundance, including both the mainland range and San Nicolas Island populations, remains positive at 1.3 percent per year. Continuing lack of growth in the range peripheries likely explains the cessation of range expansion.