1. Sea Otter diseases Allison Samuel

2. The sea otter an endangered species once ranged from Baja California into Alaska and from Russia down into Japan. Today they are greatly reduced and scattered Protected under the: – Marine Mammal Protection Act – Endangered Species Act

3. causes of death among southern sea otters Infectious diseases is the main cause of death in sea otter populations of southern California

4. Diseases Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) a fungal disease fungus that thrives in arid and semiarid soil affects the southwestern United States spores spread to many organs of infected individuals

5. Valley Fever

6. Diseases Thorny Headed Worm (Acanthocephalan peritonitis) food born parasite contracted from a fungus present in the soil – Otters contract it from crabs kills a significant number of sea otters causes an infection in the abdominal cavity

7. Thorny headed worm

8. Diseases toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii) food born parasite lays eggs in the digestive tract causes changes in brain function and behavior

9. toxoplasmosis

10. Any questions?

11. Thank You