Elkhorn Slough Exploration Go on an Exploration of Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing, CA. While it offers a variety of rich habitats and vegetation for hundreds of species of birds, fish and other wildlife, it's under constant threat from human activity, pollution and erosion. normal point_0 highlight highlight_point_0 normal point_1 highlight highlight_point_1 normal point_2 highlight highlight_point_2 normal point_3 highlight highlight_point_3 normal point_4 highlight highlight_point_4 normal point_5 highlight highlight_point_5 normal point_6 highlight highlight_point_6 normal point_7 highlight highlight_point_7 normal point_8 highlight highlight_point_8 normal point_9 highlight highlight_point_9 normal point_10 highlight highlight_point_10 normal point_11 highlight highlight_point_11 normal point_12 highlight highlight_point_12 normal point_13 highlight highlight_point_13 normal point_14 highlight highlight_point_14 normal point_15 highlight highlight_point_15 normal point_16 highlight highlight_point_16 normal point_17 highlight highlight_point_17 normal point_18 highlight highlight_point_18 normal point_19 highlight highlight_point_19 Elkhorn Slough Exploration <table width="500"><tr><td> Permalink: <a href="http://www.kqed.org/quest/exploration/elkhorn-slough-exploration">http://www.kqed.org/quest/exploration/elkhorn-slough-exploration</a> Difficulty: Moderate, Accessibile: No, Duration: 1.7 hrs <h2>Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve</h2> 1700 Elkhorn Road Watsonville, CA 95076 (831) 728-2822 (<a href="http://www.google.com/maps?q=1700%20Elkhorn%20Rd%2C%20Watsonville%2C%20CA%2095076" target=_blank">directions</a>) <h3>Otters and Elkhorn Slough</h3> <img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/361194518_732fd42d73_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="Elkhorn Slough" />Elkhorn Slough is a jewel on California's coastline and one of the 25 most significant biodiversity hotspots in the world. Its acreage is second in size only to the wetlands in the San Francisco Bay Area. While it offers a variety of rich habitats and vegetation for hundreds of species of birds, fish and other wildlife, it's under constant threat from human activity, pollution and erosion. This region is home to one of the largest populations of southern sea otters on the California coast. Still, their numbers today are but a fraction of what they were a few hundred years ago when they numbered well over 100,000 along the entire West Coast, from Alaska to Mexico. Hunters nearly wiped them out in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, federal law protects the otters from hunters, but they face other dangers nearly as deadly. More sea otters seem to be getting sick and researchers want to find out why. </td></tr> #exploration -121.786975,36.800152,10000 36.800152 -121.786975 relativeToGround 0 1500 45 1 1b. People and Elkhorn Slough <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/361194518"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/140/361194518_732fd42d73_m.jpg"/></a> - Human actions, including building dams, levees and communities in and around Elkhorn Slough have drastically changed the circulation patterns, volume and force of the tides here. One result is severe erosion that degrades habitats. Another is pollution and other factors that affect the sea otter population here. #point_0_map -121.786975,36.800152 1a. Hike, Paddle or Tour <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/372563515"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/80/372563515_5fb4801b93_m.jpg"/></a> - There are lots of ways to experience Elkhorn Slough. The best way to see the otters up close is to ride one of the tour boats or rent a kayak and paddle up the channel. Slip quietly through the calm water and you'll see up close the slough's most famous inhabitants-- and lots of other wildlife, too. Image source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maveric2003/300591698/">Eric Chan</a> #point_0_map -121.786975,36.800152 1 2b. Teeming with Wildlife <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/366310486"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/112/366310486_a456b98377_m.jpg"/></a> - Elkhorn Slough is an ecological treasure in the middle of the Monterey Bay coastline. It serves as a major regional fish nursery. It provides habitat for many plants and animals, including sea otters. Over 340 species of birds live or visit here. #point_1_map -121.786571,36.808128 2a. A Jewel of a Slough <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/372561982"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/131/372561982_674bfdee14_m.jpg"/></a> - Seven-mile-long Elkhorn Slough ("slew") has over 2,500 acres of tidal salt marsh and tidal flats and is one of California's largest remaining coastal wetlands. Only the San Francisco Bay Area has more. Image source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/asimpledarksquid/312580534/">kim smith</a> #point_1_map -121.786571,36.808128 1 3c. Truly Aquatic Mammals <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/361194618"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/155/361194618_015ae156f0_m.jpg"/></a> - Sea otters spend almost all their time in the water, whether resting, sleeping, eating or giving birth. They might put their paws over their eyes to sleep during the day. Sometimes they sleep with all four feet held up in the air or wrap themselves in kelp to stay anchored in one spot. #point_2_map -121.786874,36.809772 3b. Waterproof Fur Coats <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/361194036"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/151/361194036_456ca954f6_m.jpg"/></a> - Sea otters don't have blubber. They rely on incredibly thick fur, up to 100,000 hairs per square inch, to keep them warm and dry. (You have about 150,000 hairs on your whole head.) They spend half the day grooming, working in natural oils and air bubbles with their forepaws, to keep their coat water resistant. #point_2_map -121.786874,36.809772 3a. Southern Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/372562239"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/188/372562239_a268128074_m.jpg"/></a> - Elkhorn Slough is home to one of the largest populations of southern sea otters on the California coast. Today, protected by federal law, their numbers have increased to about 2,800 along 140 miles of central California coastline. But experts say they should number about 13,000. Researchers want to know what's killing the otters. Image source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maveric2003/300592715/">Eric Chan</a> #point_2_map -121.786874,36.809772 3d. What's for Dinner? <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/372562470"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/145/372562470_6a9e717382_m.jpg"/></a> - Otters will eat just about anything they can grab-- clams, crabs, sea urchins, abalone and lots of other marine animals. They can dive as far as 120 feet and hold their breath for several minutes to find food. An otter must eat about a quarter of its body weight every day. Image source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilumb/840082/">Ian L</a> #point_2_map -121.786874,36.809772 1 4a. Buoy, Oh LOBO Buoy! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/361194427"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/133/361194427_05ff4ee0f7_m.jpg"/></a> - The Land/Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory buoy in the slough is part of a chemical sensor network for marine environments run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Battery-powered sensors measure nitrate, ammonium, phosphate and other nutrients, as well as water properties like salinity, temperature and current velocity. Researchers receive the data in near real time over a wireless network. #point_3_map -121.773104,36.81268 1 5a. Birder’s Paradise <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/361194142"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/139/361194142_a6047f6541_m.jpg"/></a> - Otters aren't the only animals you'll see here. Hundreds of bird species live in or stop by this rich feeding ground every year. You're likely to catch a glimpse of mallards, Canada geese or black-necked stilts. Consider yourself very lucky indeed if you see a belted kingfisher, white-faced ibis or an American white pelican. #point_4_map -121.772052,36.81309 5d. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/372562973"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/134/372562973_cbeb441ccb_m.jpg"/></a> - The skin pouch below this gregarious bird's bill acts as a dip net for catching prey and can hold three gallons of water and fish. An adult eats as much as four pounds of fish a day. Air sacs in their bones and under the skin make them exceptionally buoyant. Image source: <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Brown_pelican_-_natures_pics.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a> #point_4_map -121.772052,36.81309 5b. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/372586264"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/160/372586264_2121de19a8_m.jpg"/></a> - You'll recognize this stately wader by its thick yellow bill, S-shaped neck, blue-gray feathers, white face and black crown. Adults have a wingspan of nearly six feet! These solitary predators are most active at morning and dusk. They can live to be 15 years old. Image source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fortphoto/308010193/">Fort Photo</a> #point_4_map -121.772052,36.81309 5c. Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/372562774"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/147/372562774_0202937311_m.jpg"/></a> - You might see a colony of hundreds of these birds diving for crabs or mollusks. During their impressive mating display, a pair seems to run upright across the water, necks arched and wings held back. Image source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msipos/248747516/">Mike Sipos</a> #point_4_map -121.772052,36.81309 1 6a. What's Killing the Sea Otters? <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/372563218"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/80/372563218_b7027ba998_m.jpg"/></a> - Besides the usual suspects of old age, boat collisions or infectious disease, researchers are finding grave threats to otters from pollution and a brain disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite found in cat feces. As many as 17 percent of otters die from this disease, and researchers want to know why and how. #point_5_map -121.767239,36.815722 6c. Studying Otter Deaths <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/373969172"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/186/373969172_6f9761dd47_m.jpg"/></a> - A half-dozen dead sea otters wash up on California's beaches every week. Researchers want to know what killed them. Marine veterinarians perform a necropsy, or complete post-mortem examination, on the fresh carcasses to determine if the otter died of parasites, shark bite, heart disease or any of the dozens of other hazards otters can encounter. #point_5_map -121.767239,36.815722 6b. Toxoplasma gondii <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/373969156"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/161/373969156_a5ce7dbc44_m.jpg"/></a> - When a cat eats a rodent or bird infected with Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite develops in the cat's gut. Its eggs are released in the scat. These particularly hardy eggs find their way into the ocean through sewers or runoff. Mussels and other filter feeders ingest them. Otters eat the shellfish and are infected by the parasites. #point_5_map -121.767239,36.815722 #path 1 -121.78699,36.80016 -121.78696,36.80019 -121.78682,36.8004 -121.7866,36.80074 -121.78629,36.80125 -121.78627,36.80158 -121.7865,36.80182 -121.78639,36.80215 -121.78619,36.80259 -121.78589,36.8032 -121.78578,36.80371 -121.78573,36.80416 -121.78572,36.80469 -121.7855,36.80528 -121.78544,36.80584 -121.78542,36.80606 -121.78547,36.80641 -121.78548,36.80705 -121.78557,36.80749 -121.78585,36.80778 -121.78618,36.80788 -121.78655,36.80812 -121.78674,36.80845 -121.78695,36.80878 -121.78706,36.80899 -121.78687,36.80915 -121.78687,36.80915 -121.78694,36.8092 -121.78699,36.80937 -121.78699,36.80937 -121.78698,36.80942 -121.78697,36.80944 -121.78689,36.80965 -121.78689,36.80971 -121.78686,36.80976 -121.78686,36.80974 -121.78687,36.80977 -121.78685,36.80975 -121.78679,36.80971 -121.78671,36.80964 -121.78676,36.80971 -121.78676,36.80974 -121.78674,36.80973 -121.78665,36.80967 -121.78659,36.80956 -121.78657,36.80949 -121.78659,36.80943 -121.78659,36.80939 -121.78651,36.80929 -121.78639,36.80931 -121.78603,36.80942 -121.7857,36.80947 -121.78534,36.80954 -121.78494,36.80969 -121.78444,36.8099 -121.78398,36.81012 -121.78351,36.81039 -121.78299,36.81074 -121.7825,36.81098 -121.78218,36.81116 -121.78179,36.81129 -121.78149,36.81137 -121.781,36.81151 -121.78055,36.81161 -121.77952,36.81188 -121.77913,36.81193 -121.77871,36.81195 -121.77828,36.812 -121.77795,36.81205 -121.77757,36.81213 -121.7771,36.81222 -121.77668,36.81229 -121.77619,36.81239 -121.77557,36.8125 -121.77526,36.81254 -121.77485,36.81258 -121.77435,36.81264 -121.77399,36.81263 -121.77366,36.8127 -121.77337,36.81273 -121.77289,36.8128 -121.77221,36.81294 -121.77219,36.81294 -121.77191,36.81302 -121.77179,36.81306 -121.77175,36.81308 -121.77173,36.8131 -121.77182,36.81311 -121.77202,36.81311 -121.77205,36.81308 -121.77209,36.81306 -121.77213,36.81303 -121.7721,36.81303 -121.77189,36.81304 -121.77137,36.81317 -121.77104,36.81342 -121.77082,36.81358 -121.77041,36.81388 -121.77028,36.81402 -121.77041,36.81393 -121.77045,36.81391 -121.77023,36.81408 -121.76995,36.81436 -121.76977,36.81453 -121.76933,36.8149 -121.769,36.81518 -121.76878,36.81536 -121.76865,36.81545 -121.7686,36.81547 -121.76828,36.81553 -121.76796,36.81553 -121.76781,36.81556 -121.76759,36.81562 -121.76733,36.81572 -121.76722,36.81578 -121.76724,36.81569 -121.76725,36.81568 -121.76728,36.81567 -121.76701,36.81558 -121.7667,36.81551 -121.76647,36.81554 -121.7664,36.81557 -121.7664,36.81555 -121.76641,36.81558 -121.7664,36.81557