Sea Otter Awareness Week Sep. 23, 2024

This week is Sea Otter Awareness Week, an event that draws attention to these fluffy floating mammals. The otter featured in today"s image was photographed in Prince William Sound, Alaska, United States. Sea otters are native to the northern and eastern coasts of the North Pacific Ocean. Weighing 14 to 45 kilograms, they"re expert foragers, diving to the seabed to find food. These clever critters are smart as well as cute: they use rocks to crack open shellfish, making them one of the few animals that use tools. There used to be as many as 300,000 in the wild, but they were heavily hunted for almost two centuries, as their dense fur was highly prized.

© Gerald Corsi/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Jellies in a world of their own
Sep. 23, 2023Nuit Blanche Toronto
Sep. 23, 2025Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica

More Desktop Wallpapers:

May 1, 2025Lei Day
Sep. 2, 2025Camel thorn trees, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia
Hear it roar!
The mystery of Stonehenge
Jan. 20, 2024Macaroni penguins, Drake Passage, Chile
This bird is peak beak
Dec. 27, 2024Lake Bled, Slovenia
Oct. 24, 2025Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, United States
Jun. 17, 2025Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States
Nov. 24, 2025Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh, India
Black sands in a tropical paradise
Sep. 10, 2024Vasco da Gama Bridge, Lisbon, Portugal
You can take a refreshing dip here any day of the year
Zebras enjoying their day
Aug. 26, 2023Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island, Berlin
Jan. 3, 2024J.R.R. Tolkien Day
Mar. 7, 2024Roques de Benet, Els Ports Natural Park, Catalonia, Spain
A time-worn medieval marvel
A rainbow that’s worth the rainfall
This magical beach is worth the hike
Oct. 18, 2023Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
Peek-a-boo, I see you!
As curious about you as you are about them
Apr. 16, 2025Anniversary of Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah, United States
Sep. 3, 2023Skyscrapers in Manhattan
May 7, 2025Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Apr. 15, 2025World Art Day
Regal Radiance
Apr. 22, 2024Earth Day
Jun. 21, 2025World Giraffe Day