Northern California's sea otters are springing back. Here's where to see them

Where does one go to see a sea otter in California? Redditors – and a Marine Mammal Center veterinarian – weigh in. Where does one go to see a sea otter in California? Redditors – and a Marine Mammal Center veterinarian – weigh in. Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Northern California's sea otters are springing back. Here's where to see them 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

A fuzzy blur of brown in an expanse of murky water sends most nature lovers' hearts aflutter, but it's a sight rarely seen over the last century in Northern California. Where once there were next-to-no southern sea otters in California waters – fur traders hunted them to near-extinction in the 19th century – now there are some. They aren't hard to find if you know where to look.

Sea otters generally stick to the stretch of California coastline between Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo, as well as a few pockets in the southern part of the state, according to Marine Mammal Center veterinarian Cara Field.

The highest population of otters congregates in Monterey Bay, Field says, though ample numbers subsist around Morro Bay and various hubs around Santa Cruz.

ALSO READ: Otter returns to wild as Marine Mammal Center ramps up efforts to heal endangered species

Luckily for their human fans, sea otters tend to stick close to shore, in shallow water where kelp forests thrive. You can kayak out to them, or generally view them from land without trouble.

Just be mindful of your presence, Field says; when otters get spooked, they can stop eating and alter their behavior.

"If they're watching you, that's probably a good indicator that you're too close," she said.

A recent Reddit thread asked Californians to recommend their favorite viewing locations – places where you could be sure to see otters without waiting around too much.

"I could spend all day watching them play, but my husband would probably not like that," said Reddit user @WillowCat89, "so it would be nice if this could be done within an afternoon/morning kind of time frame."

Like Fields, most responders suggested a day trip to Monterey.

ALSO READ: Sea otter population declines slightly off California coast

"Can't swing a stick in Monterey and not hit one," wrote @SiValleyDan. His words should not be taken literally – sea otters are a protected species under the federal Endangered Species Act.

See Field's and Redditor's suggestions in the above slideshow.

If it's an off-day for otters in the wild, Reddit users also suggested their favorite places to view the creatures in-captivity, like Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and the Marine Mammal Center (Field says no otters are currently under the center's care).

Thanks to technology, you don't even need to leave your house to spy the playful creatures bobbing to and fro in the water. Monterey Bay Aquarium has a live web stream of its otter habitat.

Michelle Robertson is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @mrobertsonsf.