Sea otters can be seen along the Kiritappu Misaki shore in Hamanaka, Hokkaido, adorable as they float on their backs, eating shellfish and holding their pups.
Yoshihiro Kataoka, chairman of the Etopirika Kikin nonprofit organzation that works to monitor and protect sea otters, said he has observed pups in nearby waters since 2018.
There was a drastic drop in the sea otter population due to excessive hunting for their fur, according to a Russian investigator who monitors the natural environment. However, in recent years, their numbers have been increasing in northern waters, and there may be over 200 sea otters around the Habomai Islands.
This is believed to be the result of more food being available for the otters, due to fishing regulations that have been put in place.
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