McAllister is the first Sea Otter seen in south Puget Sound in a couple of years. I was
present when he was released after a night at Point Defiance pigging out. Two Sea Otters were
seen in south sound from time to time between 1996 and 1998 (based on the impeccable records
of John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research Collective). They were seen feeding on crabs (lots
of little Cancer gracilis and some Cancer productus in south sound). These otters seem to be
indicators of a healthy and growing core population on the rocky ocean coast - a population
producing youngsters that occasionally strike out for parts unknown. If a sea otter has turned
up on the Oregon Coast, it may well have come from Washington's coast.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Olympia, Washington
Reply to: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov