A common misconception many people might have is that we can go right up to wild animals to touch, feed, or play with them. But doing such things might interfere with that animal's ability to feed, forage, mate, rest, and socialize. We can actually cause a lot of unecessary stress to the animals we are trying to befriend, thus endangering their lives. Here is an excerpt from the NOAA document "Handbook for Ocean Users" :

"Sea otters must rest about half the day to stay healthy. Each time a sleeping otter is disturbed, it wakes up, rolls in the water, and wets its fur. After this, otters must groom themselves and dry off before going back to sleep. Otter mothers and pups need more rest time than other animals. Please respect an otter’s need for sleep and keep your distance. Disturbing marine wildlife is a violation of federal law. If you approach a sea otter on a kayak, surfboard, or boat and the animal dives as a result of your approach, you have caused a disturbance that could result in a citiation or a fine."

Although this is a document from the US, Canada also has laws in place to prevent people from harrassing animals in the wild. Please follow the link to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Viewing Guidelines website to learn more about how to avoid disturbing our wild critters: DFO link to viewing guidelines for marine mammals

Remember, if an animal reacts to your presence, it is technically a disturbance.

Not sure if you've seen a river otter or sea otter?
Click here to find out what the differences are.