Lecture on Sea Otters

A raft of sea otters. /Photo courtesy of USFWS.

On Wednesday, Feb 8, at 7 p.m., the Friends of Haystack Rock and the Cannon Beach Library will continue the World of Haystack Rock Library Lecture Series.

This month's lecture will be by Michelle St. Martin, the Marine Conservation Coordinator for the US Fish and Wild Life Service, on the status of reintroducing sea otters to the Oregon coast.

About the talk: 

"Sea otters have been absent from Oregon’s coast since the early 1900s. The reintroduction of these marine mammals to northern California and Oregon is currently being evaluated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This talk will cover the history of sea otters throughout their range and the ecological benefits they provide, with an emphasis on next steps as we consider a potential reintroduction.  

Michelle St. Martin is the Marine Conservation Coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Newport office. She has over a decade of experience working with marine mammals, including polar bears and sea otters, primarily in Alaska. She is excited to be working in Oregon and about the opportunities it brings for continued learning and collaboration."

The World of Haystack Rock Library Lecture Series is held on the second Wednesday of each month, from November through April at the Cannon Beach Library (131 N. Hemlock St, in Cannon Beach). This year's season is dedicated to Sandi Lundy, a long-time supporter of the Cannon Beach Library, Friends of Haystack Rock, and the North Coast Land Conservancy, among many other organizations. 

This event is free and open to all. Anyone is welcome to attend in person or remotely via Facebook Live. The lectures are also recorded and will be available on the Friends of Haystack Rock's website.