Passionate 4 Paws & Claws!

It was a late June morning and a young female sea otter was likely swimming and playing in kelp beds off Morro Bay, California. She could have grown to maturity and perhaps would have raised pups in the area.

But lurking nearby, a killer took aim and pulled the trigger, brutally ending her life with a single shot to the head. 

Please donate today to help us catch this heartless killer and save the lives of threatened sea otters like this young female and protect other wildlife struggling to survive.

Killing these threatened animals is a federal crime. We’re offering a reward to bring this person to justice. But we need your help.

Once hunted for their dense fur, southern sea otters have clawed their way back from near extinction in the early 20th century. Even after decades of protection, these marine mammals remain at only a fraction of their historic numbers.

And the future remains uncertain for these playful animals. Disease, food shortages, and other threats -- including heartless killers -- could derail the fragile recovery of southern sea otters.

Please help us catch a killer and save struggling sea otters.

Your tax-deductible donation will help Defenders:Catch this killer and post rewards to help law enforcement officials bring criminal poachers to justice; 

Pass the Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act in the Senate -- critical legislation that provides much-needed funding to keep these animals on the road to recovery; 

Educate the public about these amazing animals through our Sea Otter Awareness Week; and 

Protect sea otters and other wildlife from deadly oil spills.