Two dead otters (one recent) on Kasitsna Bay side. We also found another one yesterday on the Kachemak side.
Observation by Mike Brubaker:
Walking on the beach at lunch today we saw an eagle feeding on a carcass. I shot some video which is attached. My dog scared the eagle off and when we got closer we saw it was a sea otter. That is the second in as many days with the other on the Kachemak Bay side of spit. We found a third, older carcass a little further along. We saw no obvious signs of trauma on the fresh ones. The older carcass was too far gone to say. Out in Kasitsna Bay there are at least two large rafts of otters with at least twenty otters in each. We did not see any other dead animals on the beach. Seems like a lot of dead otters though, over just a couple of days. Went back on Tuesday to get measurements.
LEO editor comment:
We have added (related posts) the dead sea otter from October 3rd, as well as some observations from the same general areas from previous years. See also the selection of satellite imagery since June showing what appear to be changes in water color in Kachemak Bay. This observation has been shared with Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Stranding Hotline (877) 925-7773, through the Alaska Sealife Center.