Sea otter, Alaska, USA Sep 23, 2024

The otter featured in today"s image was photographed in Prince William Sound, Alaska, United States. Sea otters are native to the northern and eastern coasts of the North Pacific Ocean. Weighing 14 to 45 kilograms, they"re expert foragers, diving to the seabed to find food. These clever critters are smart as well as cute: they use rocks to crack open shellfish, making them one of the few animals that use tools. There used to be as many as 300,000 in the wild, but they were heavily hunted for almost two centuries, as their dense fur was highly prized. By 1911, it is thought that only around 2,000 were left. Thankfully, an international hunting ban, conservation efforts, and reintroduction programs have helped them rebound, and they are now found in about two-thirds of their historic habitat. So, whenever you see their fuzzy heads bobbing in the waves, remember, you"re witnessing a story of nature"s triumph.

© Gerald Corsi/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Sep 23, 2023Coyote Gulch, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah, USA
Sep 23, 2025Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 10, 2026Es Vedrà and Es Vedranell, Ibiza, Spain
Mar 15, 2026Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Vancouver Island, Canada
Dec 6, 2023Dardagna waterfalls, Bologna, Italy
May 22, 2025Baobab trees at sunset, Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
Feb 1, 2026Colourful house in Olinda, Brazil
Nov 19, 2024Tasmans Arch, Tasman National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Jul 10, 2024Collared aracari
Oct 25, 2025Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Sep 10, 2024Vasco da Gama Bridge, Lisbon
Apr 30, 2025Iguazu Falls seen from Paraná, Brazil
Jan 17, 2024Eurasian wolf
Feb 4, 2026Red kite in snow
Nov 8, 2025Bandon Beach in Bandon, Oregon, United States
May 12, 2025An iris garden in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 24, 2024Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
Jan 3, 2026Staubbach Falls at Lauterbrunnen, Canton of Bern, Switzerland
Mar 1, 2024Butterflies in a meadow, Germany
Nov 21, 2023Grey seal pup
Jun 11, 2024A group of Southern gemsbok in the savannah, Botswana, USA
Feb 27, 2026Polar bear cub, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, United States
Aug 27, 2023Jeju Island, South Korea
Feb 13, 2024Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, France
Oct 6, 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
Mar 6, 2026The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
Jan 15, 2026The fishing village of Reine, Norway
Mar 5, 2024Bangkok, Thailand
Mar 20, 2024Peveril Castle, Derbyshire, England
Dec 26, 2023Dedham, Colchester, England
Jan 9, 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
Jan 15, 2025Pointe du Diable, Saint-Pierre, Réunion Island