A New Twist Added to Decades of Sea Otter Research

A parasite known only to be hosted in North America by the Virginia opossum is infecting sea otters along the West Coast. A study from the UC Davis One Health Institute elucidates the sometimes surprising and complex pathways infectious pathogens can move from land to sea to sea otter.

Genetic Link Found Between Deadly Pathogen and Wild and Feral Cats on Land

Many wild southern sea otters in California are infected with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, yet the infection is fatal for only a fraction of sea otters, which has long puzzled the scientific community. A study from the University of California, Davis, identifies the parasite’s specific strains that are killing southern sea otters, tracing them back to a bobcat and feral domestic cats from nearby watersheds.