What’s Killing Sea Otters? Scientists Pinpoint Parasite Strain

Katherine E Kerlin — August 22, 2019 - 11:23am

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.

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What’s Killing Sea Otters? Scientists Pinpoint Parasite Strain