This dataset is a record of all verified stranded (live sick/injured, dead beached/floating) southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) in California. The data collected include the date and location of stranding, condition, age class and sex of the animal, morphometrics, and very general external and internal necropsy findings. These data have been collected continually since 1968 and are used to identify unusual mortality events, track causes of anthropogenic mortality for mitigation, and inform resource managers about the extent and causes of mortality affecting the southern sea otter population. These data may also be used during or after an oil spill for Natural Resource Damage Assessment purposes, or to inform best achievable recovery and care of live animals. Prior to 2019, the data were managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and data from 1985 to 2018 are available on the USGS website. Data from the earliest years are not yet available in a standardized electronic format, but a subset of the database from 2019 onward is available through this portal. A stranding summary report is also provided for each year starting in 2019.

This data and metadata were submitted by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Staff though the Data Management Plan (DMP) framework with the id: DMP000394. For more information, please visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/Data/Sci-Data.