Furry lil' sea otters: You’ll spot them at the Oregon Zoo and the Oregon Coast Aquarium, and they seem like they'd fit right in on Oregon's rocky coastline, but they've been gone for a long time, having been hunted to near extinction at the height of the fur trade. Boooooooo. There are stronger reasons for the coastal reintroduction of the critters than wanting to see them float cutely on their backs: their "outsized influence" on marine ecosystems expands biodiversity, enhances kelp and seagrass beds, and even increases carbon sequestration. The reintroduction of sea otters would have widespread cultural, economic, and ecological benefits, y'all! Learn more about the influential cuties at this edition of Science Pub, where biologist Michele Zwartjes will explain why sea otters are a keystone species in the nearshore marine world and chat about past recovery efforts.