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Article: Drop in California Otter Population May Be Due to Litter-Box Parasite.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
- Article date:
- June 28, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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By Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Jun. 28--In a key clue to one of California's most troubling wildlife mysteries, scientists have uncovered evidence that the steady drop in the state's sea otter population may be blamed on an animal that rarely goes near the water: the common house cat.
Cats aren't killing the endangered Southern Sea Otter as they do birds or mice. Rather, a parasite found in their litter boxes -- and apparently washing into the oceans -- is the culprit, marine biologists from the University of California and the state Department of Fish and Game found.
Although questions ...