The March 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill devastated the sea otter population in Prince William Sound . Over 1,000 oiled sea otter carcasses were recovered , with the actual number of deaths estimated to be several times that number . Approximately 350 oiled sea otters were rescued , and over the next five months given intensive rehabilitation . Each otter was tranquilized and thoroughly washed and dried . Those which had swallowed a lot of oil were treated with activated charcoal . The effort saved about 200 of the 350 rescued sea otters , although many later died after being released . Although few sea otters were saved in the rescue effort , much knowledge was gained about how to successfully rehabilitate oiled sea otters . A 2006 report from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council named the sea otter as one of several species still being affected by the lingering oil in the area
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Sea otter conservation