What Was the Primary Reason the Southern Sea Otter Nearly

question 18

Multiple Choice

What was the primary reason the southern sea otter nearly went extinct by the early 1900s?

• A) They scared the tourists.
• B) They have thick,luxurious fur.
• C) They were ruining the kelp beds.
• D) They were eating all the shellfish.
• E) They raided valuable bird nests.

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Definitions:

Indirect Fitness

The genetic gain achieved by an organism by helping relatives rear their offspring, thereby passing on shared genes.

Alarm-Calling

Vocalizations made by certain animals to alert members of their group to potential danger.

Inclusive Fitness

A concept in evolutionary biology describing an organism's genetic success as both its own reproductive output and its influence on the reproductive output of its genetic relatives.

Alarm-Calling

Vocal signals emitted by some animals to warn conspecifics of potential predators, enhancing group survival but potentially increasing risk to the caller.