PHOTOS: Sea otters make rare appearance near Cannon Beach

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- In a rare event, two sea otters were spotted swimming and foraging in the waters near Cannon Beach Friday afternoon.

Volunteers with the Elakha Alliance, a nonprofit geared towards sea otter conservation, reportedly made the first sighting at Ecola Point. The otters are believed to have swam south from the Olympic coast in Washington, where around 2,000 sea otters currently live.

According to the nonprofit, this sighting is particularly significant, as sea otter populations have not been seen along the Oregon coast since they were hunted to extinction for their fur in the early 20th century.

Further, the organization says it's more common for five to six sea otters to wash up decomposed along the coast annually, adding even more significance to the sighting of two healthy, live otters in the area.

“We are thrilled about this rare and wonderful sighting,” said Jane Bacchieri, Elakha Alliance's Executive Director. “It highlights the resilience of sea otters and the potential for their return to the Oregon coast. This event also underscores the importance of ongoing conservation efforts for our nearshore marine ecosystems.”

The Elakha Alliance is also encouraging the public to report any sea otter sightings to aid in efforts to reintroduce the species to the region.