In these set of materials, the reading discusses theories about the declining of the sea otters population.

In these set of materials, the reading discusses theories about the declining of the sea otters population. Which is a small mammal who lives in waters in the west coast of North America. The article introduces two theories, the pollution and the predation. and it mentions that the pollution theory is the more likely of the two. However, the professor disagrees with the article; she believes that the predation theory is the more likely. And she refutes each of the author’s reasons. To begin with, the reading claims that there were known sources of pollution along the Alaskan coast, such like oil rigs and residues of industrial chemicals. Which is a great evidence that the pollution caused the decline. On the other hand, the professor says this theory is weakened because there are no dead sea otters washing of the Alaskan beach. And the absence of otter’s dead bodies confirms that the sea otter’s population had declined because predation. And they were eaten immediately. Second, the reading asserts that the pollution theory is more likely. Because other sea mammals population declined too, like seals and sea lions. Conversely, the professor opposes this idea, she believes that orcas prefer to hunt whales, whose population declined too because of human hunting. The thing that forced orcas to alter their diet and start predate sea otters and other sea mammals. Third, the author posits that the uneven pattern of population decline can be explained by pollution theory, and according to this theory the decline followed the pollutant concentration. However, the professor refutes this theory; she says that the uneven pattern of declining is better explained by the predation theory. Because some location is more accessible for a large predators like orcas than others. And a population in those hard reached areas has been preserved in better way.