What`s killing sea otters? Scientists pinpoint parasite strain
(PHYSorg.com Biology)

Many wild southern sea otters in California are infected with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, yet the infection is fatal for only a fraction of sea otters, which has long puzzled the scientific community. A study from the University of California, Davis, identifies the parasite`s specific strains that are killing southern sea otters, tracing them back to a bobcat and feral domestic cats from nearby watersheds.