California Taxes & California Sea Otters

 

Help me this tax season!

In 2006, bill AB 2485 created a voluntary check-off on California income tax forms for sea otter research. The revenue generated goes to the California Sea Otter Fund. The Fund supports scientists working to understand the threats to California sea otters and to find ways to recover this population.

California sea otters are on the endangered species list as a threatened population. The population stands at a little over 3,000 animals, which is quite remarkable given that they were once thought to be extinct! However, the rate of population growth is poor and the death rate of animals at prime breeding age, particularly females, is alarmingly high. You can learn more about the issues facing sea otters on our website. The Aquarium's Sea Otter and Conservation Research Program works with a coalition of organizations working to discover why the population is in crisis and what can be done.

Want to help? When filing your California taxes (Form 540) look for line 60, CA Sea Otter Fund.

To keep the Fund on the tax form, a total of $250,000 or more, must be donated in 2008. Please help keep the Sea Otter Fund alive for another year.  (You can download a tax form here.)