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Black and Gold: The Sea Otter. The third Black and Gold coin! One of the things nature does best is balance, and the sea otter is the perfect example: this adorable creature works hard, but it also makes time to float arm-in-arm (or paw-in-paw) with a loved one. Once hunted to the point of extinction, the sea otter has been reintroduced to British Columbia’s coastal waters, where its appetite keeps sea urchin populations in check-this, in turn, helps to restore and protect the kelp forests that are a critical habitat for hundreds of species. It’s all about balance, which is beautifully represented on this coin’s dual-plated reverse. Sea otters love to float on their backs while resting and eating! They’ll hold hands or wrap themselves in kelp to keep from drifting away while sleeping. Without sea otters, herds of sea urchins are known to destroy kelp forests at a rate of 9 metres per month. Kelp forests provide a critical habitat for over 150 different species and ample prey for the sea otter, which needs to eat about 25 percent of its body weight daily. But its recovery on the B. Coast has had some unintended consequences, too: its voracious appetite has negatively impacted Indigenous coastal communities and fishers who have traditionally relied on shellfish harvesting. The circular reverse design by wildlife artist Claude Thivierge features a contrasting “yin and yang” portrait of the sea otter (Enhydra lutris). Two adult sea otters are positioned in a way that represents opposite but complementary concepts, such as work and rest/play. Yellow gold and black rhodium plating clearly divide the design into two halves in order to highlight the importance of achieving balance in life, but also in nature, where the sea otter’s reintroduction to Canada’s Pacific coast has had a big impact on the marine ecosystem. The obverse features the gold-plated effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. THIS ITEM IS GST / HST EXEMPT IN CANADA. Citadel Coins Halifax, Nova Scotia Official Royal Canadian Mint Distributor.