What animals eat kelp?

Several animals, including sea urchins, prawn, snails and brittle stars regularly eat kelp. These animals live in kelp forests because the kelp not only provides food, but protection from predators as well.

There are even sea mammals who stay close to kelp forests for protection and food. These mammals include seals, sea lions, and in some cases, grey whales. Each animal in a kelp forest helps to control the populations of other animals, or the kelp itself. Sea urchins remove kelp plants and the sea otter eats the sea urchin. Animals that eat kelp are an important part of the ocean's ecosystem.