They are the only mammals other than primates, and a few other animals, including birds, known to use tools. They use small rocks or other objects to pry shellfish. The sea otter population declined to approximately 2,000 individuals by 1911. Seven quick facts about river otters national forest foundation. Sea otter alaska department of fish state of alaska. Surface kelp canopies at the time of survey at san nicolas island were estimated to be below normal near shore off the western end of the island and about normal elsewhere. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg 31 and 99 lb, making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals. Mothers will continue to float on their backs, nurse their young and teach them to swim and hunt. The sea otter enhydra lutris is our smallest marine mammal, but is one of the largest of the worlds otter species. Sea otters do not have a layer of blubber like other marine mammals, and they rely solely on their fur to keep warm.
Sea otters occur in the nearshore habitat along the northwest pacific coastline in areas that people have inhabited for millennia. This prevents an individual from drifting off whilst they doze. It is also known to break open shells by hitting them against a rock that it balances on its stomach. California sea otter enhydra lutris nereis census results.
The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammal species, but it is the heaviest mustelid. The sea otter enhydra lutris is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern north pacific ocean. Sea otters eat at least 20 pounds 9 kg of food a day. Sea otters are very social animals that can live in groups made up of hundreds of individuals. As well as using their dexterity to hunt, forage and use tools sea otters also use their paws to hold hands whilst asleep. The sea otter is a small marine mammal native to the north and eastern coasts of the pacific ocean. Sea otters use rocks to crack open shellfish and clams to eat. Then the sea otter rolls on its back to eat using its chest as a table. Seven quick facts about river otters national forest.
Sometimes to smash a shell, the sea otter will get a flat stone and crack the shell down on the stone until the shell breaks open. They are about four feet long and can weigh up to 65 pounds, making them one of the smallest warm. The otter will dive for its food, moving swiftly through the water. Its hind feet are webbed and flat so they work more like flippers. Once an endangered species as a result of fur trading, otter populations recovered and appeared very healthy and robust in the early 1980s. Pdf the southern sea otter enhydra lutris nereis is listed as threatened under the endangered.
Recovery plan for the southern sea otter us fish and wildlife. Sea otter crafts and learning activities for children. Rather fittingly, these groups of sea otters are called rafts. Usually, a single baby called a pup is produced following 4 to 5 months of pregnancy. They find their food on the ocean floor, and carry out all other. Physiology sea otters have small front legs and stiff toes for handling food, while strong back legs with webbed feet allow for graceful paddling through the water. Sea otter habitat is typically defined by the 40 m 1 ft depth contour. The sea otter is the only marine mammal to catch fish using its paws not its mouth. The sea otter enhydra lutris is the smallest marine mammal, and quite arguably the cutest, with its gentle expression and playful nature endearing it to many.
Otter facts for kids otter information dk find out. Survey viewing conditions were very good view score 3. The sea otter spends most of its time in the water but, in some locations, comes ashore to sleep or rest. Sea otters live in coastal areas with shallow water. Otters in alaska are both listed as threatened under the endangered species act. They are expert swimmers and spend much of their time hunting for prey in water, where they catch mainly fish and invertebrates. A nice little boo for otter and animal lovers of all ages. Children read about sea otters and then make sea otter puppets and pretend play with sea otter food. Kelp provides shelter for sea otters and their pups and a variety of other marine organisms.
The sea otter has webbed hind feet which are perfect for swimming. An international treaty banned otter and fur seal hunting in 1911. With up to one million hairs per square inch of skin, this species has the densest fur of any mammal. All other populations are listed on appendix ii of cites. Its fur has long waterproof guard hairs that keep the short, dense underfur dry. Sea otters are unique in the otter family as the only species to give birth in the water. Incredibly this is fulfilled by drinking sea water. Unlike most marine mammals, the sea otters primary form of insulation is an exceptionally thick coat of fur, the.
Sea otters have an amazing background here you will find out a thing or two about sea. Sea otters have several adaptations that allow them to live in a marine environment. An otters daily business of eating, resting, and more eating can bring it close to shore, much to the delight of coastal sightseers. Sea otters wrap themselves and their pups up in kelp fronds while sleeping so they do not drift away. Every day, the sea otter needs to spend hours grooming its fur and fluffing it out. Background of sea otters all the facts about the sea otter. Sea otters enhydra lutris are icons for marine conservation on the western coast of the united states.
The management program conducted by the state included the successful reintroduction of sea otters to unoccupied habitat in southeast alaska, british columbia. Sea otter facts for kids sea otter fun facts and information. Sea otters were once hunted extensively for their dense pelts. Let us discuss some of the most fascinating sea otter facts and information. Sea otter furs, worn as robes or blankets, served as a medium of exchange and status for native people. You will find out the very interesting sea otter from their background to the diet and habitat of the sea otter. Sea otters are carnivores in the family mustelidaea group of animals that also includes terrestrial and semiaquatic forms such as weasels, badgers, skunks, fishers, minks, and river otters. By the 1970s, otters were restricted mainly to scotland, especially the islands and the northwest coast, western wales, parts of east anglia and the west country though they remained. Jun 26, 2019 when sea otter populations are healthy, urchin populations are kept in check, and kelp is abundant. Due to the frequency otters are in and out of water, their fur needs to withstand wet and dry.
When the sea otter is underwater, its ears and nostrils close. However, starting in the early 1990s, estes and his. The european otter lutra lutra was common as recently as the 1950s, but became rare because of ddt pesticides, habitat loss and water pollution. If there is a decline in sea otters due to natural predation or other factors such as an oil spill, urchin populations explode. Sea otters are the heaviest of the otter species giant otters are the longest. Sea otters are one of the few animals that use tools. The southern sea otter enhydra lutris nereis is listed as threatened under the. The sea otter is known to have one of the thickest, warmest coats of fur in the animal kingdom which helps to keep the sea otter warm in the cold waters of the north pacific.
The sea otter is the only nonprimate mammal to display tool use. Sea otter, enhydra lutris, rare, completely marine otter of the northern pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Despite the fact that sea otters are the largest members of the weasel family, sea otters are among the smallest mammals in the marine world the sea otter is known to have one of the thickest, warmest coats of fur in the animal kingdom which helps to keep the sea otter warm in the. River otters frequent rivers and lakes, but are also common in saltwater along the entire british columbia coast. The sea otter has thick, dense furthe most dense of any animal. The otter is a secretive semiaquatic species which was once widespread in britain. Sea otters have webbed feet, waterrepellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water. However, the population of sea otter peaked around 1995. Paper lunch bags 4 78 x 3 x 10 mini kraft paper bags. By alina bradford live science contributor 18 june 2016. Fun facts sea o tters consume from 25%30% of their body weight in food each day.
The sea otters diet includes fish, crabs, molluscs, and sea urchins, and it has very strong teeth for crushing their. The fur is responsible for insulating them and keeping them warm because they do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm and protect them from the outside environment. Sea otters are the only fully aquatic form of otters, but they share features with. Wildlife by hannah featherman facebook twitter pintrest email. Pdf southern sea otter as a sentinel of marine ecosystem health. The otter mainly eats aquatic animals such as plankton and fish, but the otter also hunts small amphibians, birds and occasionally small mammals. The ability of otters to use tools alone is fascinating. A group of sea otters resting together is called a raft.
Sea otters are members of the weasel or mustelid family. Sea otter is the heaviest and the second smallest aquatic member of weasel family. Oceandwelling sea otters are less stocky than their riverine otter counterparts. The international fur seal treaty of 1911ended the commercial fur trade and saved the sea otter population from further decline. Sea otter facts for kids sea otter habitat dk find out. This ancient religion considered otters to be the dogs of the river or sea and had strict rules forbidding the killing of otters.
The sea otter population that occurs in central california, enhyndra lutris nereis is listed on appendix i of cites. Top otter facts otters are the smallest of all marine mammals in the world. The main threats to the southern sea otter are habitat degradation including. By the 1970s, otters were restricted mainly to scotland, especially the islands and the northwest coast, western wales, parts of east anglia and the west country though they remained common and widespread also in ireland. Otters are aquatic waterbased relatives of badgers and weasels. However, prime sea otter habitat near land often bears the brunt of pollutants that drain from areas of human habitation. Whilst most of a sea otters water demand can be satisfied from the food it consumes they still need to drink some water. Columbia the sea otter and the more widespread river otter. Air is trapped between the hairs, keeping the animal dry. Sea otters have webbed feet, waterrepellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils. Dow sea otter fact sheet 2011 defenders of wildlife. James estes has studied sea otters off the coast of alaska since the 1970s.
The sea otters from north america have been tracked. A sea otter is an animal that has very thick, brownishblack fur and lives mostly in the water. Researchers surveyed sea otter populations along the mainland coast, from pigeon point in the north to gaviota state park in the south, and also the distinct population at san nicolas island in the southern california bight. There are known species of otter that inhabit areas all around the world. Male sea otters usually weigh 22 to 45 kg 49 to 99 lb and are 1. The authors delve into the historical views and uses of sea. Thanks to large kidneys the salt can be excreted and the otter never needs to leave the water in search of a drink.
The otter is a small mammal that lives both in water and on land. Their home is the coastal ocean, a zone where the land meets the sea. Since a sea otter must generate a large amount of heat to maintain its body temperature, it must eat about 20 lbs 9 kg of food a day. It has short tail and webbedfeet with retractable front claws. Like other members of this family, they have very thick fur. The sea otters diet includes fish, crabs, molluscs, and sea urchins, and it has very strong teeth for crushing their shells. A sea otters fur contains an estimated 650,000 hairs per square inch. Most live on the shorelines of freshwater rivers and lakes, but a few hunt along seaside coasts. The sea otter s teeth are ideal for crushing and grinding, but for prey that are more difficult to crack open, sea otters have been observed to use rocks as tools. In this way, cold water is kept away from the skin and there is little body heat loss.
The sea otter has long whiskers and waterrepellent coat that insulates the animal from freezing water. Floating on its back, it opens mollusks by smashing them on a stone balanced on its chest. Unlike most sea mammals, the sea otter does not have a layer of fat under its skin to keep it warm. It was thought that otters helped keep water purified by eating already dead creatures that might contaminate the water source if they were allowed to rot. Whether on its back or its front, the endangered sea otter is a proficient swimmer, and a classic family attraction in aquariums and in the wild alike. At the time when captain gray sailed over the columbia river bar to trade with the chinook people, for example, one pelt was worth five iron chisels, and four pelts were traded for one sheet of copper or for a quantity of beads, preferably blue. You can also get involved by becoming a member of friends of the sea otter, donating money towards conservation work, or volunteering your time.
When this practice was discontinued in the mid 20th century, the southern population of sea otters made a wonderful recovery from near extinction. An otter can remain under water for up to 4 minutes. Lets find out about the description, size, lifespan, habitat and much more in sea otter facts for kids. Sea otters are the bestknown marine mammal tool users and will pick up rocks from the bottom and place them on their chest to use as an anvil for crushing mussels, crabs, or urchins, or use them to smash or dislodge abalone haliotis spp. Floating behavior sea otters often float at the waters surface, lying on. The sea otter is considered an endangered species by the iucn red list of threatened species. Like their smaller river otter cousins, the sea otter is able to walk and live on the land but it is not uncommon for sea otters to spend their lives exclusively in the water.
The sea otter enhydra lutris is the largest member ofthe family mustelidae. A list of all kinds of amazing, funny, and interesting sea otter fun facts that are cool to know. The sea otter is the only species of otter that spends almost its whole life at sea, even though it rarely travels further than 1km 0. They mainly use rocks, but have been seen using glass soda bottles and cement blocks. Its population has declined by more than 50% over the past 30 years. With their furry bodies, whiskered faces, and propensity to lay on their backs and float on the water, they are an easilyrecognized and beloved marine mammal. Californians believed that otters had disappeared from the coast until in 1938 a big sur rancher sighted a group of only about 50. Nature animals animals and pets cute baby animals funny animals otter facts otter birthday lion birthday happy birthday baby sea otters 14 surprising facts about sea otters widely considered the cutest animal in the ocean, sea otters have a troubled history with humans. Otters are funny and lovely animals with great intelligence. Sea otter enhydra lutris care manual assets service.
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