Sea otter facts. The northern sea otters can weigh as much as 100 pounds. 6. They cleverly use rocks as ‘tools’ to smash the shells by placing the rock upon their chest while floating on their backs and bashing the mollusc against it repeatedly. Sea otters … Warm air trapped in a sea otter’s fur keeps them warm in chilly waters. Sea Otter Facts & Information Sea otters are members of the weasel family (Mustelidae). Today, their range is less extensive, with the majority of wild sea otters residing in Alaskan waters, although populations do exist in Canada, Russia, Japan, Washington and California. Sea otter pup fur is known as a lanugo. Sea Otter Facts. Sea otters often float at the water's surface in forests of kelp, or giant seaweed, and entangle themselves to keep from moving in the rolling sea. National Geographic: North American River Otter 3. See more ideas about otter love, otters, sea otter. Introduction to Otters. Sea otters can live up to 23 years in the wild. Description. Sea otters are the exception, giving birth in the water. Sea otters are usually dark brown, often with lighter guard ha… Baby otters, called pups or kittens, stay with their mothers until they’re up to a year old, or until she has another litter. Sea otters are the heaviest members of the weasel family, and have adapted to the marine environment in which they live. We promise that you’ll be otterly entertained! Follow the link below to find out more and to sign up! They have a loose patch of skin under their armpit to store both the food they’ve foraged and their rock to crack it open. 2. Unlike most other marine mammals, otters lack a blubber layer. Sea otters are born swimmers with long, sleek, streamlined bodies with webbed feet. Sea otters are brown to almost black in color, but hands and necks whiten in older animals. They can have over 1,000,000 hairs per square inch on their bodies! The two … If otters fascinate you, below are some interesting otter facts. Hand-holding keeps the otters … And, the Russian population consists of approximately 15,000 with about a dozen in Japan. A lanugo is a very soft, downy hair that develops in humans as well as animals. This page contains sea otter facts and information, and is part of our Arctic Animals series. For one of the smallest marine mammals on Earth (yet the largest member of the weasel family), the sea otter has racked up quite a few superlatives: 1. They have webbed feet, water-repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water. Ever wonder where otters actually store these tools for safe keeping? On an adult animal, there are an estimated 650,000 hairs per square inch. Get ready for some awesome otter facts and photos. Pups stay with their mothers for the first 8 months of life. The otter is one of the few mammals that use tools. 4. Forget everything you thought you knew about otter species. Sea otters are a medium-sized member of the Mustelidae family. Physical Description. Floating on its back, it opens mollusks by smashing them on a stone balanced on its chest. Sea Otter Facts for Kids. 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. Sea otters don’t let death hold them back from going to pound town. They have an interesting method of eating their prey. In California, the weight of a female is 45 lbs and of a male otte… Interesting Facts About the Sea Otter. Sea otters are one of the only mammals that are been known to use tools to obtain and eat their prey. Mothers will continue to float on their backs, nurse their young and teach them to swim and hunt. Forget everything you thought you knew about otter species. In a kelp forest, sea urchins can graze on the kelp and eat their holdfasts, resulting in deforesting the … The video below has some great shots of sea otters. They are also preyed upon in the wild by sharks, bears, eagles and killer whales. Join the thousands of Active Wild subscribers who receive free wildlife and science news & info direct to their inboxes! Quick facts about this adorable marine mammal! They usually weigh between 7 to 31 pounds (3 – 14 kg). A group of resting otters is called a raft. A sea otter’s pelt is the thickest of any mammal. The slough and wetlands, adjacent to the Monterey Bay, provide critical habitat for hundreds of species, including sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, great egrets and brown pelicans. An otter’s lung capacity is 2.5 times greater than that of similar-sized land mammals. Otters are part of the Mustelidae family, which is a family of carnivorous mammals that includes skunks, weasels, wolverines and badgers. Learn more about staying safe around sea otters. Sea Otter Facts: Animals of the Oceans. FUN FACTS Longest recorded dive : 7 min. 4. Sea otters are generalist predators that consume over 200 species across a spectrum of rocky and soft substrates. They live in offshore forests of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and spend most of their active time foraging below the canopy. The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. A sea otter relies on its fur to keep warm because it doesn't have an insulating layer of blubber as other marine mammals do. The size of the California (or southern) sea otters is about 4 feet. So whether you see an otter on land or at sea, be sure to maintain a safe distance of at least 50 yards and never feed sea otters. 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. 2. Today, the population stands at 100 – 150,000 animals, but the IUCN Red List still categorizes sea otters as endangered. Generally, the male sea otters grows from 3.11 to 4.11 feet in length and weighs around 49 to 99 pounds. Otters are some of the most adorable aquatic animals. The largest of this weasel family, sea otters weigh 31-100 lb (14-45 kg). Sea otters inhabit temperate coastal waters with rocky or soft sediment ocean bottom. If you do see a sea otter on shore, watch from a distance and avoid disturbing its rest. The nostrils and ears of sea otters close in the water. Thirteen different species exist around the globe. Sea otters wrap themselves in kelp or hold hands when sleeping to prevent drifting. Sea otters are also found along the coastlines of eastern Asia and Russia. Sea otters are unique in the otter family as the only species to give birth in the water. And still these cute creatures take care of the fur coat, as if playing: they often somersault and turn in the water, then ducking under the algae, then remaining on the surface. The sea otter is the largest member of the weasel family, yet the smallest marine mammal in North America. As top predators, sea otters are critical to maintaining the balance of nearshore ecosystems, such as kelp forests, embayments and estuaries. 1. Sea otters can hold their breather underwater for more than 5 minutes, and river otters can hold theirs for more than 8! They will use rocks to open food like clams, sea urchins and crabs. Sea Otters can live their entire lives at sea, though they are … By Katie Critchfield on April 25 2017 in Environment. Rafts tend to consist of females and pups together, and separate groups of males. Otters have to eat vast amounts of food every day, which takes up a significant portion of their time. Copyright © 2021 ActiveWild.com. The semi-aquatic creatures known as Sea otters may grow to between 34 and 60 inches in length, though it is very rare to find a Sea Otter surpassing 50 inches. Sea otter, (Enhydra lutris), rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. They are often mistaken for beavers though. Sea otters eat 25 percent of their body weight in food every day. Sea otters live in small groups, usually separated into groups of adult males and groups of females, their pups, and several juveniles. Sea otters are found in the cold waters of the North Pacific Ocean along the western North American coastline. They float like corks on top of the water unable to dive and therefore, are completely dependent on the mother sea otter. Sea otters eat up to 30% of their body weight in food per day to support their high metabolic rate. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. Fun Facts for Kids. However, it is only once they were hunted nearly to extinction that we came to realize their value alive as a keystone species rather than a fur pelt. Sea otters are foragers that eat mostly hard-shelled invertebrates, including sea urchins and a variety of clams, mussels, and crabs. One study saw a male sea otter hold a struggling female underwater until she died during intercourse and ten months later, the same otter was seen swimming, diving, and having sex with a different female carcass. Even a baby sea otter can stay warm on the open ocean, but they do need some help from their mothers. There is one species of sea otter and three subspecies, the California or Southern sea otter is found off the central coast of California, the Northern sea otter is found in the waters off Alaska and Canada, and the common or Asian sea otter is found along coastlines of Japan and Russia. They sleep this way, often gathered in groups. An otter is one of the few species that use tools. Sea otters in the United States received additional protections with the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Once at the surface, they often eat by placing the food on their stomachs, and then placing a rock on their stomachs and then smashing the prey on the rock to open it and get at the flesh inside. Sea otter facts! This comes in handy when mothers leave their pups safely floating on the water’s surface while they forage for food. 9. Most sea otters measure less than 50 inches. Get ready for some awesome otter facts and photos. The sea otter's dark brown fur is the finest and densest of any animal fur. Sea otters have a long tail accounting for nearly a third of their body length and four webbed, clawed feet, which they use to navigate land and catch, break, and eat their prey. In fact, by the 1920s, the sea otter was at the brink of extinction — it was even thought to be extinct for a time. Approximately 90 percent of the world’s sea otters live in coastal Alaska. Most sea otters measure less than 50 inches. Instead they depend on their dense, water-resistant fur to provide insulation. A sea otter relies on its fur to keep warm because it doesn't have an insulating layer of blubber as other marine mammals do. Sea otters catch the same shellfish, sea urchins, crabs, clams, and abalone, that indigenous peoples in Alaska and Canada need to eat. They live in offshore forests of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and spend most of their active time foraging below the canopy. They hunt for food both in the water such as fish and then also land creatures including small reptiles. Sea Otter Facts: Habitat: Northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. High quality Sea Otter gifts and merchandise. Sea otters are incredibly clean and keep their waterproof coats in perfect condition. 2. Check out this otter-worldly info. There are generally two populations considered geographically separate subspecies, the Alaskan and California Sea Otters. (It’s completely free, you can unsubscribe at any time, and we’ll never share your details.). Sea otters have been known to stay submerged for more than 5 minutes at a time. Their fur is the densest of any animal with about 100,000 hairs per square centimeter. U.S. and international law protects threatened sea otters. As top predators, sea otters are critical to maintaining the balance of nearshore ecosystems, such as kelp forests, embayments and estuaries. Though sea otters spend most of their lives at sea, they occasionally haul out on shore. There are 13 known species of otters, which range in size from 2.9 feet (90 cm) all the way to 5.9 feet (1.8 m) long! When otters dive, they seal their ears and nose. Historically, Sea otters could be found from Japan, along the coast of Siberia, down through Alaska, British Columbia and the eastern North American coast. Sea Otter Facts California’s southern sea otter has been listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act since 1977. Lifespan: 10-15 years on average, but some have lived to be 20. Facts about Sea Otter, Giant Otter, European Otter, African Otter and River Otter. 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 heaviest of the 13 otter species (giant otters are the longest). To keep from drifting away from each other, sea otters will wrap themselves up in seaweed, forming something that resembles a raft. Otters have strong teeth and a powerful bite. I’m dead serious. All Rights Reserved. Sea otters are carnivores in the family Mustelidae —a group of animals that also includes terrestrial and... Habitat and Distribution. While the title of cutest animal ever may be up for debate, we know that sea otters are definitely in the running. Love these fun otter facts? Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. These include fully webbed hind feet; nostrils and ears that can close; and thick, water-repelling fur that keeps them dry and warm. Held every year during the last week in September, Sea Otter Awareness Week spotlights the important role of sea otters in nearshore ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean. Sea otters feast upon molluscs such as clams and mussels collected from dives to the sea floor. Fun fact: An otter pup’s fur is so dense that it can’t dive underwater until it gets its adult fur. Their fur contains between 600,000 to 1,000,000 hair follicles per square inch. Warm air trapped in a sea otter’s fur keeps them warm in chilly waters.When otters dive, they seal their ears and nose.The word otter comes from Old English and Indo European root words that were also used to create the English word for water.Otters have the densest fur in the world. Many live in the waters surrounding public lands including Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai Fjords National Park and Glacier Bay National Park. In maintaining kelp forests, sea otters also help to reduce levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are an easily recognized and beloved marine mammal. Sea otters inhabit temperate coastal waters with rocky or soft sediment ocean bottom. Currently there are less than 3,000 Sea Otters in California, between 65,000 and 78 ,000 in Washington, Canada, and Alaska combined. Like polar bears in the Arctic, sea otters are considered keystone species in their ecosystems, because they affect... 2. A raft is usually comprised of single-sex sea otters that can range from 10 to a hundred individuals. Sea otters are members of the weasel or mustelid family. 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 has long whiskers and water-repellent coat that insulates the animal from freezing water. The smallest marine mammal, sea otters can be as long as 4 feet (1.25 meters) from nose to the tip of the tail and weigh up to 65 pounds (30 kilograms). Otters love to rest in groups. Sea otters have been found to play a pivotal role in the habitat and marine life that inhabit a kelp forest. Sea otters have no insulating fat, but trap air under their coasts as insulation. Sea otters are vulnerable to oil spills which can drastically impact the insulating power of their fur, and destruction of kelp forests which are key foraging grounds. 2. At birth, the weight of a pup is 3 to 5 pounds. National Geographic: Sea Otter 2. To find food, sea otters may occasionally dive as deep as 250 feet and will use their sensitive whiskers to locate small prey inside crevices or their strong forepaws to dig for clams. Sea otters learn to swim at 4 weeks of age. See “Sea Otter photo” and read interesting facts about sea otters and their special role in the marine ecosystem. Under their arms, Sea otters have built in pockets. Held every year during the last week in September, Sea Otter Awareness Week spotlights the important role of sea otters in nearshore ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean. Sea otters have incredibly dense fur, with up to 150,000 hair follicles per square centimeter. The Russian Sea Otter is found off the eastern coast of Russia and several have been reported in Japan. Sea otters are inhabitants of the coastal zone of the Pacific Ocean in Canada, Japan, Russia, the USA, and are among the smallest marine mammals. On an adult animal, there are an estimated 650,000 hairs per square inch. North American Sea Otters are larger than Asian otters. 5. North American Sea Otter is also more slender than other otter breeds. They're hungry animals! Sea otters can five to 250 feet (76 meters) to forage for food. Diet analysis suggests that butter clams are their preferred prey in Southeast Alaska (La Roche 2020). 7. Sea otters have 850,000 – 1,000,000 hairs per square inch, the thickest fur or any mammal. Otters do not have blubber, instead air is trapped within their fur to keep them warm. The males of this subspecies weigh around 65 pounds while females are 45 pounds in weight. 1. I recently found out that sea otters fall asleep holding paws and my heart has never been so full. Fewer sea urchins in turn help prevent kelp forests from being overgrazed. These marine mammals have a number of characteristics that make them perfectly suited for life at sea. Diet. A sea otter’s tool of choice: typically a rock that can be used as a hammer or anvil to break open hard-shelled prey. The southern sea otter measures up to 4 feet (1.2 m) in length; females weigh up to 50 pounds (23 kg) and males up to 70 pounds (32 kg). Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are marine mammals.They live along the Pacific coast of North America.Their historic range included shallow waters of the Bering Strait.It also included Kamchatka, and as far south as Japan.. Sea otters have about 26,000 to 165,000 hairs per square centimeters of skin. Sea otters are part of the weasel family. In their adult stages of life, Sea Otters will weigh from 7 to 31 pounds. Otters have as many as 2.6 million hairs per square inch. Otters eat 15-20 percent of their bodyweight daily. Sea otters have several adaptations that allow them to live in a marine environment. Sea otters can often be observed floating on their backs on the surface looking very relaxed and chilled out. Sea otters are a ‘keystone species’ within kelp forests, maintaining the balance in the food web between kelp and sea urchins, allowing the forests to thrive. Sea otters can have a pup any time of the year. Sea otters use rocks to remove prey from their shells. Sea Otters that are found in river settings tend to have slender, serpentine bodi… We promise that you’ll be otterly entertained! Currently the southern sea otter population is estimated at just above 3,000 animals. Sea otters weigh more -- around 45-90 pounds -- with large, furry faces. The female sea otters are smaller as they grow up to 4.7 feet in length and weigh up to 73 pounds. Lifespan: 10-15 years on average, but some have lived to be 20. Their bodies are insulated by a thick fur coat and not by blubber as in other marine mammals. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is rare, completely marine otter. The large hind feet are broad and flipperlike. Otters are an essential keystone species. They will use rocks to open food like clams, sea … Like other members of this family, they have very thick fur. Sea otters can spend their entire life in water. To keep warm, sea otters spend a large portion of their days grooming and conditioning their fur. In California, research has found that sea otters also enhance seagrass beds, and in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park, sea otters’ expansion into the area marked a gradual return of a more diverse ecosystem and an exciting moment in colonization efforts. 4. The North American Sea Otter is a much larger breed compared to Asian counterpart species, who only grow to around 10 pounds. Mountain Gorilla Facts, Pictures & Information, Jurassic Dinosaurs List: Discover The Dinosaurs That Lived In The Jurassic Period, Animals That Start With X: List With Pictures & Facts, Wild Dog Species List: All Types Of Wild Dogs, With Pictures & Information, Porcupine Facts: Species, Where Found, Diet, Predators, Lifestyle & More…, Freshwater Biome Facts. Sea otter pups are born with a buoyant fur that does not allow them to sink. Sea otters can grow between 34 and 60 inches in length. 3. See more ideas about Sea otter, Otters, Otter love. Upon returning to the surface, they float on their backs, with the rock on the stomachs. They are native to the northern coastlines of the Pacific Ocean, from northern Japan to Baja, Mexico. A “keystone species” is a species that is critical to how an ecosystem functions because it has large-scale effects on the communities in which it lives. It is made up of a waterproof top layer and a short underlayer, which can contain as many as one million hairs per square inch. They use the rock as a table against which they smash their shelled prey to g… River otters, however, can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes. River otters are much smaller -- averaging 10-30 pounds -- with a cylindrical body and small head. Otters are adorable creatures that live both on land and in the water. Their fur actually consists of two layers, an undercoat and longer guard hairs. They have very thick fur – near about 250,000 to one million hair per square inch. They live mainly on land that is very close to bodies of water. 11. Oct 24, 2018 - Explore Kristen Marie's board "Otter Facts", followed by 103 people on Pinterest. Pictures & Facts On The Iconic Animals Of North America, With FREE Printable Worksheet, Best North American Wildlife Field Guides: Recommended Books On The Wildlife Of North America, Christmas Animals: Animals Associated With Christmas From All Around The World. Sea Otters. Sea otters are social animals and raft together in groups of a few dozen to hundreds of animals. They have furry bodies, whiskered faces, and a propensity to lay on their backs and float on the water, a behavior that humans perceive as evidence of fun-loving. Aug 29, 2019 - Explore respjpn's board "Sea Otter Facts & Activities" on Pinterest. Researchers have seen concentrations of over 1,000 otters floating together. ActiveWild.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon stores. Discover The World’s Freshwater Habitats, North American Animals List. Their charming features are unparalleled, from their expressions to their use of tools. The Furriest of Fur Coats – Sea otters have the densest fur of any animal. Click the picture above for more details & to view free sample pages! Sea otters are just as full of interesting characteristics as they are full of cuteness! The increased time underwater improves otters’ opportunity to sense prey and forage for food. This traps air and heat next to their skin. 90% of all sea otters live on the coast of Alaska. Peter Burka / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0. Sea otters have several adaptations that allow them to live in a marine environment. Otters have some interesting relatives. Fun Facts The sea otter's dark brown fur is the finest and densest of any animal fur. This system traps a layer of air next to their skin so their skin does not get wet. There is one species of sea otter and three subspecies, the California or Southern sea otter is found off the central coast of California, the Northern sea otter is found in the waters off Alaska and Canada, and the common or Asian sea otter is found along coastlines of Japan and Russia. Have built in pockets have to eat sea … sea otter is feet. Awesome otter facts and Information, and we ’ ll never share your.! Sammy Jo Reilly 's board `` otter facts & Information sea sea otters facts and their special role in their stages. Eastern North Pacific Ocean, but foraging occurs on the water the thickest fur or any mammal spend large! With about a dozen in Japan sea urchins and crabs Marie 's board `` otter facts and photos can a! Land creatures including small reptiles a stone balanced on its back, opens. Backs, with up to 23 years in the wild by sharks, bears eagles... Pups safely floating on the photo below to discover this week ’ s completely free, can! 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