Sea otters, enhydra lutris, are members of the weasel family. They measure 48 to 59 inches (122 to 150 centimeters) in length and weigh 45 to 100 pounds with males being larger than females. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a layer of blubber (fat) to keep them warm while in the water. Instead, they have a dense layer of fur which will insulate and keep them warm. This fur is black, brown, and sometimes tan in color. They have webbed feet as well as noses and ears that they are able to close, which comes in handy since they spend the majority of their time in the water.
Sea otters can be found in Japan, Russia, Canada, California, Washington and Alaska. They prefer to live in shallow coastal waters where they feed and sleep, although some sea otters will come to shore in order to rest. When sleeping at the surface of the water, sea otters will often drape themselves in seaweed or kelp in order to anchor themselves and keep them from drifting away. They are often seen resting in large, single-sex groups called rafts. Rafts typically contain anywhere from 10 to 100 individuals, but the largest recorded gathering of sea otters had nearly 2,000 individuals. Although they may gather together when resting, sea otters forage for food by themselves.
The diet of sea otters consists of over 40 different marine animals such as clams, mussels, crabs, abalone and snails. They are able to eat as much as 25% of their body weight in food each and every day. When hunting for food, they are capable of diving up to 330 feet (100 meters) into the water. Sea otters are one of the few creatures in the animal kingdom that uses tools to eat. They will use rocks or other small objects to help pry shellfish off of other rocks. After they obtain something like a clam, they will proceed to the surface and lay on their backs (a common position for sea otters). They will then lay a small rock on their stomachs and proceed to hammer the shell against the rock in order to get to the meal inside. Sea otters have few natural predators with great white sharks and killer whales (orcas) hunting them in certain areas.
Breeding for sea otters takes place throughout the year. After a gestation period of anywhere from 6 months to 1 year, females will give birth to 1 pup, although twins have been known to occur. Mothers will nurse their cubs until they are about 1 year old, at which time they are able to gather food for themselves. If the pups can survive long enough, they can live to be up to 23 years, with females living about 5 years longer than males.
Sea otters are an endangered species, although they are not as immediately threatened as they used to be. Due to excessive hunting for their fur, sea otter populations were reduced to only 1,000 to 2,000 individuals during the early 1900s. Today, their total numbers range anywhere from 100,000 to 150,000, which is quite an improvement. Their biggest threats today are oil spills, food limitation, habitat loss and entrapment by fishing gear. Hopefully, sea otters can continue to make a steady recovery and never have to worry about extinction again. After all, such a unique creature deserves to live and prosper for many years to come.
Works Cited
“Sea Otter” 31 January 2011
“Sea Otter” 31 January 2011
“Sea Otter” 31 January 2011
Keeping the air filter of your ATV four-wheeler clean is of the utmost importance. A…
In the past few months there has been much written and said about Jena, Louisiana.…
If you mouseover a link on a website, you'll likely see a simple yellow tooltip.…
High school graduation is one of the most cherished experiences in the life of a…
Since the ratification of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was…
It is not hard to make a homemade deli platter for the next big event…
This website uses cookies.