They like to eat sea urchins, clams, mussels and crabs. Approximately 90% of the world’s sea otter population lives in coastal Alaska. Average life span in the wild is up to 12 years except for sea otter who can live up to 20 years. Sea otters are known for their remarkable ability to use rocks to smash open shellfish to fill their stomachs. Sea otters have the densest fur in the animal kingdom – with up to a million hairs per … “Male sea otters typically grasp the female from behind and bite her face, and this rough behavior was associated with the deaths of about 11 percent of dead sea otters … 8. OTTER FACTS FOR KIDS! Sea otters are the only marine mammal on the planet that has no blubber. Fact2: Weighing between 30 and 100 pounds, the sea otter is the world’s smallest species of marine mammal. The female sea otters are smaller as they grow up to 4.7 feet in length and weigh up to 73 pounds. Different species of otters have different gestation periods: Typically, the smaller otters carry their young for two months, while bigger ones like the sea otters have a gestation period of five months. 3. They move by paddling their hind limbs and sculling with their tails. Sea otters are good at floating on the water’s surface, as air trapped in their fur makes them more buoyant. Zoroastrians would also hold ceremonies for otters found dead in the wild. What Thick Fur You Have . Sea otters are quite awkward on land, and spend the majority of their lives in the water. Cute! The sea otter can live its entire life without leaving the water. 4. Today I want to write about one of the most fascinating animals in the world, the sea otter. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is rare, completely marine otter. Other Fun Facts. 9. The tail comprises less than a third of the body length and is slightly flattened, and muscular; the large hind feet are broad and flipperlike. 9. 8. 2. There’s no denying that sea otters rank right alongside baby sea turtles and tiny clownfish as some of the cutest ocean inhabitants. At birth, the weight of a pup is 3 to 5 pounds. Sea otters can do well in captivity, and are featured in over 40 public aquariums and zoos. Here are five interesting facts about them: These beautiful animals are the smallest marine mammals in the world, measuring just 148 cm long. He also writes for Farsight Conservation. Otters spend the majority of their time on land but many people assume that they spend it in the water. A group of sea otters is called a raft. 5 They are one of the few animals that use tools! In California, the weight of a female is 45 lbs and of a male otte… Sea otter is the heaviest and the second smallest aquatic member of weasel family. Sea otters inhabit temperate coastal waters with rocky or soft sediment ocean bottom. The rest do it in a den which are often created by other animals like beavers. Share: Facebook Twitter Google Plus. Sea otters eat clams, mollusks, crabs, snails, starfish, abalone, and many other marine animals (overall about 100 species) . They have very thick fur – near about 250,000 to one million hair per square inch. No sea otters, no kelp forests. Sea otters spend a great deal of time floating on their backs at the surface. Research has shown that sea otters are vital to the health of carbon-absorbing kelp forests. Topics: Responsible Fishing. North American Sea Otters are larger than Asian otters. Sea otters eat 25% of their body weight in food every day. They generally reside in places where the water is warm and the land is sandy. Although concentrated in June, some breeding occurs in all months; most births occur in summer. For rapid swimming and for diving, they swim similarly to other otters, using up-and-down undulations of the body. The following two tabs change content below. The others use it as a powerful weapon and to navigate their movements in the water. Photo source: Wikipedia. Last modified 28th April 2017, Your e-mail address will not be published. The northern sea otters can weigh as much as 100 pounds. By: Brianna Elliott. 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. The sea otter is classified as an endangered species. Not only do they hold each other’s paws when resting but they may also wrap themselves in that kelp or seaweed to keep themselves safe. Wildlife Articles © 2019. It is native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. In adults, the head, throat, and chest are lighter in color than the rest of the body. Most marine mammals rely on a layer of blubber to keep them warm, but sea otters don’t have any. Almost all otters have webbed feet, some more webbed than others, and they can close off their ears and nose as they swim underwater. 3. Sea otters have built in pouches of loose skin under their forearms to stash extra prey when diving. Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal. They prey on sea urchins that feed on kelp. Here are five fun facts you otter know: Sea otters have the densest fur in the animal kingdom, with up to one million hairs per square inch of their body! This thick fur keeps the animals warm but unfortunately has led to over-hunting by … Facts about River Otters talk about an animal, which can be found on the coasts or waterways of North America. The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. Sea otters are commonly spotted on WWF’s Alaska tours. Otters have as many as 2.6 million hairs per square inch. All Rights Reserved. The biological name is Lontra Canadensis. Asher Collins is a student and author based in the UK. They use their sea whiskers to find small creatures to eat, and their paws to dig for clams. But the sea otter’s habitat is unique, as they only live in shallow coastal waters in the North Pacific ocean. On land, young sea otters may face attack from bears and coyotes. Here are 5 fun & easy to remember facts about sea otters. We’ll be celebrating these amazing animals all fall with special sea otter programming at the Aquarium and a sea otter themed scavenger hunt! Save my name, e-mail, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Nowadays, sea otters are beloved due to their appearance and charismatic personalities. Fact1: Sea otters have incredibly fast metabolisms; a 60-pound adult sea otter eats at least 15 pounds of food (25% of its body weight) each and every day. The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammal species, but it is the heaviest member of the weasel family. Sea otters generally forage close to shore in depths shallower than 18 meters (60 feet) but are capable of diving to depths of 90 meters (300 feet) or more. Their beautiful fur is a main target for many hunters. 9. Along the Pacific coast, sea otters help control the sea urchin population. Predators of this species include orcas, great white sharks and sea lions; bald eagles may grab pups from the surface of the water. A raft typically contains 10 to 100 animals, with male rafts being larger than female ones. Sea otters don't just have the densest fur of all otters — they have the densest fur of all animals. Females tend to stay away from males except when mating. North American Sea Otter is also more slender than other otter breeds. In Honor of Sea Otter Awareness Week, Ten Fun Facts about Sea Otters . That’s because, unlike its fellow marine … Humans have about 300/cm² on their head. Rahimah Rashith - 26 Oct 2015, 11:48 am. Otters are an essential keystone species. Our significant Otters: 10 fascinating facts about the Sea Otter, Orcas on the Edge: A quest to film the critically endangered southern residents. The Sea Otter is the only species that have a shorter and less muscular tail. Sea otters eat a wide range of marine animals, including mussels, clams, urchins, abalone, crabs, snails and about 40 other marine species, equaling approximately 25 percent of their weight in food each day, according to Defenders of Wildlife. The coloration of the pelage is usually deep brown with silver-gray speckles, but it can range from yellowish or grayish brown to almost black. Sea Otters have the densest hair in the world, with up to 140,000 hair per square centimetre. Your e-mail address will not be published. Most sea otters hunt and eat by themselves but then stay together in this group or raft when resting. Mothers have been observed to lick and fluff a newborn for hours; after grooming, the pup’s fur retains so much air, the pup floats like a cork and cannot dive. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Scientists Across The Globe Create A ‘Roadmap to Recovery’ to Reverse The Insect Apocalypse, Last Chance To Save Madagascar’s Unique Wildlife. Sea otters mainly live in river basins. They usually weigh between 7 to 31 pounds (3 – 14 kg). Sea otters are just as full of interesting characteristics as they are full of cuteness! Its fur is the densest of any animal on Earth—an estimated 1 million hairs per square inch. Sea otters are from 1 to 1.5 meters (3.3 to 4.9 feet) in length and typically weigh between 14 and 45 kilograms (31 and 99 lb). Some are small river otters, and some are bigger sea otters. Ten fun facts about Otters. 2. Sea otters eat sea urchins & other invertebrates that graze on giant kelp. Rather fittingly, these groups of sea otters are called rafts. That was pretty interesting so Buzzfeed, (Apr 14) had also found out that sea otters use rocks to get their prey out like shellfish.Ok that was awesome, right? The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammal species, but it is the heaviest member of the weasel family. Sea otters have awesome facts about them. While river otters mostly live off fish, crayfish and crabs, sea otters have a more interesting method of sustaining themselves. Funny! A raft typically contains 10 to 100 animals, with male rafts being larger than female ones. Their beautiful fur is a main target for many hunters. Floating on its back, it opens mollusks and other shells by smashing them on a stone balanced on its chest; it is one of the few mammal species to use tools. They live in offshore forests of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and spend most of their active time foraging below the canopy. 7 FUN FACTS ABOUT OTTERS! 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: 10. That’s the same as an average teenager eating 120 hamburgers. As predators that are near the top of the food chain, otters are hugely important for keeping their environments balanced. Sea otters are equally active both night and day. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. With up to 150,000 strands of hair per square centimetre (nearly one million per square inch), its fur is the densest of any animal. With a relatively large lung capacity for it’s size, a sea otter can hold its breath for 5 minutes, but most dives are two minutes or less in duration. Of the 13 species, only the sea otter gives birth in water. When resting or sleeping, sea otters float on their back and wrap themselves in kelp to keep from drifting. Learning Colors! The size of the California (or southern) sea otters is about 4 feet. Sea otters are from 1 to 1.5 meters (3.3 to 4.9 feet) in length and typically weigh between 14 and 45 kilograms (31 and 99 lb). Fact 2 Except for the sea otter, the majority of otters spend time mainly on land. Sea otters, whose numbers were once estimated at 150,000 to 300,000, were hunted extensively for their beautiful fur between 1741 and 1911, and the world population fell to 1,000 to 2,000 individuals living in a fraction of their historic range. Archaeological evidence indicates that for thousands of years, indigenous peoples have hunted sea otters for food and fur. Fact 1 Male otters are generally known as meowters. 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. While Buzzfeed, (Apr 14) had found out that the number one reason that sea otters are dying is because of oil spills! He writes about conservation because he thinks vultures are underrated, pistol shrimps are actually quite interesting, and the world could do with a few more Kakapos. By. Cuteness! Fun Facts about Sea Otter! Weight of otter depends on their breed. Sea otters are carnivores in the family Mustelidae—a group of animals that also includes terrestrial and semi-aquatic forms such as weasels, badgers, skunks, fishers, minks, and river otters. People also call it North American river otter. River otters eat mostly frogs, crabs, crayfish, fish and mollusks. The females are called queens and the offspring are referred to as pups. 90% of all sea otters live on the coast of Alaska. Most sea otters measure less than 50 inches. The single pup (twins are rare) may be born ashore or at sea and is nursed 6 to 12 months. Sea otters have incredibly dense fur, with up to 150,000 hair follicles per square centimeter. Neelgai Cull – Does India have any alternative to it? 10) Although sea otters hunt for food alone, they tend to rest and sleep in same-sex groups called rafts. The males of this subspecies weigh around 65 pounds while females are 45 pounds in weight. They also eat small mammals and birds. A raft may have only ten sea otters but may also be a group of up to a thousand! Otters are carnivores, which means they eat meat. Unlike most other marine mammals, the sea otter has no blubber and relies on its exceptionally thick fur to keep warm. This coat has two types of fur in it; underfur and guard hair. According to Buzzfeed, (Apr 14) the first sea otter was found in 1751. Sea otters are the only fully aquatic form of otters, but they share features with the others such as thick fur and short ears. 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