On average, an adult male California sea otter consumes over 4,000 calories daily. Sea otters use rocks to remove prey from their shells. In appearance, sea otters are stouter and have larger rib cages, smaller tails and blunter muzzles than other species of otters. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are an easily recognized and beloved marine mammal. Wild sea otters typically have a lifespan between 15 and 20 years. That’s because a male sea otter bites a female’s nose to hold onto her during mating. Still, they remain classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “endangered.”. Have you ever seen an otter with a scarred or bloody nose? Unlike most marine mammals, the sea otter's primary form of insulation is an exceptionally thick coat of fur, the densest in the animal kingdom. Currently the southern sea otter population is estimated at just above 3,000 animals. They gorge on more than 100 different prey species. Tune into our LIVE Sea Otter Cam for your daily dose of sea otter cuteness. Average dive depth for California sea otters is about 20 feet. With populations once estimated at close to 300,000, sea otters were hunted extensively for their pelts. 6. Most sea otters measure less than 50 inches. Otters are mammals of the subfamily Lutrinae, one of two subfamilies contained within the family Mustelidae. They use their sea whiskers to find small creatures to eat, and their paws to dig for clams. Pups are born year round. The population eventually bottomed out at only 1,000 to 2,000 by the early 20th century. Sea otters can grow between 34 and 60 inches in length. It ranges from 250,000 to a million hairs per square inch, according to the Defenders of Wildlife. 2. Sea otters don’t let death hold them back from going to pound town. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is rare, completely marine otter. California’s southern sea otter has been listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act since 1977. An otter is one of the few species that use tools. Sea otters are known to wrap their pups and themselves in kelp to keep from drifting out to sea. They usually weigh between 7 to 31 pounds (3 – 14 kg). Sea otters play a vital role in the health and stability of the nearshore marine ecosystem as a keystone species. Gestation is 6 months (2 months delayed implantation + 4 months pregnancy). Newborn sea otter pups are so buoyant they can’t immediately dive for food. They can use a rock to dislodge mollusks and urchins from the rocks where they are attached. Under their arms, Sea otters have built in pockets. Facts about Sea Otter, Giant Otter, European Otter, African Otter and River Otter. Like other members of this family, they have very thick fur. Most common prey for California sea otters are Rock and Dungeness crabs. Lifespan: 10-15 years on average, but some have lived to be 20. Sea otters do not migrate far. 1. Deepest dive recorded is 264 feet. National Geographic: Sea Otter 2. The North American Sea Otter is a much larger breed compared to Asian counterpart species, who only grow to around 10 pounds. Threats to population recovery include white sharks, pathogens & parasites, food limitation, coastal pollutants and oil spills. Research has shown that sea otters are vital to the health of carbon-absorbing kelp forests. They hunt for food both in the water such as fish and then also land creatures including small reptiles. The Russian Sea Otter is found off the eastern coast of Russia and several have been reported in Japan. This aquatic member of the weasel family is found along the coasts of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia. Sea otter moms typically nurse and care for their pups for about 6 months before weaning them. The sea otter is a well-known marine mammal with a historical range along the west coast of North America. National Geographic: North American River Otter 3. Sea otters are equally active both night and day. Sea otters have several adaptations that allow them to live in a marine environment. Their fur actually consists of two layers, an undercoat and longer guard hairs. The sea otter is one of the few mammal species on Earth to use a tool to help it hunt and feed. All rights reserved. 8. Sea otter facts! Sea otters eat 25% of their body weight in food every day. They are often mistaken for beavers though. A raft is usually comprised of single-sex sea otters that can range from 10 to a hundred individuals. 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. Yet, sea otters do possess the fine, dense fur coats characteristic of the Mustelidae. Sea otters eat many kinds of invertebrates, including sea urchins, abalone, clams, crabs, snails, sea stars, squid & octopuses. Large percentage of southern sea otter mortality is due to infectious diseases, many of which are known to have anthropogenic causes. Newborn sea otter pups are so buoyant they can’t immediately dive for food. And, the Russian population consists of approximately 15,000 with about a dozen in Japan. 7. Pups begin to dive and forage at about 2 months. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. It wedges a rock between its chest and the “armpit” of a foreleg and pounds shells against it to open them up. It wedges a rock between its chest and the “armpit” of a foreleg and pounds shells against it to open them up. california sea otters divide themselves in diet guilds. Fun Facts for Kids. If you come across a sea otter you think is sick, injured or abandoned, please give it space and call The Marine Mammal Center’s stranding hotline at (415) 289-7325. Floating on its back and using its chest as a table, a sea otter often uses a rock to crack open its prey — especially if dinner is a crab, clam or mussel. Sea Otter fressen Fische und wirbellose Meerestiere wie Krabben, Seeigel, Seesterne und Abalone, sowie Tintenfisch und Tintenfische. Another underwater superlative: The sea otter is the only marine mammal capable of flipping over boulders on the sea floor—in this case to search out food. Einige dieser Tiere haben harte Schalen, die sie vor Räubern zu schützen. Sea otters can spend their entire life in water. The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. Sea otters have built in pouches of loose skin under their forearms to stash extra prey when diving. Sea otters are usually dark brown, often with lighter guard h… White shark bites are now the leading cause of sea otter mortality in California. Otters are adorable creatures that live both on land and in the water. In their adult stages of life, Sea Otters will weigh from 7 to 31 pounds. Males can weigh up to 70 lbs. Its fur is the densest of any animal on Earth—an estimated 1 million hairs per square inch. Oil spills, therefore, can affect sea otters perhaps more so than any other marine mammal; oil coating their fur can lead to death by hypothermia. Sea otters eat sea urchins & other invertebrates that graze on giant kelp. Unlike northern sea otters found in Alaska, southern sea otters here in California don’t eat fish. 11. View our inclusive approach to conservation. The sea otter also hammers rocks against strongly gripping abalone shells to pry them off of rocks and feed on their tasty insides. Sea otters are members of the weasel or mustelid family. © 2021 World Wildlife Fund. Average length of an adult California sea otter is about 4 ft. A group of sea otters resting together is called a raft. 4. It is native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. The sea otter also hammers rocks against strongly gripping abalone shells to pry them off of rocks and feed on their tasty insides. Learn 15 more facts about these fascinating mammals. In California, the weight of a female is 45 lbs and of a male otter is 65 l… They live in offshore forests of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and spend most of their active time foraging below the canopy. 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. But the sea otter’s habitat is unique, as they only live in shallow coastal waters in the North Pacific ocean. Sea Otter Facts & Information. Nope. 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 moms typically only give birth to 1 pup. 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. – Source 12. As predators that are near the top of the food chain, otters are hugely important for keeping their environments balanced. These include fully webbed hind feet; nostrils and ears … When the sea urchins’ populations are controlled by sea otters, vital kelp forests can flourish. World Wildlife Fund Inc. is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax ID number 52-1693387) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. If a sea otter’s fur becomes dirty, it has trouble absorbing the air needed to keep it warm. Sea otters are one of the only mammals that are been known to use tools to obtain and eat their prey. They carry rocks and store food in the loose skin under their armpits - who needs carrier bags! The sea otter can live its entire life without leaving the water. 3. Their charming features are unparalleled, from their expressions to their use of tools. Sea otters are one of the few animals that use tools. Sea otters inhabit temperate coastal waters with rocky or soft sediment ocean bottom. Like polar bears in the Arctic, sea otters are considered keystone species in their ecosystems, because they affect great influence on their environments. Sea otters wash themselves after a meal, cleaning their coat with their teeth and paws. Sea Otters that are found in river settings tend to have slender, serpentine bodi… Quick facts about this adorable marine mammal! 4. They’re cute, they’re fuzzy, and easily photogenic! – Source 13. 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. All otter species appear on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and only one is listed as "least concern." Pups begin to dive and forage at about 2 months. 2. 1250 24th Street, N.W. After hunting on the seafloor, sea otters return to the surface to eat. Otters do not have blubber, instead air is trapped within their fur to keep them warm. Currently there are less than 3,000 Sea Otters in California, between 65,000 and 78,000 in Washington, Canada, and Alaska combined. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris)! I’m dead serious. Clever creatures, they'll use rocks to crack open the clams. The charismatic otter, a member of the weasel family, is found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Aber das ist kein Problem für den talentierten Seeotter, die Risse die Schalen öffnen , indem sie mit Steinen hämmern. iStock Once thought to be gone from the area completely, southern sea otters—known as California sea otters—have been making a … In fact, at 850,000 to one million hairs per square inch, they have the thickest fur of any mammal. 4. 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. Average weight of an adult female California sea otter is about 50 lbs. 9. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. The facts from archaeological digs suggest that the dense fur of the sea otter has made it a target of hunters for thousands of years. Sea otters are the smallest marine mammal species. Is there a pupping season? Here are some surprising yet cute facts about them. Gestation is 6 months (2 months … Sea Otter Facts: Habitat: Northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. They are native to the northern coastlines of the Pacific Ocean, from northern Japan to Baja, Mexico. Want to watch cute sea otters romp, wrestle and play every day of the year? But upon closer inspection, the almost comically adorable faces of a raft of playful sea otters pop up from behind cresting waves, their hind feet pointing toward the sky. The sea otter is one of the few mammal species on Earth to use a tool to help it hunt and feed. Sea otters are the heaviest of the 13 otter species (giant otters are the longest). Sea otters primarily rely on their sense of touch (whiskers and forepaws) in murky waters to locate prey. Weight of otter depends on their breed. Held every year during the last week in September, Sea Otter Awareness Week spotlights the important role of sea otters … Their forefeet are small and dexterous with retractile claws and the flipper-like hind feet are broad and webbed. Their rafts—usually comprised of a single sex—can range from as few as 10 individuals to as high as 1,000. Hunted nearly to extinction by the fur trade, sea otters are endangered and currently exist in only a portion of their historic range. Longest dive ever recorded was just under 8 minutes. They like to eat sea urchins, clams, mussels and crabs. Otters are the dogs of the water world, so it’s no small wonder that we humans have such affection for them. North American Sea Otter is also more slender than other otter breeds. Sea otter fur is the densest of any mammal at about 1 million hairs per square inch (We have 100,000 hairs on our entire head). 6. They have very thick fur – near about 250,000 to one million hair per square inch. They will hang on to a dead otter and continue to rape its corpse. In environments where sea otter populations … 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. They need to keep their fur coat clean so it stays waterproof. And the only marine mammal to catch fish with its forepaws and not its mouth. Sea otters are commonly spotted on WWF’s Alaska tours. Sea otters are members of the weasel family (Mustelidae). Average dive duration for California sea otters is about 60 seconds. FUN FACTS Longest recorded dive : 7 min. Introduction to Otters. Did you know sea otters have built in pouches of loose skin under their forearms to stash extra prey when diving? These adorable little guys have long, streamlined bodies that are just made for being in the water. This page contains sea otter facts and information, and is part of our Arctic Animals series. 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