Diet: sea urchins, crabs, abalones and other shellfish, also fish and octopus. The sea otter is the only carnivore to have four incisor teeth in its lower jaw. Sea otters have to eat one-quarter of their own body weight (up to 25lbs) per day in food to survive. Sea otters can live up to 23 years in the wild. The sea otter also hammers rocks against strongly gripping abalone shells to pry them off of rocks and feed on their tasty insides. Lifespan: 10-15 years on average, but some have lived to be 20. The sea otter is an almost exclusively marine animal, spending little time ashore. Food: They are active by day and feed, float, sleep and swim on their backs, only swimming belly-down when in a hurry or trying to evade predators. Pups stay with their mothers for the first 8 months of life. Even a baby sea otter can stay warm on the open ocean, but they do need some help from their mothers. Their nickname is the “sea beaver.” ��Ō{�3�@-fY��,��b[��PfV. ���h��D��3KR"uIh'O�@�{Μ9s(�X dp�V���%�E+�Zh�R����ShMY������ԴCDL�,��cO����FL�nx���h\h���Z��$ +�!�a�F�V`��E���Z��x ��!H�p�QxA{�@��cXq�=� �0�q�R~��},�e���@E�ЁpYg� �]_��q���NË��4ܟTY����y�ͪ�տ���,ɧ�/Ҥ���\������^xp���C�$P�Y:��"�#������H���竊�������{]�y1�.��� �� E��V�ݫ0���]'���(>�&��4"$F����v,`Hu��Qކg��f|���X�h�G��4��}��(��,xm�����y�T�ڌ�`8I^��b��U1���̦�-`�����4���+\x���^ In the 18th century they were mercilessly exploited by European fur hunters until only a few were left. Sexually mature at 3 years, mating can take place all year round. Although the birth takes place ashore, the mother immediately carries the pup into the water and from then on gives it constant attention, nursing and grooming it on her chest as she swims on her back. Instead, air trapped inside the thick fur provides insulation and prevents excessive heat loss. Sea otter population growth has stalled in recent years and there are only about 3,000 southern sea otters left in the wild today. Sea otters regularly dive to depths of 100 feet in search of food and stay under for 30-40 seconds, although they are capable of diving up to 300 feet, and of holding their breath for up to five minutes in an emergency. Fun Facts. Instead they live in small herds in shallow waters, particularly around kelp beds, great forests of seaweed, rich in shellfish, fish and other marine life. Up to 10% of a sea otter's life is occupied with the cleaning and grooming of its fur. Tools: When eating, the chest is used as a table. Now the population has risen to over 130,000, but sea otters still only occupy one-fifth of their original range, with colonies in California, western Alaska, and the Commander and Kurile Islands north of Japan. h�bbd```b``. The sea otter is an almost exclusively marine animal, spending little time ashore. Species Factsheet: The Otter (Lutra lutra) Quick Facts. Sea otters are propelled through the water using their long, well-defined flipper-like hind feet. It is also unusual in that it has no layer of fat or blubber under the skin. The large, blunt head, throat and chest are all creamy white. 7P�b��;jR�pڀ���W��t�� Pregnancy lasts 8 or 9 months before the single pup is born well-formed, with its eyes open and a complete set of milk teeth. h��W�n�F�yI�F��.������$-l�. It wedges a rock between its chest and the “armpit” of a foreleg and pounds shells against it to open them up. Please donate £1 to help YPTE to continue its work of inspiring young people to look after our world. They will use rocks to open food like clams, sea urchins and crabs. In the wild the otters are … �� � �P� ׁ�O��'��^�ԣ�VQΗ�m���≐�k�� $� H��!Y��u���f�$R���QciƨS�tc�Xas��c�X��Z���7E*�n� The sea otter is an almost exclusively marine animal, spending little time ashore. In the wild, these otters eat crabs, shellfish and small fish like gouramis or catfish. Companionship is expressed by a loud squeal which sounds rather like a whistle. Mating: Mating takes place throughout the year after an elaborate courtship. Sea otters are … Gestation: 8-9 months. The Sea Otter is a marine mammal that has 3 subspecies: Southern Sea Otter, Northern Sea Otter, and Russian Sea Otter. The Russian Sea Otter is found off the eastern coast of Russia and several have been reported in Japan. Weighs up to 100lb. �“Yr� �Ó"����F8?��b�V�~�C2�g�,��v (�g�ͮ���U2�&���, X�.M�Y~�� �'_kK�L.ڃ�)���(�+��{{ca�I~֏R~��]�`����j�G��|�ǥ�1,Y��]�瓂^f�~�Ȗ�'Y��o�� ��/�%Yp�K�)�����/�tQ~N�S�� ���\����F"���[�D�9� ��c`y"f֢�$��������������٢J�g��^v�6�� W�����F2�w�������Q���֣��XA:� �Ѫ��Fn��,����Ê~���I�d^�ӡ�L4ޗnH��U:8�o+�N��8��"����Hr�E��j��� ��:0�e� �4���IH���У��f���ѯ���Q����Vp�*��-F+�^ Its ears are almost hidden in its fur and its eyes are small. 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. These are used to break open the shells of crabs, sea urchins and other shellfish. A sea otter’s pelt is the thickest of any mammal. By this time the sea otter population was down to about 1,000 worldwide. An otter is one of the few species that use tools. They are also very vocal and communicate use a variety of calls. Distribution: coastal waters of California, Western Alaska, the Commander and Kurile Islands, north of Japan. A sea otter herd can make for noisy neighbours, as all sea otters are quite vocal. If the fur is damaged or polluted with oil, it loses its effectiveness, so the sea otter may die from cold and exposure. Stories are told of how sea otters nuzzled hunters who were about to club them to death, and of others who on seeing hunters' guns trained on them, turned their backs and covered their eyes with their forepaws. The kelp is also useful to sea otters when they sleep at sea, as they wrap it around themselves to prevent drifting. If it were not for government protection it almost certainly would have become extinct. Did you know… Otters are carnivores? The sea otter is one of the few mammal species on Earth to use a tool to help it hunt and feed. The sea otter is one of a very small group of animals (such as the chimpanzee, orangutan, Galapagos woodpecker finch, Egyptian vulture and human) that use tools.