Along the Pacific coast, sea otters help control the sea urchin population. They live in offshore forests of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and spend most of their active time foraging below the canopy. He also writes for Farsight Conservation. They use their sea whiskers to find small creatures to eat, and their paws to dig for clams. Male Otters are called boars, females are sows, and the offspring are pups. Cute! While river otters mostly live off fish, crayfish and crabs, sea otters have a more interesting method of sustaining themselves. Sea otters are quite awkward on land, and spend the majority of their lives in the water. The biological name is Lontra Canadensis. 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. Otters have as many as 2.6 million hairs per square inch. They have very thick fur – near about 250,000 to one million hair per square inch. 8. Zoroastrians would also hold ceremonies for otters found dead in the wild. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is rare, completely marine otter. All Rights Reserved. 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. Here are five interesting facts about them: These beautiful animals are the smallest marine mammals in the world, measuring just 148 cm long. 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 northern sea otters can weigh as much as 100 pounds. (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. The majority of otters spend most of their time on land. The rest do it in a den which are often created by other animals like beavers. In the wild, sea otters live to a maximum age of 23 years, with average lifespans of 10–15 years for males and 15–20 years for females. 9. OTTER FACTS FOR KIDS! This semiaquatic mammal has the weight of 11 to 30.9 lb or 5 to 14 kilograms. 10 Facts About Otters You Should Know Instead Of Trying To Hook Them. At birth, the weight of a pup is 3 to 5 pounds. In Honor of Sea Otter Awareness Week, Ten Fun Facts about Sea Otters . Their beautiful fur is a main target for many hunters. Our significant Otters: 10 fascinating facts about the Sea Otter, Orcas on the Edge: A quest to film the critically endangered southern residents. Nowadays, sea otters are beloved due to their appearance and charismatic personalities. They also eat small mammals and birds. The sea otter is classified as an endangered species. The males of this subspecies weigh around 65 pounds while females are 45 pounds in weight. The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammal species, but it is the heaviest member of the weasel family. Unlike most other marine mammals, the sea otter has no blubber and relies on its exceptionally thick fur to keep warm. 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). A raft may have only ten sea otters but may also be a group of up to a thousand! Weight of otter depends on their breed. Sea otter is the heaviest and the second smallest aquatic member of weasel family. Although concentrated in June, some breeding occurs in all months; most births occur in summer. They usually weigh between 7 to 31 pounds (3 – 14 kg). According to Buzzfeed, (Apr 14) the first sea otter was found in 1751. Today I want to write about one of the most fascinating animals in the world, the sea otter. Without blubber for insulation against the freezing waters they inhabit sea otters rely on incredibly dense fur to keep themselves warm. 4. 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. While Buzzfeed, (Apr 14) had found out that the number one reason that sea otters are dying is because of oil spills! Sea otters are the only marine mammal on the planet that has no blubber. The female sea otters are smaller as they grow up to 4.7 feet in length and weigh up to 73 pounds. Their beautiful fur is a main target for many hunters. Generally, the male sea otters grows from 3.11 to 4.11 feet in length and weighs around 49 to 99 pounds. 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. Research has shown that sea otters are vital to the health of carbon-absorbing kelp forests. Other Fun Facts. 2. Females tend to stay away from males except when mating. Sea otters are equally active both night and day. Humans have about 300/cm² on their head. Rahimah Rashith - 26 Oct 2015, 11:48 am. The others use it as a powerful weapon and to navigate their movements in the water. 90% of all sea otters live on the coast of Alaska. 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). Photo of the day: black and white puffins, Grass snake sighting – fantastic video of a snakelet, Photo of the day: Osprey a magnificent hunter. Fun Facts about Sea Otter! It is native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Otters spend the majority of their time on land but many people assume that they spend it in the water. Most sea otters hunt and eat by themselves but then stay together in this group or raft when resting. Sea otters are the only fully aquatic form of otters, but they share features with the others such as thick fur and short ears. North American Sea Otters are larger than Asian otters. The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. Sea otters can do well in captivity, and are featured in over 40 public aquariums and zoos. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Almost all otters have webbed feet, some more webbed than others, and they can close off their ears and nose as they swim underwater. 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. Following are a few other interesting facts you might not know about sea otters: 1) Sea otters are of the smallest marine mammals that are native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. 7 FUN FACTS ABOUT OTTERS! Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal. A raft typically contains 10 to 100 animals, with male rafts being larger than female ones. OTTERS HAVE VERY DISTINCTIVE POOP, AND THAT SCAT HAS ITS OWN NAME. Pups are carried on the female’s chest as she swims belly up. Neelgai Cull – Does India have any alternative to it? Facts about River Otters talk about an animal, which can be found on the coasts or waterways of North America. 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. This thick fur keeps the animals warm but unfortunately has led to over-hunting by … Topics: Responsible Fishing. Asher Collins is a student and author based in the UK. 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. Rather fittingly, these groups of sea otters are called rafts. 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! 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. Here are 5 fun & easy to remember facts about sea otters. Approximately 90% of the world’s sea otter population lives in coastal Alaska. Sea otters inhabit temperate coastal waters with rocky or soft sediment ocean bottom. In honour of the 12th annual Sea Otter Awareness Week September 21 through 27, we thought we would share some fun facts about these cute, curious creatures. By: Brianna Elliott. 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. Your e-mail address will not be published. Average life span in the wild is up to 12 years except for sea otter who can live up to 20 years. Otters are an essential keystone species. Most marine mammals rely on a layer of blubber to keep them warm, but sea otters don’t have any. Singapore is hooked on cute otters Otters have become a common sight in garden city Singapore, with a family otters seen casually taking strolls at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, Toa Payoh, and even in St Andrew’s Junior College. Ten fun facts about Otters. “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 … They're hungry animals! When resting or sleeping, sea otters float on their back and wrap themselves in kelp to keep from drifting. Save my name, e-mail, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A raft typically contains 10 to 100 animals, with male rafts being larger than female ones. 5 In environments where sea otter populations … Fact 1 Male otters are generally known as meowters. 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. 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. Of the 13 species, only the sea otter gives birth in water. Sea otters have the densest fur in the animal kingdom – with up to a million hairs per … Sea otters are good at floating on the water’s surface, as air trapped in their fur makes them more buoyant. This coat has two types of fur in it; underfur and guard hair. Sea otters have incredibly dense fur, with up to 150,000 hair follicles per square centimeter. By. Their frequent appearance also means more … That’s because, unlike its fellow marine … Sea otters communicate through body contact and vocalizations, although they are not overly vocal. We’ll be celebrating these amazing animals all fall with special sea otter programming at the Aquarium and a sea otter themed scavenger hunt! 9. 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. Sea otters use rocks to crack open shellfish and clams to eat. North American Sea Otter is also more slender than other otter breeds. Sea Otters have the densest hair in the world, with up to 140,000 hair per square centimetre. 3. There’s no denying that sea otters rank right alongside baby sea turtles and tiny clownfish as some of the cutest ocean inhabitants. Last modified 28th April 2017, Your e-mail address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. 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. Sea otters spend a great deal of time floating on their backs at the surface. The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammal species, but it is the heaviest member of the weasel family. They move by paddling their hind limbs and sculling with their tails. Sea otters eat sea urchins & other invertebrates that graze on giant kelp. Learning Colors! Sea otters can reach speeds of 1.5 km/h (0.9 mph) on the surface and 9 km/h (5.6 mph) while diving. Its fur is the densest of any animal on Earth—an estimated 1 million hairs per square inch. Sea otters are very social animals that can live in groups made up of hundreds of individuals. The sea otter can live its entire life without leaving the water. Sea otters eat clams, mollusks, crabs, snails, starfish, abalone, and many other marine animals (overall about 100 species) . Some are small river otters, and some are bigger sea otters. Photo source: Wikipedia. River otters eat mostly frogs, crabs, crayfish, fish and mollusks. Predators of this species include orcas, great white sharks and sea lions; bald eagles may grab pups from the surface of the water. Otters are carnivores, which means they eat meat. They are one of the few animals that use tools! Cuteness! As predators that are near the top of the food chain, otters are hugely important for keeping their environments balanced. But the sea otter’s habitat is unique, as they only live in shallow coastal waters in the North Pacific ocean. In California, the weight of a female is 45 lbs and of a male otte… Wildlife Articles © 2019. 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. 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 females are called queens and the offspring are referred to as pups. The following two tabs change content below. Sea otters eat 25% of their body weight in food every day. People also call it North American river otter. They prey on sea urchins that feed on kelp. Sea otters primarily rely on their sense of touch (whiskers and forepaws) in murky waters to locate prey. Fact 2 Except for the sea otter, the majority of otters spend time mainly on land. That’s the same as an average teenager eating 120 hamburgers. 10) Although sea otters hunt for food alone, they tend to rest and sleep in same-sex groups called rafts. Archaeological evidence indicates that for thousands of years, indigenous peoples have hunted sea otters for food and fur. Sea otters are known for their remarkable ability to use rocks to smash open shellfish to fill their stomachs. Sea otters don't just have the densest fur of all otters — they have the densest fur of all animals. No sea otters, no kelp forests. 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? Sea otters are just as full of interesting characteristics as they are full of cuteness! Share: Facebook Twitter Google Plus. Sea otters have built in pouches of loose skin under their forearms to stash extra prey when diving. Most sea otters measure less than 50 inches. Funny! 8. It is known as the common otter or northern river otter. For rapid swimming and for diving, they swim similarly to other otters, using up-and-down undulations of the body. They like to eat sea urchins, clams, mussels and crabs. 3. 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. The Sea Otter is the only species that have a shorter and less muscular tail. Sea otters are social, and tend to congregate in groups of gender, with pups and females in a group and males in another group. Sea otters have awesome facts about them. 2. A group of sea otters is called a raft. What Thick Fur You Have . Sea otters mainly live in river basins. The size of the California (or southern) sea otters is about 4 feet. Sea otters are commonly spotted on WWF’s Alaska tours. 9. They generally reside in places where the water is warm and the land is sandy. 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Otter was found in 1751 s chest as she swims belly up can do well in captivity, that. Length and weigh up to a thousand mammal has the weight of a otter. And eat by themselves but then stay together in this browser for the sea otter is the marine... Queens and the offspring are referred to as pups its exceptionally thick fur – near about 250,000 to million! ( 3 – 14 kg ) their hind limbs and sculling with their tails member weasel... Animals like beavers social animals that use tools when mating time I comment to fill their.... Many as 2.6 million hairs per square inch their fur makes them more buoyant fur to keep warm! Otters found dead in the wild is up to 150,000 hair follicles per square centimeter, Your address. Student and author based in the world ’ s no denying that otters.
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