Protect the Sea Otter
North America's Endangered Animals
Time to be Hero's!
Description
Sea Otters are the smallest marine mammal. They were almost hunted to extinction for their thick and expensive fur. The average sea otter weighs from about 11-45 kg and measure from 1020-1450 mm long. A surprising fact about sea otters are that they are extremely clean. (".")
Food Chain
The Sea Otter is a carnivore. The otters are killed by sharks, killer whales, and humans! They find their food in costal habitats. They mainly feed on sea urchins, snails, abalones, mole crabs, clams, mussels, and sea stars. (Meadows)
Habitat
The Sea Otter is located in the Ocean or Bay. Their natural home is in the water near the coast. The Otter is losing its habitat to oil spills, hunting, sharks and shell-fish farms. (Meadows)
How the Sea Otter adapted
More Information: Another reason for their decline in population is malnutrition, disease and parasites. Scientist have found that even though sea otters eat a lot, most of what they intake does not provide enough nutrients for their bodies. Disease and Parasites are found in what they eat and eventually kill them.
What is being done to protect them: In 1911 there was the International Seal Fur Treaty. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to find ways to keep the otters safe. Later on came the Endangered Species Act.
Many people and Scientist are trying to save the sea otter, but do you have the heart to help too?
(Meadows) (Sea Otter)
Photo Credit
- By Mike Baird on Flikr
Middle (left to right):
- By Alan Wolf on Flickr
- By Franco Folini on Flickr
- By Uko Ki on Flickr
Video:
- Vancouver Aquarium (Youtube)
Works Cited
- Folini, Franco. acific sand crab (Emerita analoga). 2011. Photograph. Flikr, San
Gregorio, California, US. Web. 11 Apr 2013.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/livenature/5785411394/>.
(Folini)
- Meadows, Robin. "Zoo Goer California Sea Otter Adrift."Smithsonian. Smithsonian
National Zoological Park, n.d. Web. 14-18 March 2013.
<http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/2008/2/Sea_otters.cfm>.
(Meadows)
- . North American Mammals. Smithsonian. Web. 12-13 March 2013.
<http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/image_info.cfm?species_id=85>.
(".")
- Sea Otter. 2010. Photograph. FlickrWeb. 10 Apr 2013.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/Uko Ki/4843458556/>.
- "Sea Otter." National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 12-13 March 2013.
<http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/sea-otter/?
sourse=A-to-Z>.
(Sea Otter)
- Sea Otter preening itself in Morro Bay, CA sea-otter-morro-bay_13. 2007. Photograph.
Flickr, Morro Bay, CA. Web. 10 Apr 2013.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/398077070/>.
(Baird)
- Wolf, Alan. Here I am... 2007. Photograph. Flickr, Vancouver Aquarium. Web. 11 Apr
2013. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/alumroot/734839642/>.
(Wolf)