Sea Otters
Enhydra lutris
Underwater Sea Otter
A Sea Otter Mom and Her Pup
An Otter Wrapped In Kelp
Description
- They are mammals.
- Their body covering is fur.
- Females weigh about 35-60 pounds.
- Males weigh about 40-90 pounds.
- They also have loose skin at their armpits.
Habitat
- Sea Otters stay at the ocean floor to find food.
- On the surface of the water, otters are relaxing, grooming, and eating.
- They are found mostly in Alaska, Washington, British Colombia, and California.
- They like to be in warm, coastal waters.
- They prefer the shoreline to deep waters.
Adaptations
- They use their paws and their tail to help move through the water.
- They have the ability to live on land.
- They could stay warm in cold water.
- Sea otters also use their eyes, whiskers, and paws to help find food.
- Their adaptation structure is sound.
Food and Predators
~Food
~Predators
- Sea otters enjoy eating urchins, abalone, mussels, clams, crabs, and snails.
- They eat about 25% of their weight everyday.
- To open the shellfish, otters use small rocks or other objects.
- Sea otters can dive up to 330 feet just looking for food.
- Some otters are carnivores and some are omnivores.
~Predators
- Great White Sharks are primary predators of the sea otters.
- Killer whales, stellar sea lions, coyotes, bears, and eagles also eat sea otters.
Sea Otter Using a Rock to Open Clams
Why are Sea Otters Endangered?
- This endangerment is caused by oil spills.
- Between 3,500 and 5,500 have been killed because of oil spills.
- There is a lack of food and more global warming.
- Sea otters get caught in fishing nets.
- Hunters have killed sea otters for their fur.
- They got many viruses and bacterial infections.
What is Being done?
- 50% of the funds have gone to the California Fish and Game Department for a higher investigation on sea otters.
- People have stopped hunting for sea otter fur.