8. The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammal species, but it is the heaviest member of the weasel family. In Honor of Sea Otter Awareness Week, Ten Fun Facts about Sea Otters . Sea otters primarily rely on their sense of touch (whiskers and forepaws) in murky waters to locate prey. Today I want to write about one of the most fascinating animals in the world, the sea otter. 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. Sea otters are quite awkward on land, and spend the majority of their lives in the water. 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. Predators of this species include orcas, great white sharks and sea lions; bald eagles may grab pups from the surface of the water. Sea otters have the densest fur in the animal kingdom – with up to a million hairs per … It is known as the common otter or northern river otter. The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. Fun Facts about Sea Otter! Sea otter is the heaviest and the second smallest aquatic member of weasel family. 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. The males of this subspecies weigh around 65 pounds while females are 45 pounds in weight. They like to eat sea urchins, clams, mussels and crabs. 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. Photo of the day: black and white puffins, Grass snake sighting – fantastic video of a snakelet, Photo of the day: Osprey a magnificent hunter. 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. Sea otters mainly live in river basins. Sea otters are very social animals that can live in groups made up of hundreds of individuals. Funny! Their beautiful fur is a main target for many hunters. The majority of otters spend most of their time on land. That’s the same as an average teenager eating 120 hamburgers. Learning Colors! Most sea otters measure less than 50 inches. Facts about River Otters talk about an animal, which can be found on the coasts or waterways of North America. But the sea otter’s habitat is unique, as they only live in shallow coastal waters in the North Pacific ocean. Sea otters are known for their remarkable ability to use rocks to smash open shellfish to fill their stomachs. Share: Facebook Twitter Google Plus. The female sea otters are smaller as they grow up to 4.7 feet in length and weigh up to 73 pounds. 9. Unlike most other marine mammals, the sea otter has no blubber and relies on its exceptionally thick fur to keep warm. North American Sea Otters are larger than Asian otters. At birth, the weight of a pup is 3 to 5 pounds. They have very thick fur – near about 250,000 to one million hair per square inch. 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. Save my name, e-mail, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 8. Last modified 28th April 2017, Your e-mail address will not be published. 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 Sea Otter is the only species that have a shorter and less muscular tail. While Buzzfeed, (Apr 14) had found out that the number one reason that sea otters are dying is because of oil spills! The size of the California (or southern) sea otters is about 4 feet. 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. They generally reside in places where the water is warm and the land is sandy. Otters are an essential keystone species. Sea otters have awesome facts about them. They're hungry animals! 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. Of the 13 species, only the sea otter gives birth in water. The biological name is Lontra Canadensis. 4. 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). 9. The following two tabs change content below. Pups are carried on the female’s chest as she swims belly up. 10 Facts About Otters You Should Know Instead Of Trying To Hook Them. Sea otters have built in pouches of loose skin under their forearms to stash extra prey when diving. Sea otters are equally active both night and day. Otters have as many as 2.6 million hairs per square inch. Zoroastrians would also hold ceremonies for otters found dead in the wild. 10) Although sea otters hunt for food alone, they tend to rest and sleep in same-sex groups called rafts. Almost all otters have webbed feet, some more webbed than others, and they can close off their ears and nose as they swim underwater. A raft may have only ten sea otters but may also be a group of up to a thousand! People also call it North American river otter. Average life span in the wild is up to 12 years except for sea otter who can live up to 20 years. Archaeological evidence indicates that for thousands of years, indigenous peoples have hunted sea otters for food and fur. Asher Collins is a student and author based in the UK. The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammal species, but it is the heaviest member of the weasel family. Along the Pacific coast, sea otters help control the sea urchin population. Humans have about 300/cm² on their head. 3. 2. 2. Sea otters are just as full of interesting characteristics as they are full of cuteness! According to Buzzfeed, (Apr 14) the first sea otter was found in 1751. 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. That’s because, unlike its fellow marine … 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! They live in offshore forests of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and spend most of their active time foraging below the canopy. By. Wildlife Articles © 2019. Sea otters eat clams, mollusks, crabs, snails, starfish, abalone, and many other marine animals (overall about 100 species) . 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. 9. Neelgai Cull – Does India have any alternative to it? Sea otters are commonly spotted on WWF’s Alaska tours. Approximately 90% of the world’s sea otter population lives in coastal Alaska. 7 FUN FACTS ABOUT OTTERS! Here are 5 fun & easy to remember facts about sea otters. 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. The others use it as a powerful weapon and to navigate their movements in the water. Male Otters are called boars, females are sows, and the offspring are pups. It is native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. What Thick Fur You Have . Floating on its back, it opens mollusks and other shells by smashing them on a stone balanced on its chest; it is one of the few mammal species to use tools. 5 Otters are carnivores, which means they eat meat. Fact2: Weighing between 30 and 100 pounds, the sea otter is the world’s smallest species of marine mammal. 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? By: Brianna Elliott. As predators that are near the top of the food chain, otters are hugely important for keeping their environments balanced. There’s no denying that sea otters rank right alongside baby sea turtles and tiny clownfish as some of the cutest ocean inhabitants. Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal. OTTERS HAVE VERY DISTINCTIVE POOP, AND THAT SCAT HAS ITS OWN NAME. On land, young sea otters may face attack from bears and coyotes. Sea otters eat 25% of their body weight in food every day. Sea otters communicate through body contact and vocalizations, although they are not overly vocal. 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. North American Sea Otter is also more slender than other otter breeds. 3. (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. Sea otters can do well in captivity, and are featured in over 40 public aquariums and zoos. They also eat small mammals and birds. 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). 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