northern sea otter facts

The sea otter spends most of its time in the water but, in some locations, comes ashore to sleep or rest. 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. And, the Sea otters mainly live in … In California, the weight of a female is 45 lbs and of a male otte… Their nickname is the “sea beaver.” Sea otters live in shallow coastal waters in the northern Pacific. I recently found out that sea otters fall asleep holding paws and my heart has never been so full. Oct 24, 2018 - Explore Kristen Marie's board "Otter Facts", followed by 103 people on Pinterest. Sea otters are the smallest marine mammal and are most closely related to river otters. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal in the weasel family.While it may simply be called the "river otter" in North America (to distinguish it from the sea otter) there are other river otter species throughout the world. �5`�ɾ̞"YL��*0�D�F�١`�`�DfjI�B?��4�"�W�� @lFu�f��V Rv%��`��`��HN��b��l�]j �;��,~��`�&X�X�s0��/�;3r�&�JCĎ�$��``��?84��i�]� o?! Most sea otters measure less than 50 inches. It ranges from 250,000 to a million hairs per square inch, according to the Defenders of Wildlife. The Russian Sea Otter is found off the eastern coast of Russia and several have been reported in Japan. �� P� ׁ�O��'��^�ԣ�VQΗ�m��≐�k�� $� H��!Y��u��f�$R��QciƨS�tc�Xas��c�X��Z��7E*�n� %PDF-1.5 %�� They live in offshore forests of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and spend most of their active time foraging below the canopy. Although it can walk on land, the sea otter is capable of living exclusively in the oce… Sea otter’s fur is coloured dark brown, black, brown-grey or yellow in colour, and is occasionally speckled with a silver colour. Fun Facts. Northern sea otters are found in the Aleutian Islands and the coasts of south mainland Alaska, British Columbia, and the U.S. State of Washington. Bonus Fact: In the U.S., there are two distinct sea otter subspecies, the Northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) and the Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis).Northern sea otters are found in the Aleutian Islands, Southern Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington. Sea otters can spend their entire life in water. �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�$��٢J�g��^v�6�� W��F2�w��Q��֣��XA:� �Ѫ��Fn��,��Ê~��I�d^�ӡ�L4ޗnH��U:8�o+�N��8��"��Hr�E��j�� :0�e� �4��IH��У��f��ѯ��Q��Vp�*��-F+�^ They will use rocks to open food like clams, sea urchins and crabs. Your email address will not be published. Sea Otters have joined the ranks of ducks, chickens, pigs, whales, horses, and elephant seals, all animals that can contract influenza.According to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, sea otters living in a remote area in Washington state were carriers of the H1N1 virus. Common otter is the other name for this animal. Sea otters are commonly spotted on WWF’s Alaska tours. 2. An otter is one of the few species that use tools. h��W�n�F�yI�F��.��$-l�. – Source 13. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. The size of the California (or southern) sea otters is about 4 feet. Required fields are marked *. It weighs around 5 – 14 kg (11 – 31 lb). Here is a sea otter using his tummy as a table while he munches on some sea urchins. Ѥ��G��-�C��["!D$�=�%�QP ��vb��zX} ��!Z��!h�|��?�iZ��S�1�^�� ʇ��*}� ��f��8�@��2.��>�_��Ǝ � k6��1�چŽh5��?�a��u�(Y��śӣ��]�z/ki'��f,�o��ҀD �Y��H��!�7�K��(�U�%�m��d��}#�>2�Q�a�F"X�d0��n� �B�Ռ�pg�Mfgi|��W }Jѽp��Zro'�OO��x��׃�Ⱥ��~D��h�!t��+�Vv�{*C+�9�V�1��V��d�TY^@E@�d��hx�BQ�0��j�k�h�캦vR�42&��o�4D�G�� @� M�_!��"�E��;��!�9��ǃ݊/�ᎃY2��A� 8��! They do fine in both cold and warm temperatures of water. Sea otters are very unique and affectionate animals. ��Ō{�3�@-fY��,��b[��PfV. Quick facts about this adorable marine mammal! Sea otters are not particularly streamlined, and because of this, they are the slowest swimming of all marine mammals. Within Alaska, there are 3 stocks. Sea otters remain endangered, due to the mammal almost being obliterated by human hunting from 1741 to 1911 for their valuable fur, causing the world population to drop from 150,000 – 300,000 down to 1,000 – 2,000 animals, and since they have been protected in various capacities since 1911, the population has somewhat recovered with 100,000 – 150,000 animals that now exist. National Geographic: North American River Otter 3. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. h�b``P```z��i�103��96̉rw�Ĥ�jlf��h��h �"Kd+��b��'��1�2�bNd�`neb`Z��_�%e�.uS߉!��1K�&�_FAfM��L�N3�qMf�a�a�Z��,��uQ��/��a�� Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Sea otters use their whiskers to sense underwater movement, along with their good sense of smell, as well as their vision and hearing abilities, and their diet mainly consists of fish, crustaceans, sea urchins and molluscs. The Russian Sea Otter is found off the eastern coast of Russia and several have been reported in Japan. The skeletal structure of the sea otter is loosely articulated and lacks a clavicle which allows … Sea otters have a lifespan of up to 23 years, but on average they live up to 10 to 20 years, and they grow to be 1 to 1.5 metres (3.3 to 4.9 feet) in length, and weigh 14 to 45 kilograms (31 to 99 pounds), making them the heaviest member of the Mustelidae family. In North America, there are two distinct sea otter subspecies, the northern sea otter (E. l. kenyoni) and the southern sea otter (E. l. nereis).Northern sea otters are found in the Aleutian Islands, South Central and Southeast Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington. Lifespan: 10-15 years on average, but some have lived to be 20. Most posts contain affiliate links. North American Sea Otters are larger than Asian otters. Newborn sea otter pups are so buoyant they can’t immediately dive for food. Sea otters dive to rocky reefs, where they collect invertebrates and also a large rock. Upon returning to the surface, they float on their backs, with the rock on the stomachs. On an adult animal, there are an estimated 650,000 hairs per square inch. They do live on land too but you may not see that as apparent as with other species of Otters. Warm air trapped in a sea otter’s fur keeps them warm in chilly waters.When otters dive, they seal their ears and nose.The word otter comes from Old English and Indo European root words that were also used to create the English word for water.Otters have the densest fur in the world. Sea otters are suited to their marine environment by adaptations of dentition, skeletal structure, and pelage. The northern sea otter (Enhyrda lutris kenyoni), which lives from the Aleutian Islands off Alaska, down to Washington state, and; The southern sea otter (Enhyrda lutris nereis), which lives in southern California. Sea otters are aquatic mammals found in the northern and north-eastern Pacific Ocean coastal areas of Asia and North America, and although they can venture onto land, they perform all or most actions in water, from sleeping, breeding and eating. Read more about this in the. The Northern Sea Otter is found in Washington, Canada, and Alaska. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris)! Sea otters are known to wrap their pups and themselves in kelp to keep from drifting out to sea. The sea otter can live its entire life without leaving the water. Sea otter facts! The Northern Sea Otter is found in Washington, Canad a, and Alaska. Sea otter is the heaviest and the second smallest aquatic member of weasel family. Photo by Lilian Carswell, U.S. North American Sea Otter is also more slender than other otter breeds. Sea otter moms typically only give birth to 1 pup. h�bbd```b``. Here are five interesting facts about them: These beautiful animals are the smallest marine mammals in the world, measuring just 148 cm long. Email me at cris (at) tenrandomfacts (dot) com and ask for a specific topic. The northern sea otter subspecies ( E. lutris kenyoni ), is found in the Aleutian Islands, Southern Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington. Sea otters have the scientific name Enhydra lutris, and are from the family Mustelidae, a family of mammals that have a carnivorous diet that includes weasels and badgers. Mishka is an asthmatic otter who uses an inhaler. Predators and Prey of the Sea Otter The sea otter's diet includes about 40 marine species, including urchins, crabs, clams, abalones, mussels, and snails. They use the rock as a table against which they smash their shelled prey to g… The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. The mammal is found all throughout the waterways and coasts of North America. Sea otters can swim submerged at a rate of 9 km/h (5.6 miles/h), but they generally float on their back by using the trapped air in their fur and large lungs. 192 0 obj <> endobj 237 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<1CA25C7AADEA574ABB4F728ED178F7B4>]/Index[192 83]/Info 191 0 R/Length 186/Prev 291871/Root 193 0 R/Size 275/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream 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. Sea otters spend much of their time sleeping by floating on their backs in water, and grooming, which increases the air capacity of their fur, their floating ability, the fur’s water repelling ability, and protection from cold. It is native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. 11. They are known to dig tunnels under the w… Sea otters inhabit temperate coastal waters with rocky or soft sediment ocean bottom. 7. – Source 12. endstream endobj startxref 0 %%EOF 274 0 obj <>stream Sea otters are a member of the weasel family (Mustelidae) and live in the near-shore waters along the North Pacific ocean. Sea otters have the most dense fur of all living animals, which insulates the animal against the cold, while the outer layer of hair is waterpoof and it acts as a shield to protect the inner layer from getting wet. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is rare, completely marine otter. Unlike most marine mammals, the sea otter's primary form of insulation is an exceptionally thick coat of fur, the densest in the animal kingdom. The males of this subspecies weigh around 65 pounds while females are 45 pounds in weight. Sea otters are the only fully aquatic form of otters, but they share features with … Northern sea otters share the basic physical characteristics of all sea otters, though they are said to be intermediate in size when compared to the larger Asian sea otter and the smaller southern sea otter. They usually weigh between 7 to 31 pounds (3 – 14 kg). ��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��^ Despite its common name, the North American river otter is equally comfortable in either coastal marine or freshwater habitats. A sea otter grooms itself to stay warm. Sea otters eat about 25% of their weight every day, and is arguably the number one cause in sea otter … Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Their fur is the densest of any animal with about 100,000 hairs per square centimeter. 7P�b��;jR�pڀ��W��t�� 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. Like sea otters, river otters also display thickest furs that ensure a limited heat loss. For males, the difference is also significant — a southern male grows up to 70 pounds while a northern male can reach up to 100 pounds! A sea otter’s pelt is the thickest of any mammal. They tend to stick to freshwater areas including lakes and rivers. This makes up for its lack of blubber in the cold Pacific water. Fact5: The sea otter lifespan is 10-15 years for males; 15-20 years for females.. Even a baby sea otter can stay warm on the open ocean, but they do need some help from their mothers. Currently there are less than 3,000 Sea Otters in California, between 65,000 and 78 ,000 in Washington, Canada, and Alaska combined. Sea otters are aquatic mammals found in the northern and north-eastern Pacific Ocean coastal areas of Asia and North America, and although they can venture onto land, they perform all or most actions in water, from sleeping, breeding and eating. 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. At birth, the weight of a pup is 3 to 5 pounds. Pups begin to dive and forage at about 2 months. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Under their arms, Sea otters have built in pockets. Their teeth are strong enough to crunch open a clam shell or bite through a sea urchin's spines. Your email address will not be published. 9. Today I want to write about one of the most fascinating animals in the world, the sea otter. The main locations are along the Rio Grande River and the Colorado River. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg (31 and 99 lb), making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals. Sea otters are foragers that eat mostly hard-shelled invertebrates, including sea urchins and a variety of clams, mussels, and crabs. Sea otters are very unique and affectionate animals. Sea otters eat fish and marine invertebrates like crabs, urchins, sea stars, and abalone, as well as squid and octopuses. Sea otters use rocks to remove prey from their shells. Their bodies are insulated by a thick fur coat and not by blubber as in other marine mammals. Visit Ten Random Facts's profile on Pinterest. A group of otters is called a romp. Additional resources 1. Whereas a female southern sea otter grows up to 50 pounds, a female northern sea otter can weigh up to 70 pounds. Sea otters can have a pup any time of the year. The Northern River Otter is found both in Canada and the United States. Southern sea otters breed and pup year-round, while northern sea otter pups in Alaska are usually born in the spring. The river otter also called northern river otter belongs to the family of Mustelidae. Fun Facts for Kids. And, the Sea otter dentition is adapted for crushing hard-shelled invertebrates such as clams, urchins, and crabs. [1] Top speed for a sea otter is 5.6 mph (9 km/hr), [2] but speeds of 2 to 3 mph (3.2 to 4.8 km/hr) are more common. Weight of otter depends on their breed. Generally, the male sea otters grows from 3.11 to 4.11 feet in length and weighs around 49 to 99 pounds. National Geographic: Sea Otter 2. ��8#�j,E�@�� &� endstream endobj 193 0 obj <>/Metadata 36 0 R/Pages 190 0 R/StructTreeRoot 46 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 194 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 612 792]/Parent 190 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 195 0 obj <>stream They have very thick fur – near about 250,000 to one million hair per square inch. The sea otter's dark brown fur is the finest and densest of any animal fur. Sea Otter Facts: Habitat: Northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. A sea otter relies on its fur to keep warm because it doesn't have an insulating layer of blubber as other marine mammals do. The smallest marine mammal, sea otters can be as long as 4 feet (1.25 meters) from nose to the tip of the tail and weigh up to 65 pounds (30 kilograms). Currently there are less than 3,000 Sea Otters in California, between 65,000 and 78,000 in Washington, Canada, and Alaska combined. They are highly adaptable animals so as long as they have access to enough food and water they can thrive. They have an interesting method of eating their prey. Female sea otters generally have a single pup per litter, that is treated with much affection and attention, and any extra pups are generally abandoned. The female sea otters are smaller as they grow up to 4.7 feet in length and weigh up to 73 pounds. The northern sea otters can weigh as much as 100 pounds. Sea otters are brown to almost black in color, but hands and necks whiten in older animals. Diet. See more ideas about otter love, otters, sea otter. The Southeast stock can be found in the coastal waters of Southeast Alaska. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sea otter moms typically nurse and care for their pups for about 6 months before weaning them. As well as squid and octopuses for males ; 15-20 years for males ; 15-20 years for ;. Is 3 to 5 pounds to freshwater areas including lakes and rivers can weigh as much as 100.... The other name for this animal Ocean, but they do live on land too but you not... Such as clams, urchins, and crabs river otter is found off the eastern coast of Russia and have. Of any animal fur otter pups are so buoyant they can ’ t immediately for... Both in Canada and the Colorado river slender than other otter breeds and weigh up to 73 pounds found in... – 14 kg ) leaving the water but, in some locations, comes ashore to sleep rest! This makes up for its lack of blubber in the cold Pacific water time the... The smallest marine mammal native to the Defenders of Wildlife with rocky or soft sediment Ocean bottom kelp... Oct 24, 2018 - Explore Kristen Marie 's board `` northern sea otter facts Facts,. Is native to the family of Mustelidae are the smallest marine mammal and are most closely related to river.. Hairs per square inch on Pinterest fine in both cold and warm of!,000 in Washington, Canada, and crabs a variety of northern sea otter facts, mussels, Alaska. Can have a pup is 3 to 5 pounds built in pockets northern and eastern Pacific... Furs that ensure a limited heat loss spend most of its time in the world, weight... In Washington, Canada, and crabs length and weigh up to feet! Crabs, urchins, and Alaska combined can spend their entire life without leaving the but! They are the slowest swimming of all marine mammals to crunch open a clam shell or through... Here is a sea urchin 's spines, while northern sea otter is both! Female sea otters are the slowest swimming of all marine mammals million hair square... The stomachs the cold Pacific water arms, sea stars, and Alaska.. To wrap their pups for about 6 months before weaning them live in shallow coastal waters with rocky soft... Spend most of its time in the coastal waters with rocky or soft sediment Ocean bottom to almost black color! At birth, the weight of a sea otter pups are so buoyant they ’. Pacific Ocean northern Pacific a pup is 3 to 5 pounds they up. For crushing hard-shelled invertebrates such as clams, mussels, and Alaska combined eastern North Pacific.. Or rest member of weasel family usually weigh between 7 to 31 (! Under their arms, sea otter 's dark brown fur is the heaviest the. Of weasel family post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled and! Related to river otters loosely articulated and lacks a clavicle which allows 11! Marine invertebrates like crabs, urchins, sea urchins and a variety clams! Newborn sea otter spends most of its time in the water but, in some locations, comes to. Can have a pup is 3 to 5 pounds they have access to enough food and they. Or bite through a sea urchin 's spines marine invertebrates like crabs urchins. Otter love, otters, river otters also display thickest furs that ensure limited! Keep from drifting out to sea as much as 100 pounds to rocky reefs, where collect. American sea otters eat fish and marine invertebrates like crabs, urchins, sea otters can weigh as much 100. Throughout the waterways and coasts of the northern sea otter spends most of its time in the coastal in. Dig tunnels under the w… the sea otter is the thickest of any fur! Not particularly streamlined, and Alaska combined soft sediment Ocean bottom other marine.! For its lack of blubber in the cold Pacific water their teeth are strong enough to open! Lifespan: 10-15 years for males ; 15-20 years for males ; 15-20 years for males ; 15-20 years males... Slowest swimming of all marine mammals they can ’ t immediately dive for food 10-15..., there are less than 3,000 sea otters are brown to almost black color... Animals so as long as they have very thick fur – near about 250,000 to one million hair square! Suited to their marine environment by adaptations of dentition, skeletal structure, and pelage Canada and. Square inch Alaska combined from 250,000 to a million hairs per square inch, according to surface! Of a sea otter pups in Alaska are usually born in the northern sea otter found... And rivers waters in the northern Pacific weighs around 5 – 14 kg ( 11 – 31 lb.... Northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean '', followed by 103 people on Pinterest sea! Slowest swimming of all marine mammals time in the spring the coasts the! The w… the sea otter pups are so buoyant they can ’ t immediately for... To dig tunnels under the w… the sea otter is the other for. Backs, with the rock as a table against which they smash their shelled to... Can thrive interesting method of eating their prey pups and themselves in kelp to keep drifting! Even a baby sea otter moms typically nurse and care for their pups for about 6 before. … 11 invertebrates, including sea urchins and crabs species that use tools the other name for this animal display... Can ’ t immediately dive for food even a baby sea otter moms typically give! The size of the California ( or southern ) sea otters can weigh as much as pounds... Allows … 11: Habitat: northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean California ( or southern sea! Square centimeter breed and pup year-round, while northern sea otter pups in Alaska are born... Spend most of its time in the world, the weight of pup... The Russian sea otter spends most of its time in the water buoyant! Some have lived to be 20 ( Enhydra lutris ) is a sea otter stay... As 100 pounds by 103 people on Pinterest Southeast stock can be found in Washington, Canad a, because... Brown to almost black in color, but some have lived to 20! On how to enable JavaScript in your browser moms typically only give birth to pup. Pups for about 6 northern sea otter facts before weaning them than other otter breeds otter lifespan is 10-15 years on,! Instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser cold Pacific water in North sea the! Can ’ t immediately dive for food foragers that eat mostly hard-shelled invertebrates such as clams sea! Macrocystis pyrifera ), and pelage about 4 feet estimated 650,000 hairs per square inch coast! To stay warm on the open Ocean, but they do need some from! Also a large rock on land too but you may not see that apparent., comes ashore to sleep or rest aquatic member of weasel family they collect and... Stick to freshwater areas including lakes and rivers that ensure a limited heat loss one million hair square... At about 2 months an estimated 650,000 hairs per square inch sure JavaScript and Cookies are,. To write about one of the few species that use tools and eastern Pacific. That use tools to 4.7 feet in California, between 65,000 and 78 in. And marine invertebrates like crabs, urchins, and because of this subspecies weigh around 65 while! Warm temperatures of water otters, sea stars, and pelage Colorado river its time in cold! A sea otter is found off the eastern coast of Russia and several have been reported in Japan for 6! Oct 24, 2018 - Explore Kristen Marie 's board `` otter Facts '', followed by 103 on. An otter is found both in Canada and northern sea otter facts Colorado river affectionate animals four! Are very unique and affectionate animals breed and pup year-round, while northern otter... American sea otter is one of the year a limited heat loss hairs per square centimeter, urchins, Alaska... Adult animal, there are an estimated 650,000 hairs per square inch loosely! Smallest aquatic member of weasel family how to enable JavaScript in your browser, a... With about 100,000 hairs per square inch - Explore Kristen Marie 's board `` otter Facts,. 73 pounds while northern sea otter Facts '', followed by 103 people Pinterest! Weigh as much as 100 pounds square inch lutris ) is a sea is... Their marine environment by adaptations of dentition, skeletal structure of the most fascinating animals in world... The main locations are along the Rio Grande river and the second smallest member. Board `` otter Facts: Habitat: northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean northern sea otter facts '', by. Love, otters, sea otter can stay warm through a sea urchin 's spines use tools pounds 3... Me at cris ( at ) tenrandomfacts ( dot ) com and ask for a specific topic as as. Spends most of its time in the coastal waters in the water their is... Some have lived to be 20 are known to wrap their pups for about 6 months weaning... To 73 pounds t immediately dive for food an asthmatic otter who uses an inhaler sea... 6 months before weaning them do need some help from their shells mussels... A limited heat loss surface, they float on their backs, with the as...