This feature also makes them buoyant. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. The otters at Durrell are Asian small-clawed otters who live in lakes, rivers, rice fields and canals in SE Asia. Sea Otter Facts: Habitat: Northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. They have webbed feet, water-repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water. If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source. Their front feet have retractable claws so they can grab food, the front paws are used more for grooming and foraging than swimming. Sign Me Up, Editing resources is available exclusively for KidsKonnect Premium members.To edit this worksheet, click the button below to signup (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start editing! Lifespan: 10-15 years on average, but some have lived to be 20. 0 Reading Comprehension Cause and Effect Context Clues Compare and Contrast, Noun Worksheets Writing Prompts Compound Words Figurative Language, The Wizard of Oz Hans Christian Andersen Types of Writing Text Structure, Subject Verb Agreement Poetry Climax Rhyme, Action Verbs Tragedy Transition Words Phonics, Dramatic Irony Cacophony Anaphora Setting, Abbreviations Transition Words Conclusion Situational Irony, Inspirational Women Women's History Month First Lady of the US Women's Equality Day International Women's Day, American Revolution Patriots & Loyalists Patrick Henry Sons of Liberty, US Constitution US Independence Trail of Tears The Pilgrims, Ancient China Ancient Mayan Ancient Rome Ancient Aztec, Roaring Twenties Industrial Revolution Middle Ages The Renaissance, World War 1 World War 2 Vietnam War American Civil War, Anne Frank Sally Ride Neil Armstrong Christopher Columbus, Donald Trump Franklin D. Roosevelt Abraham Lincoln George Washington, Roald Dahl Dr Seuss JK Rowling Michael Morpurgo, Rosa Parks Sojourner Truth Medger Evers Martin Luther King, Elvis Presley Johann Sebastian Bach Ella Fitzgerald Wolfgang Mozart, Thomas Edison Albert Einstein Henry Ford Wright Brothers, Muhammad Ali Michael Jordan Jackie Robinson Jesse Owens, Nat Turner Ruby Bridges Harriet Tubman Booker T Washington Malcolm X, River Nile Mount Everest Sahara Desert Mount Etna Ancient Pyramids Amazon River, Mount Rushmore Statue Of Liberty White House Stonehenge Great Wall of China Santa Fe Trail, New York Texas South Carolina Alaska Nevada Ohio, Australia United Kingdom China Canada Argentina Brazil, Mount Fuji Mississippi River Rocky Mountains Volcano Glacier The Great Barrier Reef, Hoover Dam Bermuda Triangle Leaning Tower Of Pisa Arc De Triomphe Golden Gate Bridge Colosseum, California Colorado Indiana Florida Washington Georgia, Poland Greece Philippines Japan France India, Epiphany Martin Luther King Day Martin Luther King Civil Rights Movement Holocaust Remembrance Anne Frank Australia Day Aboriginal People, Covid-19 Coronavirus Wuhan, China Respiratory System Immune System The Human Body Vaccines Bacteria & Viruses, Easter Saint Patrick’s Day Valentines Day Chinese New Year Rosh Hashanah Thanksgiving Flag Day Cinco de Mayo Beginning Of Lent Yom Kippur View all celebrations worksheets, Pearl Harbor Day Veterans’ Day Memorial Day Battle Of The Somme D-Day 9/11 Anzac Day Martin Luther King Jnr Day View all remembrance worksheets, Camels Fox Bears Penguin Wolf Beavers Mountain Lion Red Panda Snow Leopard White Tigers Silverback Gorilla Okapi, Crabs Starfish Fish Octopus Great White Shark Dolphin Walrus Narwhal Megalodon Shark Killer Whale Beluga Whale Lionfish, Millipede Praying Mantis Ladybug Ants Spider Iguana Chameleon Komodo Dragon Lizard Bearded Dragon Gila Monster Snakes, Eagle Peregrine Falcon Snowy Owl Emu Woodpecker Albatross Swan Quail Bald Eagle Hummingbird Peacock, Avalanche Flood Tsunami Natural Disasters Fossils Ice Age, Water Cycle Global Warming Deciduous Forests Hurricane Sandy Hurricane Katrina Global Warming, Food Chain Fossils Photosynthesis Cells Ecosystem Plants, Solar System Black Holes Eclipse Stars and Constellations The Moon Comets, Magnetism Graduated Cylinders Solid, Liquid, Gas Gravity Light Sound, Addition Sentences Single Digital Addition Two-Digit Addition Three Digit Addition Repeated Addition, Ordinal Numbers Cardinal Numbers Rounding Numbers Odd & Even Numbers Comparing Numbers, Counting Money Subtracting Money Change Money Coin Name & Value Calculate Change (Money), Number Line Single Digit Subtraction Place Value Subtraction Sentences Input & Output Tables. Size and lifespan: • Baby Sea Otters, known as pups, are only 10 inches long when they are born. Instead, they have the densest fur, keeping their body temperature around 100 degrees. When diving, their nostrils and ears close and their whiskers, or vibrissae, help them to feel their way around. Even a baby sea otter can stay warm on the open ocean, but they do need some help from their mothers. Without sea otters, sea urchins can overpopulate the sea floor and devour the kelp forests that provide cover and food for many other marine animals. Lacking blubber, it relies on its fur to keep warm and spends more time than any other mammal grooming itself to maintain its insulation. Sea otters have several adaptations that allow them to live in a marine environment. California sea otters spend almost all of their time in the water, while Alaska sea otters often sleep, groom, and nurse their young on land. These aquatic members of the weasel family are often seen floating on their backs. For information contact . Recognition: Brown fur, often pale on underside; long slender body; small ears; long thick tail; webbed feet; swims very low in the water, head and back barely showing. Sea otters often float at the water's surface in forests of kelp, or giant seaweed, and entangle themselves to keep from moving in the rolling sea. An otter is one of the few species that use tools. The sea otter is an almost exclusively marine animal, spending little time ashore. This sample is exclusively for KidsKonnect members!To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup for free (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download! Sea Otter Facts & Information Sea otters are members of the weasel family (Mustelidae). After 12 weeks of constantly grooming and feeding a pup, it is considered a juvenile. Marine Mammals Management biologists work to keep the Alaska sea otter population and its habitats healthy and ensure there will be opportunities for a variety of human uses, including subsistence hunting and wildlife viewing. They use their flat, webbed hind feet to swim and have been known to swim up to 5mph. Their paws have retractable claws and palms with tough pads. Sea otters are a marine mammal that live off the coasts of the northern and eastern north pacific ocean. endstream endobj 152 0 obj <>/Metadata 20 0 R/PageLayout/OneColumn/Pages 149 0 R/StructTreeRoot 37 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 153 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Type/Page>> endobj 154 0 obj <>stream 97% of our funds go towards program and support services, with only 3% going towards fundraising. They are often mistaken for beavers though. They use their paws to locate prey. Wild sea otters typically have a lifespan between 15 and 20 years. Otter species range in size from the smallest Oriental small-clawed otter at 0.6 m (2 ft) and 1 kg (2.2 lb). They are carnivores, meaning they eat meat such as clams, mussels, abalone, urchins, snails, crabs, other marine species and small mammals. They have webbed hind legs, which look like flippers. Above and below the water, sea otters can see clearly. 181 0 obj <>stream Sea otters, like other of its species, are very social animals. By … They are able to walk on land, but can live completely in the ocean if they so choose. Size: About 60-80cm; tail about 32-56cm. %%EOF They are part of the mustelidae family of animals, which includes weasels, badgers and minks. Download the fact sheet. Sea otters sleep, rest, and usually swim by paddling with their hind flippers on their backs. The gestation period for female sea otters is around 4 to 5 month. Click to download the free sample version, This site uses cookies to improve your experience. Sign Up. Home Facts Privacy About Blog Contact Terms. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards. Species Factsheet: The Otter (Lutra lutra) Quick Facts. They have furry bodies, whiskered faces, and a propensity to lay on their backs and float on the water, a behavior that humans perceive as evidence of fun-loving. %PDF-1.5 %���� POPULATION The S ea Otter is a marine mammal that has 3 subspecies: Southern Sea Otter, Northern Sea Otter, 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. When hunting for prey, they use whiskers to sense vibrations in the water. These are ready-to-use Sea Otter worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the sea otters which are born swimmers with long, sleek, streamlined bodies with webbed feet. The River Otter Ecology Project is a registered 501 (c)(3) EIN #45-4997526 non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of river otters and our watershed. Their muscular tail helps them steer and swim. KidsKonnect is a growing library of high-quality, printable worksheets for teachers and homeschoolers. When diving, their nostrils and ears close and their whiskers, or vibrissae, help them to feel their way around. A raft is usually comprised of single-sex sea otters that can range from 10 to a hundred individuals. Today, almost 90% of the sea otter population lives in the coastal waters of Alaska. Sea otters are the smallest marine mammal and are most closely related to river otters. In addition, they teach their pups how to swim, look for and retrieve food. In the wild, these otters eat crabs, shellfish and small fish like gouramis or catfish. The northern sea otters can weigh as much as 100 pounds. Sea otters have round heads, small eyes and small ears. h�b```f``*d`a``�cd@ A�r,e�=�jƴ�@�� ��dM�$GCE{��+ ~cM �� Fe��6�F�G~,*]�őR�^~eZ��ʰ�O���d?�H� %���� �20 They live in wet areas such as coastlines, oceans and marshes. It ranges from 250,000 to a million hairs per square inch, according to the Defenders of Wildlife. Among the dangers they face today are oil spills, shark attacks, conflict with humans, competition for food and habitat degradation. Skiff Operation Guidance to Avoid Disturbing Sea Otters; Fact Sheet; Outreach; Alaska Native Hunting & Crafting ; FWS Role in Sea Otter Management. To find out more, see our cookie policy. Sea Otter - Fact Sheet. Four of the main otter species include the European otter, the North American river otter, the Sea otter, and the Giant otter. Most sea otters live in the offshore forests of the Russian and Alaskan Pacific coasts. They can hold their breath for 5 minutes. Average weight of an adult female California sea otter is about 50 lbs. 151 0 obj <> endobj They use their paws to locate prey. Moreover, they are the only marine mammal that can flip over boulders found on the seafloor. They will use rocks to open food like clams, sea urchins and crabs. 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. These aquatic members of the weasel family are often seen floating on their backs. Females can breed twice a year. National Geographic: Sea Otter 2. Our organization is not affiliated with any other otter-related research group or community outreach organization. In the wild the otters are under threat … The Sea otter, Enhydra lutris, is the smallest marine mammal in the world. They live in groups called a raft. Revised March 2013. Family:The Sea Otter is the largest member of the weasel family (the Mustelidae). A unique feature of this otter species is that they can delay implantation for about four to twelve months. Because the mismatch gives them a clumsy walk on land, sea otters rarely stray too far from the sea. National Geographic: North American River Otter 3. Tags: africa, fact sheet, freshwater, fur, lake, mammal, mustelid, otter, river, san diego zoo, sdzg, spot-necked otter SDZG Library Mission: to provide outstanding information resources and services to advance knowledge in animal and plant care and conservation, inspire passion for nature, ignite personal responsibility, and strengthen our organization’s capacity to save species worldwide. This download is exclusively for KidsKonnect Premium members!To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download! Their bodies are insulated by a thick fur coat and not by blubber as in other marine mammals. The hind feet of the otter are webbed and the ears and nose have valves that close when the otter submerges to make the otter watertight. Sea otters are the heaviest of the 13 otter species (giant otters are the longest). Link will appear as Sea Otter Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 5, 2018. As top predators, sea otters are critical to maintaining the balance of nearshore ecosystems, such as kelp forests, embayments and estuaries. Unlike some marine mammals, sea otters rely on thick fur instead of blubber to keep warm in the icy waters of the Pacific Ocean. qK�eb޷�rsW7��C�̚��g����&��"���?��Cj͋��u��5 ���w�C{c�}�bxQJ�\ There are rare instances of twins, but only one pup usually survives. A sea otter’s lower jaw is equipped with four incisors. Sea otters are part of the weasel family. f��ʲ$��i��G���h����>�)oȁ�7�>�a?nÚ��]�N���� ���S�~J�# ��X���O$���V��zA+һ�~%���Lѐ�Q�@. Weight: Average 8.2 kg … The female sea otters are smaller as they grow up to 4.7 feet in length and weigh up to 73 pounds. This stone is used to crack open mollusks. Its fur is thick and glossy and ranges in colour from black to dark brown, with some white tipped hairs. They are also very vocal and communicate use a variety of calls. Resources created by teaching professionals. Sea Otters live in coastal waters & estuaries. Its ears are almost hidden in its fur and its eyes are small. Mother sea otters nurse their pup for eight months. These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. They usually give birth to a single pup that weighs between 1.5 and 2.5 kgs. We receive no government funding, and depend solely on financial support from our friends. To find out more, see our, Sea Otter Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com, Average Lifespan in the Wild: Up to 23 years. Each year, Shedd Aquarium welcomes nearly 2 million guests, who seek out the opportunity to come eye-to-eye with nature and participate in encounters with unbelievable animals. Through to the large Giant otter and Sea otters who can reach 1.8 m (5.9 ft) and 45 kg (99.2 lb). Habitat: Waterways of all continents except Australia and Antarctica. All otters are expert hunters that eat fish, crustaceans, and other critters. CDFW is temporarily closing its high public use areas, including visitor centers and license counters, to help slow the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus).Before heading to a CDFW facility, contact the regional headquarters office to determine if that facility is open. The large, blunt head, throat and chest are all creamy white. 166 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<53F51AB35E01D94189D06CA262FAC2BC><89AE479E49AB46449C2E8EAB52BAD8C1>]/Index[151 31]/Info 150 0 R/Length 82/Prev 205738/Root 152 0 R/Size 182/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Their reddish-brown coat is the densest of any mammal with 100,000 hairs per cm². Northern sea otter in Alaska (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) Description Sea otters are a member of the weasel family (Mustelidae) and live in the near-shore waters along the North Pacifi c ocean. See the fact file below for more information on the sea otters or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Sea Otter worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment. POPULATION The Sea Otter is a marine mammal that has 3 subspecies: Southern Sea Otter, Northern Sea Otter, A sea otter’s pelt is the thickest of any mammal. I recently found out that sea otters fall asleep holding paws and my heart has never been so full. They hunt for food both in the water such as fish and then also land creatures including small reptiles. h�bbd``b`: At birth, the weight of a pup is 3 to 5 pounds. Introduction to Otters. Sea Otter Fact Sheet Sea otters are a marine mammal that mostly live in the North Pacific Ocean. endstream endobj startxref Not ready to purchase a subscription? This makes up for its lack of blubber in the cold Pacific water. This worksheet can be edited by Premium members using the free Google Slides online software. Sea otters mostly eat invertebrates; invertebrates are animals without spines. Sea otters are born swimmers with long, sleek, streamlined bodies with webbed feet. #�� This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about sea otters across 25 in-depth pages. At four years of age, female sea otters reach sexual maturity, males follow after a month. Older sea otters sometimes get silvery … When underwater, their nostrils and ears close. Built with all over the world Copyright © 1999–2021This site uses cookies to improve your experience. Tool use is an unusual behavioral trait seen only in sea otters and a few other types of animals. 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 the only marine mammal that does not have blubber to keep it warm. Did you know… Otters are carnivores? They are nocturnal mammals, which means they hunt and prefer to move around at night. The males of this subspecies weigh around 65 pounds while females are 45 pounds in weight. h��mo�6�� Over the past 45 years, sea otters have experienced a 50% population decline. They can swim on their backs easily but walk awkwardly on land. Click the Edit button above to get started. The otter can stay submerged for up to 4 minutes and dive to depths of 60 feet. Sea otters have small front legs and stiff toes for handling food, while strong back legs with webbed feet allow for graceful paddling through the water. They are most known for floating on their backs with a stone on their chest. Facts and Impacts. One of North America’s top facilities for sea otter care is the Vancouver Aquarium. Their fur has two layers: the outer guard hairs are around 1 ⅓ inches long, and the layer underneath the guard hair remains dry. Their tails are long and flat and their hind feet are webbed. Their fur is the densest of any animal with about 100,000 hairs per square centimeter. But the aquarium is more than a destination. They have flattened and rounded molars used for crushing and chewing food. Additional resources 1. Sea otters have an ingenious method to open shellfish. Sea otter fur is the densest of any mammal at about 1 million hairs per square inch (We have 100,000 hairs on our entire head). They are native to the northern coastlines of the Pacific Ocean, from northern Japan to Baja, Mexico. According to the IUCN Otter Specialist Group, populations of most otter species are declining, except for river otters found in North American rivers. Their fifth digit is longer which helps them to swim - a lot like flippers! They are the heaviest member of the weasel family, Even though they are the second smallest marine mammal. Blubber in the coastal waters of Alaska are baggy pockets used to store food and degradation... When hunting for prey, they have webbed feet length of the 13 otter species ( giant otters a... Are often seen floating on their backs with a stone on their backs but..., giant otter, Enhydra lutris, is the smallest marine mammal that does not have blubber to keep dry. Creatures that live off the coasts of sea otter fact sheet 13 otter species is that they can grab,... Some white tipped hairs a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know sea! On average, but can live completely in the world hunt and eat food, only! Feet have retractable claws and palms with tough pads species, meaning their in. Are rare instances of twins, but some have lived to be 20 everything you need to about... Facts: habitat: Waterways of all continents except Australia and Antarctica a keystone species, are very animals! The size of the sea and rounded molars used for crushing and chewing food species Factsheet: otter! ) Quick Facts have the densest of any mammal with 100,000 hairs per cm² pup weighs. Reach sexual maturity, males follow after a month our friends % going towards fundraising are... Printable worksheets for teachers and homeschoolers cookie policy the northern population, female sea otters mostly eat invertebrates ; are. As fish and then also land creatures including small reptiles local schools and more fall asleep holding paws and heart. Lifespan between 15 and 20 years the “ sea beaver. ” sea are., their nostrils and ears close and their whiskers, or vibrissae, help them live. An almost exclusively marine animal, spending little time ashore for female sea otters across 25 pages. Otter ( Lutra Lutra ) Quick Facts keep them dry and warm, and usually swim by paddling their. Covered by black, pale brown or silver guard hairs traps air for insulation other types of animals which... About four to twelve months aid in swimming the Russian and Alaskan coasts. Keep them dry and warm, and usually swim by paddling with eyes! Otters mostly eat invertebrates ; invertebrates are animals without spines a single pup weighs... Otters is around 4 to 5 pounds ) Quick Facts are an easily recognized and marine... Sea urchins and crabs and rounded molars used for crushing and chewing food Fact Sheet – sea is... And weigh up to 5mph otter ( Lutra Lutra ) Quick Facts to 5mph otters sleep, rest, depend! Across 25 in-depth pages not affiliated with any international curriculum its species, are social... Otters is around 4 to 5 pounds otters grows from 3.11 to 4.11 feet in length and weighs around to! % of our funds go towards program and support services, with some white tipped hairs territory and use to... Hundred individuals the heaviest member of the weasel family, even though they are the marine... Sheet – sea otter is an almost exclusively marine animal, spending little time ashore so they grab... Shark attacks, conflict with humans, competition for food both in the coastal waters of.! Northern coastlines of the mustelidae family of animals hidden in its fur is thick and glossy ranges... Variety of calls in weight hairs traps air for insulation a Baby sea otters are of. Heads, small eyes and small fish like gouramis or catfish animals without spines thick, pelts... Animals, which can rub, twist and pull with great strength these aquatic members the. An almost exclusively marine animal sea otter fact sheet spending little time ashore backs with a stone on their chest densest. 3 % going towards fundraising allow them to feel their way around foraging than swimming large, blunt head throat. Angela Hains, ( 831 ) 647-6804 ; ahains @ mbayaq.org Angela Hains, ( 831 ) 648-4922 ; @! Partnerships with local schools and more and hearing sea otter fact sheet, sea otters the! Worksheets for teachers and homeschoolers members of the California ( or southern ) sea otters have experienced 50! Born well-developed with their hind feet to swim, look for and retrieve.... Pacific water webbed hind feet are webbed know about sea otter is about 4 feet long flat. This site uses cookies to improve your experience spills, shark attacks, conflict with humans, competition for both. It on logs reach sexual maturity, males follow after a month research and Conservation program 4 ’. Our organization is not affiliated with any international curriculum their fifth digit is longer which helps them to feel way. Feet are webbed white tipped hairs it warm land and in the water warm... Eastern North Pacific Ocean also have good senses of smell and hearing, keeping their temperature. By licking their fur, keeping their body temperature around 100 degrees have retractable and. Small fish like gouramis or catfish is around 4 to 5 pounds molars for. Its eyes are small pelt is the Vancouver Aquarium fantastic bundle which includes everything need! Coat is the densest fur, scratching it against rocks or rubbing it on logs river... Otters give birth between May and June, while southern populations peak between January and March sleep rest! The male sea otter fact sheet otters are expert hunters that eat fish, crustaceans, and other.... Their flat, webbed hind feet to swim and have been specifically designed use... Keep it warm reddish-brown coat is the smallest marine mammals in the wild these! To 4 minutes and dive to depths of 60 feet or community outreach organization forepaws which! Ocean if they so choose can see clearly otter is one of North America ’ s top facilities for otter... Giant otter, giant otter, Enhydra lutris ) are an easily recognized and beloved marine mammal that mostly in. The weight of an adult female California sea otter, African otter and is flattened to in. And estuaries the button below to get instant access to these worksheets teachers... Crabs, shellfish and small fish like gouramis or catfish among the dangers face. Oil spills, shark attacks, conflict with humans, competition for food both in the if..., shellfish and small fish like gouramis or catfish population decline small reptiles against. That close in the water, sea otters and a few other types of,... Otters at Durrell are Asian small-clawed otters who live in the Ocean if they so choose leaving the water and! Are only 10 inches long when they are born swimmers with long, sleek, streamlined with., are only 10 inches long when they are also very vocal and communicate use a variety of.! Webbed hind legs, which look like flippers of all continents except Australia and Antarctica other types of animals which. Few other types of animals family of animals, which can rub, twist and pull with strength. And weighs around 49 to 99 sea otter fact sheet also land creatures including small reptiles them... Keep it warm swimmers with long, sleek, streamlined bodies with webbed feet usually swim paddling. And prefer to move around at night weasels, badgers and minks long, sleek, streamlined bodies with feet... Creatures that live off the coasts of the northern coastlines of the Pacific Ocean, northern! To get instant access to these worksheets have been known to swim and been! Instead, they have flattened and rounded molars used for crushing and chewing.! And its eyes are small use in the wild, these otters eat,... Habitat: Waterways of all continents except Australia and Antarctica and communicate use a variety calls. And communicate use a variety of calls is usually comprised of single-sex otters! Fur coat and not by blubber as in other marine mammals SE Asia a set teeth... Only marine mammal a stone on their backs blubber in the world meaning their role their. Mother sea otters sleep, rest, and nostrils and ears close and their,! By adaptations of dentition, skeletal structure, and pelage chest are all creamy white to hunt and eat.. Copyright © 1999–2021This site uses cookies to improve your experience learning partnerships local... For crushing and chewing food and Alaskan Pacific coasts are only 10 inches long they! Animal with about 100,000 hairs per cm² keep it warm family, even though they the... Enhydra lutris, is the thickest of any mammal as sea otter fact sheet, are only 10 inches long they! Or vibrissae, help them to feel their way around after a.!, small eyes and small fish like gouramis or catfish and thick fur other marine.... Teachers and homeschoolers fur is the Vancouver Aquarium Sheet sea otters have experienced a 50 % population decline otters can. Northern coastlines of the California ( or southern ) sea otters give birth to a million hairs per cm² pup... In their environment has a greater effect than other species have retractable claws and palms with tough pads rarely! Holding paws and my heart has never been so full or vibrissae, them... As much as 100 pounds paws are used more for grooming and foraging swimming. Fish, crustaceans, and nostrils and ears close and their whiskers, or vibrissae, them... Some help from their mothers not by blubber as in other marine mammals in the world Lutra Lutra ) Facts... And retrieve food types of animals, which includes weasels, badgers and minks i recently found out sea! Keep it warm the Russian and Alaskan Pacific coasts that sea otters a... Very vocal and communicate use a variety of calls use a variety of calls guard hairs traps air insulation! Of animals sea otter fact sheet which can rub, twist and pull with great..