The Sea Otter

The Sea Otter is the heaviest member of the weasel family. It is also among the smallest marine mammal. It is the only marine mammal that does not have blubber (layer of fat) to keep it warm. Instead, its very thick, dense fur traps warm air close to the body to keep the Sea Otter from feeling cold! How dense is this Sea Otter fur? Try fitting 100,000 strands of hair on the size of a postage stamp!


Another unusual thing about the Sea Otter is that it has flexible fingers and can grab prey with their paws! The are often seen with a clam and a rock in their paws; with the rock against their chest, they smash the shellfish into it until it breaks open. Other food that the Sea Otter loves are seq urchins crabs, squid, octopus and fish.

After a meal, the Sea Otter cleans itself by washing themselves in the ocean, cleaning their coat with its teeth and paws. Cleaning its coat ensures that the coat remains waterproof and will provide the insulation against the cold air and water.

The Sea Otter is one animal that truly adapts to its environment. Its nostrils and small ear can close when it dives in the water. Its hind feet are long, broad and fully webbed, allowing the Sea Otter to swim strongly in the water. The tail is short, thick, flat and muscular. This helps the Sea Otter in its swimming as well. The front paws are short with claws that appear when the Sea Otter grabs its prey. Its highly sensitive whiskers and front paws help find prey by touch when the water is dark or murky.

The Sea Otter is an ENDANGERED SPECIES, with only 5,000 Sea Otters left in the world. They used to number anywhere from 100,000 to 137,000 in the 1980s. But several things have happened to cause their numbers to dwindle:

1. Oil spills - This is the most significant threat to the Sea Otter. When oil spills in the ocean and soaks the Sea Otter's dense fur, the fur loses its ability to retain air, and the Sea Otter quickly dies from hypothermia.

2. Diseases - Toxoplasma gondii infection and acanthocephalan parasite infection are major causes of Sea Otter deaths. These parasites come from cat poop dropped and flushed into the ocean from the sewage systems. These parasites are fatal to the Sea Otter.

3. Reduction of food - As the world population grows, the need for food grows as well. People take more and more food from the ocean, and this includes the food of the Sea Otter.

Sea Otter Fast Facts

Scientific Name: Enhydra Lutris
Type: Mammal
Diet: Carnivore
Height: 4 feet
Weight: 65 pounds
Range: Pacific Ocean
Diet: fish, clams, snails, crabs, sea urchins

To solve a jigsaw puzzle of an otter, click on the image or here.