These forests are one of the most dynamic and richest marine ecosystems in the world, possessing high density of biomass and greater productivity. If sea otters migrate , it is due to the abundance of food in an area and kelp. Southern sea otters are among the smallest of marine mammals, with adult females and males averaging 46 and 64 pounds, respectively. US Fish and Wildlife Service Because of its smart brain, sea otter uses its hand and take a rock to dislodge the invertebrate animal from its shell before the sea otter eats it. These stressors include biotoxins produced during harmful algal or cyanobacterial blooms, disease-causing pathogens such as the protozoal parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona, and acanthocephalan parasites. A small population of sea otters lives at S… Mothers nurse their young for up to eight months. 3. Sea otters are related to skunks and weasels. Fact2: Weighing between 30 and 100 pounds, the sea otter is the world’s smallest species of marine mammal. Want to watch cute sea otters romp, wrestle and play every day of the year? Sea otters have built in pouches of loose skin under their forearms to stash extra prey when diving. 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. Oil spills. There is one species of sea otter and three subspecies, the California or Southern sea otter is found off the central coast of California, the Northern sea otter is found in the waters off Alaska and Canada, and the common or Asian sea otter is found along coastlines of Japan and Russia. Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis), also known as California sea otters, were listed as threatened in 1977 under the Endangered Species Act. The Sea Otter is a marine mammal that has 3 subspecies: Southern Sea Otter, Northern Sea Otter, and Russian Sea Otter. Therefore, sea otters are crucial to maintaining kelp forest levels, which provide cover and food for many marine animals. 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. Sea otters are one of the few animals that use tools. The Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) also goes by the name California Sea Otter and has the distinction of being one the heaviest members of the weasel family, yet one of the smallest marine mammals. They can use a rock to dislodge mollusks and urchins from the rocks where they are attached. The Northern Sea Otter is found in Washington, Canad a, and Alaska. A quick glance at facts about California's southern sea otter population.-- Created using PowToon -- Free sign up at http://www.powtoon.com/ -- Create animated… Although called a "river otter", it inhabits both marine and freshwater environments. Its fur is the densest of any animal on Earth—an estimated 1 million hairs per square inch. Sea otters eat about 25% of their weight every day, and is arguably the number one cause in sea otter deaths, when they cannot forage enough food… The southern river otter (Lontra provocax) is a species of otter that lives in Chile and Argentina. Sea Otters sporadically go onto shore to rest and sometimes in the winter go on sandy, cobble, snow covered beaches, small icebergs or when population density is high. Otters do not have blubber, instead air is trapped within their fur to keep them warm. Sea otters use rocks to remove prey from their shells. 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. Other threats to southern sea otters include entrapment or entanglement in fishing gear, oil spills, and climate change. Average weight of an adult female California sea otter is about 50 lbs. Gestation is 6 months (2 months delayed implantation + 4 months pregnancy). The animals that they prey on devour kelp forests. This range decreased significantly during the fur trade during the 18th and 19th centuries, with excessive hunting nearly driving the species into extinction by the early 1900s. Currently the southern sea otter population is estimated at just above 3,000 animals. 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. Like other members of this family, they have very thick fur. A high number population of sea urchin can be reduce and reach its normal number of population because sea otter feeds on it. 1. The sea otter is covered in dense fur that consists of two layers. The animals that they prey on devour kelp forests. Southern sea otters can live to approximately 15 years for males and 16 years for females. The southern sea otter, one of 13 different species of river and sea otters worldwide, ranges from Año Nuevo, north of Santa Cruz, to Purisima Point, north of Point Conception. 2493 Portola Road, Suite B Seagrasses also provide important benefits, such as nursery habitat for many other species, shoreline protection, and carbon sequestration. Males can weigh up to 70 lbs. Pups are born year round. Pups begin to dive and forage at about 2 months. As a consequence of their threatened status, southern sea otters are also recognized as depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Sea otters eat many kinds of invertebrates, including sea urchins, abalone, clams, crabs, snails, sea stars, squid & octopuses. Sea otters have the thickest fur of any marine mammal, averaging 850,000 … Sea otters naturally thrive in nearshore habitats. They need a lot of food so that they stay healthy. 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 southern sea otter (the species found at SeaWorld San Diego) is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Sea Otters spend most of their life at sea, but will come ashore in bad weather or to avoid predators. They eat 40 plus different types of species such as clams, urchins, and snails. Newborn pups cannot sink nor can they dive. Northern sea otters are larger, up to 70 pounds (32 kg) for females and 100 pounds (45 kg) for males. The southern sea otter (Enhyrda lutris nereis), which lives in southern California. Sea otters play a vital role in the health and stability of the nearshore marine ecosystem as a keystone species. Hunting for food is one of the most important daily activities for the sea otter. Sea otters eat sea urchins & other invertebrates that graze on giant kelp. Sea Otters do not migrate due to their coat of fur. The life of a southern sea otter Sea otters spend most of their time near the shore. Because of their consumption of large quantities of marine invertebrates, sea otters play a significant role in nearshore marine ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean, enhancing not only kelp forests but also seagrass beds. Two or more otter species occupying the same geographical area usually have different food habits. California Sea Otters live among the protected shallow coastal waters between Half Moon Bay and Santa Barbara with a small colony on San Nicolas Island. 2. Newborn pups cannot sink nor can they dive. Southern sea otter facts. Food preferences vary among individuals. Sea otters naturally thrive in nearshore habitats. Southern sea otter consumes many types of prey including sea urchins, snails, clams, abalone, mussels, crabs, scallops, fish, barnacles, octopus, worms, and squid, which it captures with its clawed paws, not its jaws. 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. Southern sea otters inhabit shallow nearshore coastal ecosystems within 1-2 km from shore. That’s because a male sea otter bites a female’s nose to hold onto her during mating. They have four legs to move easily on land, and a long tail to swim through the water. The body condition of sea otters in areas of the range with low per-capita prey availability strongly influences their susceptibility to additional stressors. Sea otter counts are conducted annually by the U.S. Geological Survey. Otters use tools like rocks and sometimes soda cans. It sometimes is considered a subspecies of Lontra canadensis.The southern river otter is listed as endangered, due to illegal hunting, water pollution, and habitat loss The sea otter's dark brown fur is the finest and densest of any animal fur. Sea otters do not migrate and hardly ever travel far unless they are in search for food. In Thailand, the ranges of at least three otter species overlap. Average length of an adult California sea otter is about 4 ft. A group of sea otters resting together is called a raft. Cool Facts. See more ideas about otter love, otters, sea otter. A lanugo is a very soft, downy hair that develops in humans as well as animals. When the mothers dive for food, they tie their babies into kelp to ensure that they will not float away. Sea otters are known to carry rocks when they dive, to increase their weight when diving, as well as to crack open shells and protective armor, so they can eat the meat inside the shellfish. Threats to population recovery include white sharks, pathogens & parasites, food limitation, coastal pollutants and oil spills. Adult southern sea otters are approximately 4 feet (1.2 m) in length. (1.8-2.3 kg). The sea otter's dark brown fur is the finest and densest of any animal fur. Sea Otter Sea otters are part of the weasel family. Both are named after characters in John Steinbeck novels. Sign up for free. Unlike most other marine mammals, they have little subcutaneous fat, relying instead on their clean, dense, water resistant fur for insulation against the cold. Education. (20 kg) in weight. For southern sea otters to be considered for removal from threatened species listing, the population index would have to exceed 3,090 for three consecutive years, according to the threshold established under the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan by the U.S. Behavior. Today, southern sea otters live along the central coast of California; northern sea otters live along the coasts of Washington, Canada, and Alaska. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a thick layer of blubber and rely upon their water-resistant fur for insulation. Sea otter moms typically nurse and care for their pups for about 6 months before weaning them. Sea otters are quite large, weighing up to 100 pounds (45 kg) and reaching lengths of nearly 5 feet (1.5 m). Reduced range and population size, vulnerability to oil spills, and oil spill risk from coastal tanker traffic were the primary reasons for listing. Average adult sea otter: • Length: approximately 4-4.5 feet • Weight: 45 lbs (females); 65 lbs (males; max. By RickWood | Updated: Dec. 5, 2015, 10:09 p.m. Loading... Slideshow Movie. • To maintain its body temperature, the sea otter eats 25% to 35% of its body weight in single day. Longest dive ever recorded was just under 8 minutes. Sea Otters give birth throughout the year, there is three factors that may effect when the female gives birth those are: the weather, amount of food available, and the location. The primary factors limiting population growth and range expansion of southern sea otters in recent years have been density-dependent resource limitation (where the number of sea otters is in equilibrium with available prey) in much of the central portion of the mainland range and white shark attacks in the northern and southern portions of the mainland range. Sea otters have no blubber so they constantly groom themselves to maintain the insulating & water repellant properties of their fur. Sea otters have the densest fur of all mammals with up to 1 million hairs per square inch. In Russia, the count has come down to 15,000 and only a few dozens are left in Japan. 1. No sea otters, no kelp forests. In fact, at 850,000 to one million hairs per square inch, they have the thickest fur of any mammal. Sea otters most closely resembling todayâs southern sea otters occupied the southernmost portion of that rangeâfrom at least as far north as Oregon to the speciesâ southern limit at Punta Abreojos, Baja California. They can have over 1,000,000 hairs per square inch on their bodies! Reduced range and population size, vulnerability to oil spills, and oil spill risk from coastal tanker traffic were the primary reasons for listing. Otters generally prefer to live in water, and have the capability to dive up to 330 feet in search for food. The annual southern sea otter census is a cooperative effort between USGS-Western Ecological Research … Under state law, southern sea otters are "fully protected" mammals. southern sea otter 88 lbs). Otters are part of the Mustelidae family, which is a family of … A Sea Otter's Diet Sea otters eat a wide variety of prey, including marine invertebrates such as echinoderms (sea stars and sea urchins), crustaceans (e.g., crabs), cephalopods (e.g., squid), bivalves (clams, mussels, abalone), gastropods (snails), and chitons. Learn more about these cute and charismatic critters. Depending on factors such as habitat, sex, reproductive status, and per-capita prey availability, obtaining this quantity of food requires that sea otters spend 20-50 percent of the day foraging. california sea otters divide themselves in diet guilds. A quick glance at facts about California's southern sea otter population. Both northern and southern sea otters once inhabited the Oregon coast. That’s the same as an average teenager eating 120 hamburgers. Deepest dive recorded is 264 feet. Can otters use tools? Hopefully not stinky skunks!!! It sometimes is considered a subspecies of Lontra canadensis. Large percentage of southern sea otter mortality is due to infectious diseases, many of which are known to have anthropogenic causes. They float like corks on top of the water unable to dive and therefore, are completely dependent on the mother sea otter. Sea Otter: The Animal’s Predator and Prey . SHARE THE AWESOMENESS. After hunting on the seafloor, sea otters return to the surface to eat. The southern sea otters are carnivores (which means they eat only meat). Two furry sea otters — holding paws. Adult males average 65 lbs. There daily life usually consists of clams and mussels to eat and rock finding. There is one species of sea otter and three subspecies, the California or Southern sea otter is found off the central coast of California, the Northern sea otter is found in the waters off Alaska and Canada, and the common or Asian sea otter is found along coastlines of Japan and Russia. Is there a pupping season? Both mating and birth take place in the water, and males have harems of several females. Sea otters are unique in the otter family as the only species to give birth in the water. Sea otters reach maximum lengths of 4.9 feet (1.5 m) and weights of 100 pounds (45 kg). Southern Sea Otter Facts Scientific Name: Enhydra lutris, or Enhydra lutris nereis Physical Characteristics: 4 feet long, approximately 65 pounds, males - 45 pounds, females Strong canine teeth for tearing food, flat molars for crushing External ears like a sea lion's with excellent hearing capability They have webbed feet, water-repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water. Usually, a single baby (called a pup) is produced following 4 to 5 months of pregnancy. Otters have some interesting relatives. Have you ever seen an otter with a scarred or bloody nose? For southern sea otters to be considered for delisting under the Endangered Species Act, the population index would have to exceed 3,090 for three consecutive years, according to the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan. • To maintain its body temperature, the sea otter eats 25% to 35% of its body weight in single day. Southern sea otters wallpaper. Sea otter pup fur is known as a lanugo. Sea Otter Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. Oct 24, 2018 - Explore Kristen Marie's board "Otter Facts", followed by 103 people on Pinterest. 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. Shallow water no more than 100 feet deep is the otter’s preferred habitat, because it means less time spent diving for food. Sea otters primarily rely on their sense of touch (whiskers and forepaws) in murky waters to locate prey. Fun Facts About Sea Otters. Not all otters use tools, but sea otters use them all the time. 3. Sea otter pups. Sea otters are equally active both night and day. 2493 Portola Road, Suite B Sea otters, the smallest and most recently evolved of all marine mammals, are in the family Mustelidae that includes weasels, ferrets, badgers, skunks, freshwater and sea otters, and minks. 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