Sea Otter Facts

Are you looking for sea otter facts for your kids? Here are some amazing and thrilling facts that will make you fall in love with them.

Sea otters are the natives of North Pacific shores living in shallow water. They are the members of weasel or mustelid family. They are furry and sleek streamlined aquatic mammals. They can be seen right from the coast of California to Alaska and from the coast of Russia to northern Japan. These mammals spent most of their time in water. They are very fast in water and look extremely graceful, whereas on land they slow down. The scientific name of sea otter is Enhydra lutris. This article intends to bring some interesting sea otter facts for you.

Facts about Sea Otters

Description 
Sea otter is the heaviest and the second smallest aquatic member of weasel family. They have very thick fur, near about 250,000 to one million hair per square inch. 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. The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. In California, the weight of a female is 45 lbs and of a male otter is 65 lbs whereas, in the northern sea it is goes up to hundred pounds.

The lifespan of a female otter is 15 to 20 years and of a male otter is 10 to 15 years. They give birth to their young ones, mostly in spring. The weight of the new-born is generally between three to five lbs. After a week or two, the pups start swimming and doing their daily habits. Young ones are very playful and curious. After five to eight months, they leave their mothers and do things on their own.

Population
Earlier, they were in large numbers, ranging from hundred thousands to some millions. But, unfortunately because of man's desperate need for fur for fashion and fur trading, the number has come down to 1000 - 2000 in the early eighteenth century. By the year 2009 the southern sea otters at the coast of California were approximately 2,800, in Alaska, Washington and Canada the northern sea otters were between 64,600 to 77,300. In Russia, the count has come down to 15,000 and only a few dozens are left in Japan.

Behavior
They generally prefer to live in water and have the capability to dive up to 330 feet in search for food. For resting they go to kelp forest and generally drape the kelp over their bodies. They mate and reproduce throughout the year. The duration of gestation period is about six to eight months. They have a threat from oil because if their fur is oiled it loses its insulating quality. They are even poisoned if they eat oily food and are even affected by oil fumes. The threat to sea otters also includes parasites, entanglements, boat strikes, toxins, and infectious diseases.

Eating Habits
Sea otters eat seaweeds and aquatic plants only because they are omnivorous. Apart from this, many are carnivorous as well. They eat around forty other species of aquatic animals. They love hunting sea urchins, crabs, snails, small fish and clams. One of the interesting facts is that they are the only aquatic mammals who know the use of tools, other than birds, primates and a few other animals. They make use of rocks and other hard objects to pry shellfish and to open them. 

Now unfortunately, sea otters are declared to be endangered species. They have been listed as endangered and threatened under the federal ESA and given full protection under the California state law. So, let us also contribute to the awareness program for sea otters and introduce others to the interesting facts and save these unique aquatic creatures.