Sea otters By Ellie R

What is a sea otter. The sea otter inhabits offshore environments, where it dives to the sea floor to forage. It preys mostly on marine invertebrates such as sea urchins, various molluscs and crustaceans, and some species of fish. Its foraging and eating habits are noteworthy in several respects. First, its use of rocks to dislodge prey and to open shells makes it one of the few mammal species to use tools. In most of its range, it is a keystone species, controlling sea urchin populations which would otherwise inflict extensive damage to kelp forest ecosystems. Its diet includes prey species that are also valued by humans as food, leading to conflicts between sea otters and fisheries.

Diet? Fish are relatively insignificant in their diets. Congo clawless otters probably feed on fairly soft prey items such as small land vertebrates, frogs, and eggs. A sea otter's diet consists mainly of slow- moving fishes and marine invertebrates including crabs, sea urchins, abalones, clams, mussels, and snails.

Were do sea otters live? Sea otters live in shallow coastal waters off the northern Pacific. Their historic range stretched from Japan, along the coast of Siberia and the Aleutian Chain and down the Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California coast to Baja California

What do sea otters do. The heaviest members of the weasel family, sea otters are also the second smallest marine mammals. Unlike other marine mammals, they do not have a layer of blubber to help them keep warm. Instead, sea otters have the densest fur in the animal kingdom, ranging from 250,000 to a million hairs per square inch, which insulates .

Colours of sea otters. Sea otter fur ranges from brown to almost black with guard hairs that may be silver, light brown, or black. As a sea otter ages, their hands and necks will lighten until almost white.

What do sea otters love to do. The sea otter inhabits offshore environments, where it dives to the sea floor to forage. It preys mostly on marine invertebrates such as sea urchins, various molluscs and crustaceans, and some species of fish. Its foraging and eating habits are noteworthy in several respects. First, its use of rocks to dislodge prey and to open shells makes it one of the few mammal species to use tools. In most of its range, it is a keystone species, controlling sea urchin populations which would otherwise inflict extensive damage to kelp forest ecosystems. Its diet includes prey species that are also valued by humans as food, leading to conflicts between sea otters and fisheries. The sea otter inhabits offshore environments, where it dives to the sea floor to forage. It preys mostly on marine invertebrates such as sea urchins, various molluscs and crustaceans, and some species of fish. Its foraging and eating habits are noteworthy in several respects. First, its use of rocks to dislodge prey and to open shells makes it one of the few mammal species to use tools. In most of its range, it is a keystone species, controlling sea urchin populations which would otherwise inflict extensive damage to kelp forest ecosystems. Its diet includes prey species that are also valued by humans as food, leading to conflicts between sea otters and fisheries.

How they dive under water? : Sea otters usually dive in water that is less than 130 feet deep and within 1 1/2 miles of shore. However, they can dive deeper - up to 300 feet deep and they are occasionally seen farther from shore. T h e s e a o t t e r ( E n h y d r a l u t r i s ) m a r i n e m a m m a l n a t i v e t o t h e c o a s t s o f t r t h e r n a n d e a s t e r n N o r t h P a c i f i c O c e a n . A d u l t s e a o t t e r s t y p i c a l l y w e i g h b e t w e e n m a m m a l s . U n l i k e m o s t m a r i n e m a m m a l s , t h e s e a o t t e r ' s p r i m a r y f o r m o f i n s u l a t i o n i s a n e x c e p t i o n a l l y t h i c k c o a t o f f u r , t h e d e n s e s t i n t h e a n i m a l k i n g d o m . A l t h o u g h i t c a n w a l k o n l a n d , t h e s e a o t t e r l i v e s m o s t l y i n t h e o c e a n .