Sea Otter Facts

The Sea Otter’s scientific name is Enhydra Lutris. The Sea Otter is a the smallest marine mammal. The Sea Otter lives and feeds in the northern Pacific Ocean to central California Ocean along the coastlines. The Sea Otter is an endangered species and is now a legally protected species.

Sea Otters have flipper-like hind feet and a long dense coat, with straw colored fur on it’s head. Sea Otters are up to 3 feet long with a tail of up to 13 inches. Sea Otters have excellent vision for seeing underwater, a rudder-like tail and thick dense fur to insulate it. Sea Otters have big rounded teeth. Sea Otters are able to dive to depths of 98 feet.

The Sea Otter eats abalone, sea urchins and clams. The sea otter is a very clever animal, in that it will use a “tool” to help it get food. Sea otters collect clams and sea urchins in the ocean then it will bang the hard shells against a stone until the shell cracks and it can get the soft meat inside. Sea Otters are often seen floating on their back and eating the soft meat inside a clam using their stomach as a table.

The Sea Otter spends the majority of it’s time in the ocean, often hiding amoung huge beds of kelp and seaweed. The Sea Otter will even entangle itself in the kelp so it does not drift out to sea while its sleeping.

Sea Otters are very social creatures and live in groups. Sea Otter have a gestation of four months they give birth to one young at a time.

About the Author
Jacob Maddox manages content for Wildlife Animals http://www.wildlife-animals.com an educational wildlife and animal website. Jacob also guest writes for Dog Pound http://www.dog-pound.net