(Enhydra lutris)
Family Life
Sea otters’ family life is a BIG DEAL! There is grooming, there is feeding, there is playing, there is more grooming, there is wrapping baby in kelp so you can go hunt and she’ll be there when you get back.
With no real birthing season, births occur year round.
Sea otters spend a lot of time with their young. They are capable of delayed implantation and gestation is about 4 months. They will generally give birth to a single pup. Sea otters are mammals and nursing lasts from about 6 to 8 months. 25% of pups will survive their first year.
Keystone species
Because of their diet, these little mustelids are keystone species in their environment. They eat the sea urchins who eat giant kelp. Giant kelp is the “rainforest” of the ocean. It provides oxygen and filtration and a nursery area for baby sea life to get its start. Giant kelp is one of the bases for life in the ocean. The proliferation of sea urchins can deplete a kelp forest. The sea otter’s presence keeps it in balance.
Adaptations
Sea otters prefer to eat sea urchins, mollusks and crustaceans. They will often use a rock or other hard item to pull their prey from its rocky crevice and then use the same or a different tool to break the hard shell apart. The otter will often store the tool in his “armpit” area.
Their fur is really dense and waterproof, which is a good thing because blubber is not something they are blessed with. They also molt sort of continuously rather than all at once like the elephant seals we’re about to meet.
But why do they groom like that? I mean, all the time?? The waterproofness of the fur is dependent upon how clean it is!
Relationship to Fishermen
As you can imagine, fishermen like to catch sea urchins, mollusks and crustaceans! They often feel like sea otters get in the way. Between this feeling and the waterproof fur, it was hard to find sea otters along the CA coast for a long time. They are back, in protected areas and doing well there. We need more protected areas, and more education surrounding their importance.
Numbers
~3,000
Weathering the Storm
Otters are pelagic swimmers and are not as affected by waves as we might guess. The largest population in CA is in Big Sur- where it’s very thrashy and tides get high. Sea otters are built to outlast the storm. One thing that does affect them after a storm is the plethora of bacteria and antigens in the sea water. As mammals they can get and carry disease.
Future
They need protection. Their fur is coveted by fur traders, their existence is threatened by the fishing industry. And of course all of the things that affect the ocean will affect them: pollution and acidification affects their major food sources. Entanglement as well as boat strikes and oil spills are also major threats.
What can you do?
Car Discussion: What can YOU do to help sea otters in California?
Terms To Know:
Keystone Species- A keystone species is a species which has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance
Kit, Whelp, Pup– terms to describe a baby sea otter
Bevy, Family, Lodge, Romp, Raft– terms to describe a group of sea
otters
Boar/Sow- male/female sea otter
Vibrissae– helps an animal locate prey and navigate their environment. Vibrissae are connected to blood vessels, nerves, and muscles. They are an important sensing tool.
Endangered Species- An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invasive species.
