The sea otter is one of the most fascinating marine mammals in the world. Living along the coastal waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, sea otters are famous for their playful behavior, thick fur, and ability to use tools. Although they may look small and gentle, they play an important role in keeping ocean ecosystems healthy.
Unlike many marine mammals, sea otters do not have a thick layer of blubber to keep them warm. Instead, they depend on their extremely dense fur. Their fur traps air close to the skin, helping protect them from the cold ocean water. Because their fur is so important, sea otters spend a great deal of time grooming and cleaning it.
A Skilled Ocean Hunter
Sea otters mainly eat marine animals such as sea urchins, crabs, clams, mussels, snails, and other shellfish. They are excellent divers and can search for food along the ocean floor. Some sea otters can dive to depths of more than 100 meters, although many usually hunt in shallower water.
One of the sea otter’s most remarkable abilities is its use of tools. When it finds a shellfish with a hard shell, it may use a rock to break the shell open. The otter often places the rock on its chest while floating on its back and then repeatedly strikes the shell against it.
This behavior makes sea otters one of the few mammals known to regularly use tools. They may even carry favorite rocks in loose folds of skin beneath their forearms.
Important Protectors of the Ocean
Sea otters have a major influence on kelp forests. They eat sea urchins, which feed on kelp. If sea otter populations decline, sea urchin numbers can increase dramatically. Large numbers of sea urchins may destroy kelp forests by eating too much of the underwater vegetation.
Kelp forests provide food and shelter for many marine species, including fish, crabs, sea birds, and other ocean animals. By controlling sea urchin populations, sea otters help protect this important habitat.
For this reason, sea otters are often described as a keystone species. This means that their presence has an especially strong effect on the health of their ecosystem.
Life in the Water
Sea otters spend most of their lives in the ocean. They often float on their backs while resting, eating, or caring for their young. Mothers sometimes place their pups on their chests while they search for food.
Young sea otters cannot swim well when they are born. Their thick baby fur helps them float on the surface of the water. As they grow older, they learn how to dive, hunt, groom themselves, and survive independently.
Sea otters are social animals and may gather in groups called rafts. These groups can contain dozens or even hundreds of individuals. When resting, they sometimes hold hands so that they do not drift apart in the waves.
Threats and Conservation
Sea otters face several dangers, including oil spills, pollution, habitat destruction, disease, fishing equipment, and changes in ocean conditions. Oil is especially dangerous because it destroys the insulating ability of their fur. Without clean and healthy fur, sea otters can become dangerously cold.
Conservation programs have helped some sea otter populations recover, but many populations remain vulnerable. Protecting coastal habitats, reducing pollution, and maintaining healthy marine ecosystems are important steps toward their survival.
The sea otter is more than a cute and playful animal. It is an essential part of the ocean environment. By protecting sea otters, people also help protect kelp forests and the many species that depend on them.
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