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Sea Otter

HABITAT:

Found along the northern shores of the Pacific ocean.

DESCRIPTION:

Of sturdy build, the otter reaches a length of 1 to 1.2 m. They feed mainly on sea urchins, which they crush with their large, teeth. Sea otters also regularly use rocks as tools to open shellfish while swimming on their backs. The sea otter is the only marine mammal lacking an insulating layer of blubber, which serves to protect the animal from the frigid ocean waters. So they can't go up that far north. To compensate for this lack of blubber, the sea otter must constantly groom its fur, keeping it extremely clean and allowing an insulating layer of air to be trapped against the skin. When the fur is contaminated by oil, sea otters lose the ability to protect themselves against cold ocean waters, because the oil mats the fur, preventing the insulating air space from forming. In addition, the sea otter ingests the oil as it cleans its fur, which can cause illness and death.

THREATS:

Originally hunted for its excellent fur, now it is suffering due to sea pollution, especially oil spills.

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