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Sea Otter

HABITAT:

Along the northern shores of the Pacific Ocean.

DESCRIPTION:

They are a length of 1 to 1.2 m, feed mainly on sea urchins, which they crush with their large, blunt 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 freezing ocean waters. To compensate for this, 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 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 other words, the sea otter ingests the oil as it cleans its fur, causing it to be really ill and may cause death.

THREATS:

Originally hunted for its' excellent fur, presently suffering due to sea pollution and, especially oil spills.

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