What Do Sea Otters Eat? And Other Otter Trivia
- Species conservation
- Natural history
You already know sea otters are cute and charismatic, but how well do you know your sea otter facts? From a sea otter’s diet and habitat to unique adaptations, take a deep dive into this trivia! Plus, see how you can be part of critical conservation efforts to protect these animals.
Southern sea otters are a threatened species, so the survival of each individual otter is crucial to the future of this population. As the world’s largest marine mammal hospital, The Marine Mammal Center takes what we learn from the hundreds of animals we rescue each year to better understand how to protect our ocean and marine mammals like the southern sea otter.
Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Click “Show More” to reveal the answer and more facts about sea otters.
In terms of scientific classification, what family are sea otters a member of?
Southern sea otters are members of the weasel or mustelid family.
Sea otters have dexterous paws and are known to be clever animals. While our standard rehabilitation pens are great for seals and sea lions, they left a few ways for sea otters to break free. So, we retrofitted some to safely house and care for these talented escape artists. Every individual is critical to the recovery of this threatened species, and we're proud to do all we can to help this resilient species thrive once again.
How many individuals are in the southern sea otter population today?
There are about 3,000 southern sea otters living along the California coast, ranging from San Mateo to Santa Barbara counties.
After being hunted to the brink of extinction for their luxurious fur, southern sea otters are slowly recovering, and the population is listed as a threatened species.
What do sea otters eat?
As one of the few animals that uses tools, sea otters mostly feed on shelled creatures like urchins, crabs, clams and abalone, using a rock to break them open. In a single day, they can eat 25 to 30 percent of their body weight!
Did you know that a sea otter’s diet helps fight climate change? Sea otters are a keystone species, which means they are essential to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. As top predators, they help control populations of purple sea urchins—which are voracious kelp grazers—so that kelp forests can flourish. And not only do these thriving kelp forests provide habitat to other species, but they’re also very efficient in capturing carbon dioxide, which strengthens our natural defenses against climate change.
How many hairs per square inch does a sea otter have?
With nearly 1 million hairs per square inch, sea otters have the densest fur of any animal.
Why do sea otters need so much fur? Without blubber to protect them from chilly ocean waters, they rely on this adaptation to keep warm and survive. In fact, sea otters have two layers of hair that trap air and keep their skin dry. But their fur loses its insulating qualities if exposed to oil, putting them at risk of oil spills. As part of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, our hospital acts as a primary response facility during a large spill to make second chances possible.
You can help the next otter in need when you adopt a past patient.
Where do sea otters live?
Southern sea otters can be found in nearshore waters along California’s central coast, from Half Moon Bay to Point Conception. There is a much larger population of sea otters in Alaska, and some still live in in Russia as well.
Before they were hunted to the brink of extinction for their luxurious fur, sea otters once lived along the entire North Pacific Rim from Japan to Baja California, Mexico. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently assessed the feasibility of reintroducing sea otters to their historical range in Northern California and Oregon. Not only is reintroduction biologically possible, but it may help the recovery of the threatened southern sea otter and restore vital kelp ecosystems—having a ripple effect that could benefit a variety of marine species and coastal communities.
What season are most southern sea otters in California born?
Winter! While sea otter pups can be born any time of year, most pups are born between January and March in California. For the first eight months, sea otter pups stick with mom, learning the vital skills they need to survive.
Before mom goes off to hunt for a nutritious feast, she’ll wrap her young pup in kelp and leave them bobbing on the surface. The pup's thick coat is so insulated with air pockets—to protect them from chilly water temperatures—that they are too buoyant to dive. At about four weeks old, the sea otter pup finally begins to learn to swim on their own.
Adopt a past sea otter patient to give current and future patients a second chance at life!
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