https://www.doi.gov › blog › 12-facts-about-otters-sea-otter-awareness-week Instead they depend on their dense, water-resistant fur to provide insulation. Those that have offspring may hunt more because it takes a great deal of milk to feed their young. It grows from 4.9 to 5.9 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) long. There are 13 species of otters, in seven genera, according to Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). With these rocks, they can open mussels and clams. They typically use rocks and empty shells to feed on marine snails, crabs, sea urchins and mussels. Most females have only one pup at a time. A newborn pup needs constant attention and will stay with its mother for six months until it develops survival skills. (41 kilograms).The smallest otter is the Asian small-clawed otter, which grows u… Not all otters use tools, but sea otters use them all the time. It’s really amazing to see.” According to Mathieu, the zoo invests a lot in “enrichment” of their animal enclosures. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean.Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg (31 and 99 lb), making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals.Unlike most marine mammals, the sea otter's primary form of insulation is an … They do this while asleep in the water. Coastal otters frequent intertidal zones in search of blennies, eels, rockling, crabs and other crustaceans, and are easy to spot when on the shore. The otter is one of the few mammals that use tools. Otters have some interesting relatives. Southern sea otters range along the mainland coastline of California from San Mateo County to Santa Barbara County, and San Nicolas Island. While what the previous answerer said is true and sea otters do use rocks as tools, Asian short clawed otters, in which no tool use has been documented, juggle rocks and pebbles as well. North American river otters tend to have spraint sites at vantage points, such as under bridges, on prominent rocks at the seashore, and near trees. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best … Fun fact: An otter pup’s fur is so dense that it can’t dive underwater until it gets its adult fur. Obsessed with travel? Even a baby sea otter can stay warm on the open ocean, but they do need some help from their mothers. Recreational juggling may be a playful way of learning how best to manipulate these tools. Nobody can resist a smile from a sea otter. This tool use involves the selection of a suitable rock, and the storing of it in the loose skin under the forelimbs. It is made up of a waterproof top layer and a short underlayer, which can contain as many as one million hairs per square inch. Healthy river systems in the UK may boast equally vibrant populations of otters as typical coastal habitat, but riparian otters are usually harder to spot due to high levels of human and dog disturbance, dense vegetation and the fact that it is more challenging to see otters hunting in fast moving rivers than on the sea. Where do otters live ? A female Otter can spend up to 8 hours a day nursing. And you definitely don’t want to mess with giant otters, just check out this clip below! 3. River otters use dens for giving birth and for shelter from extreme weather. Spraint composition is unique to each otter, and the creatures can identify each other by the smells. Each otter has its own unique spraint scent, almost like a fingerprint. There are 13 otter species around the world, including the giant river otters, North American river otter, Asian small-clawed otter, European otter, Japanese river otter and African clawless otter, as well as many less well known species. Their charming features are unparalleled, from their expressions to their use of tools. They have a pouch in their arm to store items like food and perhaps their favorite rock. 3. You can unsubscribe at any time. As with the sliding study discussed earlier, wrestling can also be considered a play activity because of repetition and frequency, with some otters wrestling up to 20 times in an hour [source: Beckel ]. Tiger guide: species facts, how they hunt and where to see in the wild, Jaguar guide: how to identify, where to see and conservation. The European River Otter … Some of these animals have hard shells, which protect them from predators. An otter’s lung capacity is 2.5 times greater than that of similar-sized land mammals. Otter, any of 13–14 species of semiaquatic mammals that belong to the weasel family and are noted for their playfulness. Once and a while they pop out to tease him. And river otters love to play on slippery rocks or ideally, snow banks, which they will body-surf down the length of, running back up to the top to do it all again. There are only a handful of non-primate species known to use tools, including dolphins and octopuses. The otter is lithe and slender with short legs, a strong neck, and a long flat tail that helps propel it gracefully through water. The sea otter is only found in salt water, where it prefers to eat invertebrates such as shellfish. Unlike most other marine mammals, otters lack a blubber layer. They use rocks and other hard objects to crack open crustaceans and mollusks to get at the fleshy parts within. Scottish coastal otters, for example, which usually forage and hunt throughout the day in summer, instead seek prey more intensively in the mornings (though, interestingly, camera-traps set by the International Otter Survival Fund have revealed that they are in fact also active at night). River Otters can be either diurnal or nocturnal, though most species are more active at night. This comes in handy when mothers leave their pups safely floating on the water’s surface while they forage for food. Why do Otters Hold Hands When Asleep? Many live in the waters surrounding public lands including Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai Fjords National Park and Glacier Bay National Park. We have reviews of the best places to see in Otter Rock. It’s not unusual to see a mother otter with her cubs, but families aside, it depends on the species. The North American River Otter, for instance, is nocturnal three seasons and more diurnal only in the winter. A recent study has revealed that sea otter tooth enamel is much tougher than that of humans, helping to prevent their teeth from being chipped when cracking into the prey using their high bite force. But for Adelie and Gentoo penguins, they also need the perfect pebble to seal the deal. But that isn't an issue for the talented sea otter, which cracks open the shells by banging them with rocks. In environments where sea otter populations have been reintroduced, tall kelp forests are flourishing. These include spraint sites on exposed roots and stones, worn slides on muddy banks and tracks showing five webbed toes. Forget everything you thought you knew about otter species. We promise that you’ll be otterly entertained! With these rocks, they can open mussels and clams. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. Research has shown that sea otters are vital to the health of carbon-absorbing kelp forests. The answer varies by species and location. This distinction goes to the sea otter. When otters fall asleep they tend to hold hands so they do not drift away from each other! Those that have offspring may hunt more because it takes a great deal of milk to feed their young. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. A sea otter’s pelt is the thickest of any mammal. Held every year during the last week in September, Sea Otter Awareness Week spotlights the important role of sea otters in nearshore ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean. 9. Though it is the largest, it isn’t the heaviest. As predators that are near the top of the food chain, otters are hugely important for keeping their environments balanced. Otters eat from 15% to 25% of their body weight each day. Eurasian otters have staged a remarkable comeback in the UK, where they’re now once again present in every single county. The otters lie on their backs and pat the stones into the air, catching them and rolling them skilfully around their chests and necks. This traps air and heat next to their skin. Sea otters’ diet includes sea urchins, crabs, mussels, and clams, which they’re known to crack open with a rock and eat while floating in the water. The U.S. is home to two species: the sea otter and the North American river otter. The spraints are often made of food waste; however, otters have anal glands that secrete the ‘otter-like’ smell. 8. Many species of river-dwelling otter can swim quite quickly – they have to be strong swimmers to catch fish and fight the flow of the river. Southern sea otters breed and pup year-round, while northern sea otter pups in Alaska are usually born in the spring. Many otters have a favorite rock that they store in one of their underarm pockets, carrying it with them wherever they go. Approximately 90 percent of the world’s sea otters live in coastal Alaska. The 13 otter species are members of the Mustelidae, or weasel, family and live in and out of water.For example, river otters reside along streams and waterways in freshwater areas within North America, and endangered sea otter inhabit the coasts along the Northern Pacific Ocean. So, a 50-pound otter would need to eat about 10-15 pounds of food per day. Otters are regularly seen using their little hands to juggle small rocks and this bizarre behaviour may finally be understood, thanks to a new study. But smooth-coated otters living in England zoos are often given food puzzles for enrichment, so these gizmos should not have been foreign to them. But the sea otter’s habitat is unique, as they only live in shallow coastal waters in the North Pacific ocean. The energy demands of a sea otter mother increases by 17 per cent after giving birth. River otters, however, can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes. Because otters actually form attachments to certain stones – keeping them in an armpit when not in use – and have been known to retain their favourite ones throughout their lives, which is definitely one of our favourite sea otter facts! Den sites include hollow logs, log jams, piles of driftwood or boulders, and abandoned lodges and bank dens made by beaver. Indeed, research suggests that the sea otter’s bite force may not be sufficient to open the hardest-shelled prey items, hence their use of tools. Otter watching involves perseverance. They do not express a preference for the shape of the stone or rock, but they do choose fairly large stones, between 6 and 15 cm (2.4 and 5.9 in), to rest on their chests. With the giant otters of the Amazon growing up to 2m in length, you can imagine that they can swim pretty speedily when they want to! They have a loose patch of skin under their armpit to store both the food they’ve foraged and their rock to crack it open. What do Otters Eat? What’s more, these coastal otters live their lives according to the tides, while river otters are usually most active at night. The largest otter is the giant otter. Hunted to the edge of extinction by fur traders in the 18th and 19th centuries, the few remaining sea otters (about 2,000 scattered in remnant colonies throughout the North Pacific rim) were first protected by the International Fur Seal Treaty in 1911. Try 3 issues of BBC Wildlife Magazine for just £5! Otters might look soft and cuddly but remain dangerous wild animals. They can spend up to five hours each day finding the food that they need in order to survive. Sea otters use rocks to crack open clams, crabs and other shellfish on their tummies. Otters have a fear of losing their family members while they are sleeping or relaxing. Winter brings many other dangers to otters. It's like they're carrying a … Sea otters in the United States received additional protections with the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s. From giving each other rocks (and not the sparkly kind) to singing heartfelt songs, these animals prove that there are lots of ways to go courting. River otters are much smaller -- averaging 10-30 pounds -- with a cylindrical body and small head. Birthing dens are lined with small sticks, shredded vegetation, and other available material. While mothers and pups are usually solitary, sea otters can form social groups of up to a few dozen. Sea otters have the thickest fur of any animal. Give a Gift (Dropdown) Subscribe ... with their paws or banging it with a rock that they use like an anvil. You can learn all about them here – Otters of the World. 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