| MadSci Network: Zoology |
Hello Ashley, Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are carnivores, meaning that they eat other animals, but not plants. Their favorite foods are crabs, sea urchins, clams, abalone, and other types of shellfish. An otter will dive down to collect its prey, then return to the surface to eat it. It then floats on its back and pounds open the prey using a rock it carries on its chest. This use of a rock to open the prey item prompts some people to conclude that sea otters are the only non-primate mammals that use tools. Where I live, on the central California coast, we often see sea otters floating on their backs in the kelp. They have a high metabolic rate and have to spend a lot of time foraging for food, but they do sleep wrapped up in kelp. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters don't have a layer of fat called blubber. Instead, they rely on their thick fur to insulate them from the cold water. Since fur doesn't work as an insulator if it is matted or dirty, otters spend a lot of time cleaning and grooming their fur. The sea otter's pelt is amazingly soft - I felt one yesterday, and almost couldn't believe how soft it was! At the university I attend (University of California, Santa Cruz), there are and have been many people who study sea otters. If you are interested, I can give you more detailed information about otters. In the meantime, here are some links to Internet sites that you might find helpful: http://oceanlink.island.net/ http://www.silcom.com/~njhua/otter/otter.html The Monterey Bay Aquarium has sea otters on exhibit, and works to rehabilitate injured and orphaned sea otters. Their Internet address is: http://www.mbayaq.org and you’ll be able to find information on otters there. If you ever get a chance to visit California, be sure to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It is a wonderful place! Good luck, and thank you for your question. If you want to know more, please feel free to e-mail me (gong@biology.ucsc.edu). Allison J. Gong Mad Scientist
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Zoology.