They hold their food in their hands as they eat, and although they crush the shells of crabs and molluscs with their strong back teeth, they are known to leave them in the sun for a while so that the shells open up in the heat. They can dive as deep as 100 metres, and can close their nostrils and ears when they do so. FEEDING: Underneath each of the sea otter's powerful front paws is a pouch to store food collected during foraging dives. It is possible there are some in Lao, Malaysia and other places in Indonesia. The evergreen trees and shrubs, also commonly called mangroves, thrive in mud or sand flats that are flooded daily with sea water. Otters reproduction and life cycle. Without them, the vibrant marine life they make possible is at risk, too. They are known to hunt in the sea and in freshwater. They have webbed feet and flat tails for swimming. Sea otter mother with baby and male, big sur, california, usa. The term ‘mangrove’ refers to a both habitat and its plants. Sea otters love cracking open mollusks like these and even use tools to crack them open. Sea otters typically do not swim alone, they usually swim in rafts, all of them floating together. Otters are playful, energetic animals. Msg & data rates may apply. They swim mostly on their backs or sides so they can see underwater and above. The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows 10% of the number of words on this website to be reproduced and/or communicated by any Australian educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or the body that administers it) has given a Notice to Copyright Agency under part VB of the Act. Ocean Conservancy is a 501(c)3 – Tax ID #23-7245152 – Donations are 100% tax-deductible as allowed by law. Rice farmers are tolerant of these otters because they feed on crayfish that can damage rice fields. Adult males reach an average length of 4.5 feet (1.4 m) with a typical weight between 50 and 100 lbs (23 to 45 kg), while adult females reach an average length of 4 feet (1.2 m) and typically weigh 45 lbs (20 kg). The season for mating depends on the region where they live. As a keystone species in many ecosystems, sea otters are a critical part of maintaining our ocean’s ecosystem. Males are more solitary or spend time with other males. Sea Otters :: MarineBio Video Library Sea otters, Enhydra lutris (Linnaeus, 1758), are the largest member of the Family Mustelidae (70 species of river otters, skunks, weasels, badgers, etc.) ©Getty. Photography . Otters carry large stones between their forepaws on these dives, used to dislodge prey and to break open shells. Sea otters are members of the weasel or mustelid family. DISCLAIMER: In the interest of a safe, educational online experience. https://www.dkfindout.com/us/animals-and-nature/otters/, https://www.activewild.com/sea-otter-facts/, Fun Fact: baby otters have to be taught how to dive and swim by their mothers …, http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/71202603185. River otters are slimmer and sleeker with a long tail. This set contains 32 clipart files in both color and black and white.This download contains some of the following graphics. Teach your students in an exciting and entertaining way using these clipart graphics! This species have a wide range of habitats with nearby land area suitable for their resting and grooming, including coastal areas, rivers, streams, fjords, and ricefields. Portrait . It is classified as 'Endangered, population decreasing'. Otters communicate with each other using lots of different sounds, such as whistles and growls, chirps and barks: about a dozen or more different calls, each with its own distinct meaning such as alarm, greeting and mating calls. Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Their teeth are different from those of other otters,  adapted for crushing shellfish and the bones of large fish. In fact, at 850,000 to one million hairs per square inch, they have the thickest fur of any mammal. Do ... Do Unto Otters Ocean Unit Sea Colour Science Projects Life Cycles Learn To Draw Nature Pictures Creative Art Wildlife. LIFE CYCLE: Male sea otters live between 10 and 15 years, while females live slightly longer, from 15 to 20 years. Sea otters are usually dark brown, often with lighter guard ha… Without them, the vibrant marine life they make possible is at risk, too. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm. Horizontal . The object is for the sea otters to cross the ocean three times and get a sea urchin each time without being "eaten" (tagged) by an orca whale. With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing innovative solutions to save our ocean. Information for kids K-6 about the different otter species. At about two months of age, they are taught to swim by their mother. This makes up for its lack of blubber in the cold Pacific water. Sea otter is the heaviest and the second smallest aquatic member of weasel family. The … As long as they have nearby fresh water to wash the salt off their fur, they also hunt in sea water. They thrive in warm, coastal waters and usually remain within a kilometer from the shore. Their back feet are used to steer them in the water. Their habitat  is next to rivers and streams, in wetlands, and estuaries (an estuary is a partly enclosed area of water with rivers running into it, and connected to the sea). Floating freely on its back, the sea otter seems like the very picture of serenity, but they are quite voracious predators and need to eat a lot to sustain their lifestyle. Relevance. Includes easy to read sentences for early readers. This is a medium sized otter about which little is known. This system traps a layer of air next to their skin so their skin does not get wet. Otters were once heavily hunted, and numbers are still low. They use the rock as a table against which they smash their shelled prey to g… Sea otter holding a rock that it uses to open shells ©Getty Images. Rolling in the grass or against logs is fun, but it also is a way of keeping their fur in good condition. When they are about a year old, they are independent and head off on their own. All . Sea otters often float at the water's surface in forests of kelp, or giant seaweed, and entangle themselves to keep from moving in the rolling sea. Sea otter pups are born in the water, with their eyes open, and have a special layer of fur so they can float even though they can't swim yet. They are the least social of the otters. Otters are alert, and their sensitive whiskers can detect movement of any predators in the water. Instead, the fur is very thick, the thickest of all animals. Hairy-nosed otters are endangered, and their numbers decreasing. All . Currently, the species has stable populations in Alaska, alon… Features of sea otters: What do they look like? Sea otters dive to rocky reefs, where they collect invertebrates and also a large rock. Otter (Sea) Otter (Sea) Saved by Exploring Nature Eduational Resource. kidcyber has no control over the information at these sites or links made from them to others sites, which might be considered inappropriate by some people. Water and ocean pollution affects them, particularly oil spills at sea. They have an interesting method of eating their prey. Our ocean faces many threats like the onslaught of ocean trash, overfishing and ocean acidification. This amazingly thick, waterproof fur is the reason sea otters were once hunted almost to extinction. They are seriously threatened by rapid habitat destruction, hunting, and pollution. by James Huang. Jun 9, 2016 - Explore Jenna Raski's board "Sea Otters" on Pinterest. The giant otter, which is the longest otter, weighs around 85 pounds. Their fur actually consists of two layers, an undercoat and longer guard hairs. Female california sea otter with her baby/infant and a male otter are seen in the kelp on a cold Sea otter … Instead the sea otter relies on its thick fur to keep its body temperature around 100 degrees. They are found near slow-moving rivers, streams, lakes and swamps or rainforests in South American countries including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraquay and Venezuela. The sea otter spends most of its life at sea. Today they are protected by law and their numbers have increased. They are social, and play with each other, chasing or sliding down river banks or snow. But right now, their population is at risk from oil spills, disease, and predation. For school or homeschooling projects or just reading for interest. We’re dedicated to working with indigenous communities, legislators, scientists and people like you to advocate for science-based solutions to protect this fragile ecosystem. Sea Otters give birth throughout the year, there is three factors that may effect when the female gives birth those are: the weather, amount of food available, and the location. Sea otters are foragers that eat mostly hard-shelled invertebrates, including sea urchins and a variety of clams, mussels, and crabs. The heaviest of the otter species. ... A raft of sea otters in a bed of kelp ©Getty Images. Text HELP to 69866 for more information. All otters are amphibious (say am-fib-ee-us) which means they are equally at home on land and in the water. To do this, they slow down their heart rate so they use less oxygen. Sea otters play a very important role in maintaining the balance in their near-shore marine environment, so important that they are considered to be a 'keystone' species. The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. 34. The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species and the giant otter and sea otter are the largest. Otters are ready to reproduce when they are from 2 to 3 years of age. Thanks for celebrating National Sea Otter Awareness Week with us! Easy to understand text for student research, including material for primary school students K-6Easy to navigate formatUnits of work and lesson plans for teachers on a variety of topics in key learning areaskidcyberQuests: student webquest assignments with links to information sites for research, project ideas, evaluation'Ask a kidcyber Researcher' feature where students can request specific information about a topicAdvice to parents about helping with school homework assignments and projects. Georank. Photo gallery: 2019 Sea Otter Classic, Part one. Sort by : Relevance. They float on their backs, and crack open mussel and clam shells with a rock they hold on their stomachs.Sea otters eat about one quarter of their body weight each day. After about a month, their eyes are open and they begin exploring the den. has a very unique life history and reproduction cycle.. Sea Otters have a polygynous mating system and show highly significant sexual dimorphism. Sea otter rafts are segregated: Groups of between two and 1,000 otters are either all males or females and their young. The benefits that a heavy sea otter presence provides to seagrass, among others, is one of the many reasons they are deemed keystone species — that is, species that hold an ecosystem together. Otters are born otters but grow and develop into bigger otters. The females of most species give birth in a den, called a holt. Even a baby sea otter can stay warm on the open ocean, but they do need some help from their mothers. If they find something really special, they will store it in a little bag beneath their arm. These charming marine mammals are a contrast of extremes. An endangered species, the adult sea otter is the smallest of the marine mammals. New. Otters are part of the mammal family called mustelids, which includes ferrets, badgers, minks and weasels. They prefer the shoreline to the deeper waters. They are  found in north-western and south-western India; southern China including Hainan, a large island off the south China coast; the Malay Peninsula; the islands of Sumatra, Java, and Borneo; the Riau islands; and Palawan Island in the Philippines. A European otter standing on an ice ledge ©Getty. Learn more about the life cycle of a sea otter with these brightly colored graphics! There is an outer layer of longer fur that is waterproof. Text STOP to 69866 to stop receiving messages. The average gestation period is six months. They are fast and agile both in the water and on land. They also face dangers from being caught in eel and fish traps and drowning, and being killed when crossing roads. kidcyber cannot be held responsible for inappropriate sites Note: all kidcyber topics are regularly checked, updated and added to, so keep checking out this website. 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