Some species use their hands to feel about in the mud or under rocks. Close to their skin there is a thick layer of fur that traps air. Relevance. FEEDING: Underneath each of the sea otter's powerful front paws is a pouch to store food collected during foraging dives. They  spend most of their time in the water, particularly sea otters, which spend only a little time on land. Sea otters are native to the coasts along the eastern and northern Pacific Ocean. Discover the science behind the cute. They have very thick fur – near about 250,000 to one million hair per square inch. The fur is responsible for insulating them and keeping them warm because they do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm and protect them from the outside environment. Happy National Sea Otter Awareness Week! The females of most species give birth in a den, called a holt. The evergreen trees and shrubs, also commonly called mangroves, thrive in mud or sand flats that are flooded daily with sea water. These charming marine mammals are a contrast of extremes. and are the smallest marine mammal in North America. The heaviest of the otter species. They are also at home in rice paddies and in mangroves. The biggest male sea otter can weigh up to 100 pounds. The average gestation period is six months. Sea otters are members of the weasel or mustelid family. They thrive in warm, coastal waters and usually remain within a kilometer from the shore. Sea otters birth throughout the year with the peaks in March and September. River otters are slimmer and sleeker with a long tail. 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. Similar Images . Rolling in the grass or against logs is fun, but it also is a way of keeping their fur in good condition. An ecosystem is the interaction of living things with each other and with their environment. Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. They swim mostly on their backs or sides so they can see underwater and above. For school or homeschooling projects or just reading for interest. Today they are protected by law and their numbers have increased. Males weigh 22-45 kg and are 1.2-1.5 m in length. The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammals, but one of the largest members of the family Mustelidae, a group that includes skunks and weasels among others. 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. The writers and publishers of kidcyber are Shirley Sydenham, a primary teacher, and Ron Thomas, a primary teacher-librarian. Photo gallery: 2019 Sea Otter Classic, Part one. Otters can "hide" in the kept forests and are safe from the whale, but can only stay there for one minute. They are the smallest of 13 species of otter,  known by a number of names including oriental small-clawed otter,  short-clawed otter or small-clawed otter. Georank. The otter is the smallest marine animal but they can get up to five feet long and weigh up to around 70 pounds. They are known to hunt in the sea and in freshwater. Sea otters dive to rocky reefs, where they collect invertebrates and also a large rock. 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.) The small, helpless, blind young are called pups. 34. Another way to prevent drifting off before sleeping is for sea otters to wrap themselves in kelp. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm. When they are about a year old, they are independent and head off on their own. Built-in floaties! They are curious, and spend time investigating things, hunting, or playing with things they find. Depending on where they live, predators could include large cats and snakes, alligators or caimans, domestic dogs, or eagles. They are classified as of Least Concern. Otters have two layers of fur. Your support can make a difference! Jun 9, 2016 - Explore Jenna Raski's board "Sea Otters" on Pinterest. 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. 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. They choose areas that have rocky substrates. The sea otter spends most of its life at sea. Otters are playful, energetic animals. As well as fish, freshwater otters hunt and eat frogs, crayfish, crabs and molluscs. They have an interesting method of eating their prey. Mobile alerts from Ocean Conservancy. Ocean Conservancy, International Coastal Cleanup, Ocean Action Network, Trash Free Seas, Trash Free Seas Alliance and Rippl are registered trademarks of Ocean Conservancy. It is found in Sumatra (Indonesia)  and southern Thailand, southwest Cambodia and south Vietnam. Learn from their accomplishments, Rose. Sea otters are part of the weasel family. Hairy-nosed otters are endangered, and their numbers decreasing. Sea otter is the heaviest and the second smallest aquatic member of weasel family. Horizontal . As the name suggests, the Asian short-clawed otter has small claws, unlike other otter species. Do ... Do Unto Otters Ocean Unit Sea Colour Science Projects Life Cycles Learn To Draw Nature Pictures Creative Art Wildlife. Using their sensitive front paws, they dig around in the mud and under stones to find their prey. Sea otters are social, and hang out together in groups called rafts. 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. Some of their playful behaviour of rubbing on logs, rolling in piles of fallen leaves and rubbing their chests on bunches of leaves on bushes actually has a serious purpose:  they are ways of leaving scent to mark their territory. Sea otters have lighter hair around their head, a fluffy, husky body, swim on their backs, and are very rarely found on land. When sleeping, sea otters are known to hold hands to keep from drifting apart while asleep. This is a medium sized otter about which little is known. The season for mating depends on the region where they live. Baby sea otters, like this little pup, depend on their mom to hunt for food for them. This species is the most widespread of the otters and are found from parts of Asia such as Sri Lanka and Indonesia, through Europe right up to the Arctic Circle, and in North Africa. Since they don’t have a layer of blubber to keep them warm, like other marine animals, adult sea otters must eat 25% or more of their body weight a day to keep warm. The species’ kingdom is animalia because the sea otter is motile at some point in their life cycle, multicellular, heterotrophic, and also lacks cell walls. Female sea otters can have two babies born at once, however they usually will abandon one of them. Sea otter rafts are segregated: Groups of between two and 1,000 otters are either all males or females and their young. They have webbed feet and flat tails for swimming. Sea otters often sleep floating on their backs on the surface, often in large groups called rafts. Sea otters are usually dark brown, often with lighter guard ha… ... A raft of sea otters in a bed of kelp ©Getty Images. Sea otter predators include killer whales, sea lions and sharks. For details of the CAL licence for educational institutions contact: Copyright Agency. Otters can stay under the water for  5 - 10 minutes, depending on the species. Water and ocean pollution affects them, particularly oil spills at sea. Otters must spend a lot of time grooming this top layer. Thanks for signing up for Ocean Conservancy emails. Sea Otter Stock Photos and Images 2,986 matches. Without them, the vibrant marine life they make possible is at risk, too. Recent books written together include Using the Library 1, 2 & 3; Thinking Through Themes (4 titles: Air, Fire, Water, Earth); and The Perfect School Project, published by and available at Teaching Solutions. In a healthy ecosystem, everything has its place. Females are slightly smaller, weighing 14-33 kg and measuring 1-1.4m in length. They are the largest of the otter species, but not as heavy as the sea otter. Filter by : Image Type . The term ‘mangrove’ refers to a both habitat and its plants. They have so much fur, they are too buoyant to stay underwater. Otters carry large stones between their forepaws on these dives, used to dislodge prey and to break open shells. 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. Their teeth are different from those of other otters,  adapted for crushing shellfish and the bones of large fish. 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. The giant otter, which is the longest otter, weighs around 85 pounds. A European otter standing on an ice ledge ©Getty. If this layer becomes matted and clogged with oil or other substances, it could prevent the animal staying warm, and it would affect its hunting ability. Your support can make a difference! Fishermen train otters to drive fish into nets. They also eat frogs, small mammals, snakes and insects. They can hold their breath underwater for about five minutes at a time. 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. Msg & data rates may apply. Two sleeping sea otters holding hands so they do not float apart. Portrait . Sea otters are social, and can often be seen in large groups called rafts. They are just over 1m long, have fully webbed feet and strong claws. Enhydra lutris. The most comprehensive image search on the web. Mangrove swamps are found along tropical and subtropical coastlines, usually in bays protected from heavy waves, freshwater areas where rivers meet the sea. Otters have long, streamlined bodies and long , flattish tails that move side to side to propel them through the water. In California, the weight of a female is 45 lbs and of a male otte… 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. Otters reproduction and life cycle. Like other members of this family, they have very thick fur. Google Images. They close their nostrils and ears when they are underwater. Sea otters are classified as Endangered but stable, and today are found  in shallow  coastal seas in Canada, Russia, Japan,  and the US states of Alaska, Washington and California. This makes up for its lack of blubber in the cold Pacific water. a fair dealing for the purposes of research or study) no part of this website may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. Otters have very fine brown and black fur, but as they age their hair gets lighter until it is almost white around their necks and hands. Instead, the fur is very thick, the thickest of all animals. After about a month, their eyes are open and they begin exploring the den. They have webbed feet, water-repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water. The sea otter is born an otter and grows just like we do. Sea otter holding a rock that it uses to open shells ©Getty Images. They prefer the shoreline to the deeper waters. At about two months of age, they are taught to swim by their mother. Level 15, 233 Castlereagh Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: +612 9394 7600 Facsimile: +612 9394 7601 E-mail: info@copyright.com.au, Except as permitted under the Act (for example for the services of the Crown or in reliance on one of the fair dealing exceptions i.e. kidcyber provides links to other web pages, selected and examined for their appropriateness, to provide more information about a particular topic. Includes easy to read sentences for early readers. All inquiries should be made to the copyright owner at us@kidcyber.com.au. Otters are crucial in maintaining healthy kelp by eating the predators, like crabs, that prey on slugs that clean the algae from kelp, as well as sea urchins that lay waste to kelp forests and create urchin barrens. Thanks for celebrating National Sea Otter Awareness Week with us! Sort by : Relevance. They are seriously threatened by rapid habitat destruction, hunting, and pollution. These otters choose territories in areas with equal amounts of land and running water. They easily run on land and swim doggie-style. It’s a member of the weasel family, and the only marine mammal that doesn’t have blubber to keep it warm. This isn’t exclusive to sea otters alone — river otters are also known to maintain river ecosystems and a healthy fish population by eating diseased fish. Teach your students in an exciting and entertaining way using these clipart graphics! Photography . They have long whiskers that help them find food even in murky water. The tiny claws do not protrude past the end of their nimble fingers. Otters .. The Asian short-clawed otters are considered to be the most vocal of the otters. In fact, at 850,000 to one million hairs per square inch, they have the thickest fur of any mammal. Asian short-clawed otter at entrance of its holt ©Getty Images. Otter (Sea) Otter (Sea) Saved by Exploring Nature Eduational Resource. As a keystone species in many ecosystems, sea otters are a critical part of maintaining our ocean’s ecosystem. ©Getty. Female california sea otter with her baby/infant and a male otter are seen in the kelp on a cold Sea otter … A raft of sea otters in a bed of kelp ©Getty Images. Explore {{searchView.params.phrase}} by color family 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. LIFE CYCLE: Male sea otters live between 10 and 15 years, while females live slightly longer, from 15 to 20 years. It has a highly buoyant, elongated body, blunt snout and small, wide head. A sea otter’s pelt is the thickest of any mammal. It is possible there are some in Lao, Malaysia and other places in Indonesia. Ocean Conservancy is a 501(c)3 – Tax ID #23-7245152 – Donations are 100% tax-deductible as allowed by law. Welcome to www.kidcyber.com.au, a website established in 1999 for primary students and teachers. Otters were once heavily hunted, and numbers are still low. Sea otters are foragers that eat mostly hard-shelled invertebrates, including sea urchins and a variety of clams, mussels, and crabs. Only 2% of sea otter births are multiples. Make a difference for sea otters, the ocean they call home, and the ecosystem we all depend on by making a donation today. New. They are fast and agile both in the water and on land. The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species and the giant otter and sea otter are the largest. They are found in a variety of habitats in Africa, including rainforests  and open plains in areas with water such as rivers, canals, reservoirs and lakes. They are classified as Near Threatened, with threats including chemicals in water from run off from farms and sewage that affect the otters' food,  illegal hunting, increased fish farming in some areas has made otters to be considered a pest. Asian short-clawed otters are classified as Vulnerable. Make a difference for sea otters, the ocean they call home, and the ecosystem we all depend on by making a donation today. They feed several times a day because they are such energetic animals. With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing innovative solutions to save our ocean. The life cycle of the parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, how it contaminates coastal waters and infects... [+] wild sea otters. The life expectancy is 10-15 years. If so desired, buyers can even have their Rapha Cycle Club member number printed on to the frame, too. See more ideas about otters, sea otter, otter art. Like most other mammals, sea otters will live based on if there is a good food supply. This system traps a layer of air next to their skin so their skin does not get wet. They are social, and play with each other, chasing or sliding down river banks or snow. If pollution like this continues to make its way into the ocean, sea otters and other animals can confuse it with food, get tangled up, and injure themselves. Without the sea otters, undersea animals would eat all the coastal kelp (a kind of seaweed) forests that provide shelter and food for many species of animals. It is classified as 'Endangered, population decreasing'. Information for kids K-6 about the different otter species. Their fur actually consists of two layers, an undercoat and longer guard hairs. With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing solutions to save our ocean. Otters are ready to reproduce when they are from 2 to 3 years of age. ... #128521256 - sea otter floating lazily on its back in clear cold water and.. Most are found in Alaskan waters. Life Cycle. 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. 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. Currently, the species has stable populations in Alaska, alon… Asian short-clawed otter feeding ©Getty Images. From holding paws to rubbing their faces, sea otters are otter-ly adorable. ©Getty. 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). Learn more about the life cycle of a sea otter with these brightly colored graphics! They have incomplete webbing between the fingers. There is an outer layer of longer fur that is waterproof. Sea otter diet includes sea urchins, abalone, octopus, snails, clams and mussels. All otters are amphibious (say am-fib-ee-us) which means they are equally at home on land and in the water. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm. 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). All . What better way to celebrate these slippery sea weasels than by basking in their adorableness and learning some fun facts about our furry friends! Saved from exploringnature ... . Males are more solitary or spend time with other males. The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. Orientation. They also face dangers from being caught in eel and fish traps and drowning, and being killed when crossing roads. 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