Baby sea otters, like this little pup, depend on their mom to hunt for food for them. 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. 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. They prefer the shoreline to the deeper waters. Sea otter mother with baby and male, big sur, california, usa. At about two months of age, they are taught to swim by their mother. Sea otter life cycle: The otter does not go through stages to become an otter like some animals, for example a frog. Sea otter holding a rock that it uses to open shells ©Getty Images. Sea otters are slow swimmers that spend the majority of their lives on their backs. Otters were once heavily hunted, and numbers are still low. Text STOP to 69866 to stop receiving messages. An endangered species, the adult sea otter is the smallest of the marine mammals. Depending on where they live, predators could include large cats and snakes, alligators or caimans, domestic dogs, or eagles. They have webbed feet and flat tails for swimming. Mangrove swamps are found along tropical and subtropical coastlines, usually in bays protected from heavy waves, freshwater areas where rivers meet the sea. They protect themselves from the ocean winds by inhabiting rocky coastlines, barrier reefs, and thick forests of kelp. They are curious, and spend time investigating things, hunting, or playing with things they find. 34. They often float in the kelp forests, wrapping kelp around their bodies to anchor them in that spot. Portrait . 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. Fishermen train otters to drive fish into nets. Most otter species have webbed feet, some more than others. A European otter standing on an ice ledge ©Getty. As a keystone species in many ecosystems, sea otters are a critical part of maintaining our ocean’s ecosystem. ©Getty. Sea otter predators include killer whales, sea lions and sharks. There are 13 species, or kinds, of otter, on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica. They are classified as of Least Concern. If so desired, buyers can even have their Rapha Cycle Club member number printed on to the frame, too. Horizontal . 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). River otters are slimmer and sleeker with a long tail. In fact, at 850,000 to one million hairs per square inch, they have the thickest fur of any mammal. Explore {{searchView.params.phrase}} by color family The writers and publishers of kidcyber are Shirley Sydenham, a primary teacher, and Ron Thomas, a primary teacher-librarian. An ecosystem is the interaction of living things with each other and with their environment. 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. It is possible there are some in Lao, Malaysia and other places in Indonesia. All . The 13 species range in adult size from 0.6 to 1.8 m (2.0 to 5.9 ft) in length and 1 to 45 kg (2.2 to 99.2 lb) in weight. When they are about a year old, they are independent and head off on their own. Otters live in groups consisting of a female, her older young, and her latest pups. (Credit: Karen C Drayer Wildlife Center, University of California, Davis) Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Sea Otter Stock Photos and Images 2,986 matches. They  spend most of their time in the water, particularly sea otters, which spend only a little time on land. They close their nostrils and ears when they are underwater. Sea otters love cracking open mollusks like these and even use tools to crack them open. But right now, their population is at risk from oil spills, disease, and predation. Instead the sea otter relies on its thick fur to keep its body temperature around 100 degrees. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm. The evergreen trees and shrubs, also commonly called mangroves, thrive in mud or sand flats that are flooded daily with sea water. It is classified as 'Endangered, population decreasing'. Sea otters are social, and can often be seen in large groups called rafts. With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing solutions to save our ocean. 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. 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. They are the largest of the otter species, but not as heavy as the sea otter. Asian short-clawed otters are classified as Vulnerable. Otters live in groups consisting of a female, her older young, and her latest pups. They swim mostly on their backs or sides so they can see underwater and above. 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. A sea otter’s pelt is the thickest of any mammal. We are authors (together, individually and with others) of numerous books for teachers and kids, published in Australia and overseas. Thanks for celebrating National Sea Otter Awareness Week with us! 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. Asian short-clawed otter at entrance of its holt ©Getty Images. 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. As top predators, sea otters are critical to maintaining the balance of nearshore ecosystems, such as kelp forests, embayments and estuaries. They are also at home in rice paddies and in mangroves. The term ‘mangrove’ refers to a both habitat and its plants. Their teeth are different from those of other otters,  adapted for crushing shellfish and the bones of large fish. Mobile alerts from Ocean Conservancy. It is found in Sumatra (Indonesia)  and southern Thailand, southwest Cambodia and south Vietnam. New. DISCLAIMER: In the interest of a safe, educational online experience. Sea otters have an acute sense of smell and taste an… Terms and Conditions. They flip over when they are required to use their front paws or dive underwater for food. Sort by : Relevance. In California, the weight of a female is 45 lbs and of a male otte… Without them, the vibrant marine life they make possible is at risk, too. 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. 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. Otters are ready to reproduce when they are from 2 to 3 years of age. All inquiries should be made to the copyright owner at us@kidcyber.com.au. Female sea otters can have two babies born at once, however they usually will abandon one of them. This set contains 32 clipart files in both color and black and white.This download contains some of the following graphics. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. 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. Otter (Sea) Otter (Sea) Saved by Exploring Nature Eduational Resource. ... A raft of sea otters in a bed of kelp ©Getty Images. Otters are playful, energetic animals. Two sleeping sea otters holding hands so they do not float apart. The most comprehensive image search on the web. Asian short-clawed otter feeding ©Getty Images. An Asian short-clawed otter eating on a log across a river. This amazingly thick, waterproof fur is the reason sea otters were once hunted almost to extinction. 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. See more ideas about otters, sea otter, otter art. Sea otter rafts are segregated: Groups of between two and 1,000 otters are either all males or females and their young. 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. As long as they have nearby fresh water to wash the salt off their fur, they also hunt in sea water. Welcome to www.kidcyber.com.au, a website established in 1999 for primary students and teachers. 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. Rolling in the grass or against logs is fun, but it also is a way of keeping their fur in good condition. For details of the CAL licence for educational institutions contact: Copyright Agency. They have long whiskers that help them find food even in murky water. Google Images. The tail comprises less than a third of the body length. Female california sea otter with her baby/infant and a male otter are seen in the kelp on a cold Sea otter … The heaviest of the otter species. Built-in floaties! Close to their skin there is a thick layer of fur that traps air. The otter is the smallest marine animal but they can get up to five feet long and weigh up to around 70 pounds. Discover the science behind the cute. 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. Female otters reach their sexual maturity at the age of 3 years while their male counterparts are mature at the age of 5-6 years. Students from K to 8, their teachers and parents.Homeschool students and their parents.Teacher Librarians, If you:– need more help with this topic– need information for a school project– find broken linkscontact kidcyber. Their back feet are used to steer them in the water. Text HELP to 69866 for more information. Otters find most of their food in the water. But why do they do what they do? 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. 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. From holding paws to rubbing their faces, sea otters are otter-ly adorable. Learn from their accomplishments, Rose. Read More » Otter Research All otters are amphibious (say am-fib-ee-us) which means they are equally at home on land and in the water. 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. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm. Features of sea otters: What do they look like? If they find something really special, they will store it in a little bag beneath their arm. Photography . Another way to prevent drifting off before sleeping is for sea otters to wrap themselves in kelp. There is an outer layer of longer fur that is waterproof. Saved from exploringnature.org. Includes easy to read sentences for early readers. Orientation. In a healthy ecosystem, everything has its place. 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. An imbalance can destroy the ecosystem. Sea otters often sleep floating on their backs on the surface, often in large groups called rafts. They also eat frogs, small mammals, snakes and insects. Otters .. Sea otters typically do not swim alone, they usually swim in rafts, all of them floating together. 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