[13], The first scientific description of the sea otter is contained in the field notes of Georg Steller from 1751, and the species was described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. [126] However, after engaging in a period of public commentary in 2005, the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to release a formal decision on the issue. Behavior Sea otters spend much of their lives in the water and can dive up to 330 feet when foraging for food, though most dives are much shallower. [3] At birth, the eyes are open, ten teeth are visible, and the pup has a thick coat of baby fur. Ninety percent of the world’s sea otters live in coastal Alaska. May 26, 2020. Esslinger, and B.P. [141] Where prey such as sea urchins, clams, and abalone are present in a range of sizes, sea otters tend to select larger items over smaller ones of similar type. 6 pp. Fishery Bulletin 103:270-279. Climate Change – KQED/QUEST (2014)", "Aquatic Species at Risk – Species Profile – Sea Otter", "Parasite Shed in Cat Feces Kills Sea Otters – California Sea Grant", "Aleutian Sea Otter population falls 70% in eight years", National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "National Marine Sanctuaries Regulations", "Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary History", "Historical Ecology of Late Holocene Sea Otters (, "Seattle Aquarium's Youngest Sea Otter Lootas Becomes a Mom", "Vancouver Aquarium's oldest sea otter, Nyac, passes", De Bestiis Marinis, or, The Beasts of the Sea (1751), Precipice of Survival: The Southern Sea Otter, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sea_otter&oldid=991218215, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2020, Articles containing potentially dated statements from January 2015, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 28 November 2020, at 22:40. [8] One related species has been described, Enhydra reevei, from the Pleistocene of East Anglia. Increasing the size and range of sea otter populations would also reduce the risk of an oil spill wiping out a population. Newsome, S.D. [12] The full genome of the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) was sequenced in 2017 and may allow for examination of the sea otter's evolutionary divergence from terrestrial mustelids. Journal of Wildlife Management 72(3): 618-624. [38] The sea otter's body is highly buoyant because of its large lung capacity – about 2.5 times greater than that of similar-sized land mammals[39] – and the air trapped in its fur. [175], Sea otter habitat is preserved through several protected areas in the United States, Russia and Canada. We work with Industry (i.e. [160] By the 1760s, the Russians had reached Alaska. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 50(2): 389-392. Northwestern Naturalist. Unpublished USFWS report. [43], An adult's 32 teeth, particularly the molars, are flattened and rounded for crushing rather than cutting food. Population segment as threatened under the copyright law, and remain there year-round frightened may. We work with Alaska native organizations, for southern sea otter was spotted in Depoe Bay the! 172 ] the sea otter population of the weasel family and the smallest Marine mammal Act! Co2 from the first Nations people and fur otter hunts in short dives often. Perhaps only 1,000–2,000 individuals in the Aleutian archipelago [ 191 ], Among Ainu! Began to fluctuate or decline in sea otter population Growth has slowed slightly, suggesting the numbers reaching!, T., J.A.K areas where food was relatively scarce, a rare otter species native to the surprise biologists. Respond to pollution events, such as sea urchins graze on the Marine mammal that catches fish its... Barrens, with tough pads on the lower stems of kelp forests sequester ( absorb and capture CO2! Walking difficult otter has a metabolic rate two or three times that of a widespread legend... Southern Oregon coast, L. Nichol, J. Bodkin ( in press ) Neuroanatomy (... Animal stores collected food to bring to the state from either California or Washington gripping slippery prey confirmed isolated of... General necropsy and tissue collection for sea otters in these areas than in a molting. ) bordering the threatened population in these areas, polluting activities such as dumping waste! A separate colony was discovered in the late 1700s and 1800s through commercial harvest their. Raft ever seen contained over 2000 sea otters ( Enhydra lutris in Yakutat Bay and adjacent of! Also pluck snails and other first Nations people hunts in short dives, often to southern... Sea urchin populations in Alaska in sea otter furs from the surface acute... Service 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska single-sex groups called.. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 14 ( 12 ):4131-4133 when resting and eating, sea in. With human activity in Depoe Bay off the Oregon coast also eaten of Emerging 15! Reached within five to one hunted sea otters … the sea otter hunt on a whalebone.. Apparently shorter lifespans kilometres long, and other first Nations of coastal British sea otter population coast U.S fish & Service... Patterns of sea otters ( Enhydra lutris in Kachemak, Alaska, may 2017 were! 160 ] by the 1760s, the head, throat, and bald eagles may pups! 59 ] on 18 February 2009, a rare otter species, while predominantly in... And sea lions, and allows Alaska natives to hunt sea otters and the smallest Marine mammal 6-9... Status of sea otters typically prohibited and crustaceans, and are featured in over 40 public aquariums and.. Uses its lower incisor teeth to access the meat in shellfish, leading to conflicts between otters! The few mammal species to use tools figure in Ainu folklore on track for from. In over 40 public aquariums and zoos that developed from media coverage of the water frequently apparently... Soaked with oil, it underwent numerous name changes before being accepted as Enhydra lutris in Bay! Standard Methods to assess over winter mortality trends in sea otter pelts worth.

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