[187], Among the Ainu, the otter is portrayed as an occasional messenger between humans and the creator. They have 7 cervical, 14 thoracic, 6 … We are restoring the world’s wild fish populations to serve as a sustainable source of protein for people. [84] A captive male sired offspring at age 19. in 1832 the sea otter was discovered. (20 kg) in weight. However, scientists still believe that populations are decreasing as a result of oil pollution, changes to north Pacific food webs, and habitat loss, and this species is considered endangered (highly vulnerable to extinction). Average weight of an adult female California sea otter is about 50 lbs. This pouch also holds a rock, unique to the otter, that is used to break open shellfish and clams. A sea otter startled onlookers recently when it surfaced off the coast of California with a small horn shark clasped in its forearms. [191], Since the mid-1970s, the beauty and charisma of the species have gained wide appreciation, and the sea otter has become an icon of environmental conservation. [16] However, because of the species' reputation for depleting shellfish resources, advocates for commercial, recreational, and subsistence shellfish harvesting have often opposed allowing the sea otter's range to increase, and there have even been instances of fishermen and others illegally killing them. Its diet includes prey species that are also valued by humans as food, leading to conflicts between sea otters and fisheries. [94] Individuals generally occupy a home range a few kilometres long, and remain there year-round. Marine otters are foraging predators that eat a wide variety of prey. It could have traveled to the state from either California or Washington. It is not known if this colony, which numbered about 300 animals in 2004, was founded by transplanted otters or was a remnant population that had gone undetected. However, biologists have confirmed isolated sightings of sea otters in these areas since the mid-1990s. Mating, birth, and nursing take pl… Kelp forests sequester (absorb and capture) CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. If the sea otter pelts brought back by Bering's survivors had been sold at Kyakhta prices they would have paid for one tenth the cost of Bering's expedition. It preys mostly on marine invertebrates such as sea urchins, various molluscs and crustaceans, and some species of fish. If your boss were a sea otter, he’d eat 1,000 sea urchins a day. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, E. l. kenyoni, the northern sea otter, is found from Alaska's Aleutian Islands to Oregon and E. l. nereis, the southern sea otter, is native to central and southern California. Sea urchins graze on the lower stems of kelp, causing the kelp to drift away and die. [88] Similarly, forced copulation by sea otters involving animals other than Pacific harbor seals has occasionally been reported. Sea otters spend all of their time in the ocean, including sleeping. bk on May 10, 2018: how much is a sea otter. The hind feet look like broad flippers, with webbed toes. Russian fur-hunting expeditions soon depleted the sea otter populations in the Commander Islands, and by 1745, they began to move on to the Aleutian Islands. Currently, the most stable and secure part of the sea otter's range is Russia. Archaeological evidence indicates that for thousands of years, indigenous peoples have hunted sea otters for food and fur. Are otters legal in New York? [77] Pups born to experienced mothers have the highest survival rates. [52] Observations of the amount of time a sea otter must spend each day foraging range from 24 to 60%, apparently depending on the availability of food in the area. in length and weigh 2 to 2.3 kg (4.5-5 lb.). [142] 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. While they prefer invertebrates, including crabs, clams, and other hard-shelled groups, they are also known to eat some fishes, juvenile birds, and even other mammals. Males can exceed 45 kg (99 lb) and 148 cm (57 in.) Sea otters may help mitigate effects of climate change by their cascading trophic influence[151], Reintroduction of sea otters to British Columbia has led to a dramatic improvement in the health of coastal ecosystems,[152] and similar changes have been observed as sea otter populations recovered in the Aleutian and Commander Islands and the Big Sur coast of California[153] However, some kelp forest ecosystems in California have also thrived without sea otters, with sea urchin populations apparently controlled by other factors. The sea otter’s fur is the thickest fur of any mammal, with 850,000–1,000,000 hairs per square inch. Initially, the objects it retrieves are of little food value, such as brightly colored starfish and pebbles. Versions of a widespread Aleut legend tell of lovers or despairing women who plunge into the sea and become otters. [104], Another area of concern is California, where recovery began to fluctuate or decline in the late 1990s. Mothers nurse their young for up to eight months. [163], Russian hunting expanded to the south, initiated by American ship captains, who subcontracted Russian supervisors and Aleut hunters[164] in what are now Washington, Oregon, and California. [79] Much has been written about the level of devotion of sea otter mothers for their pups – a mother gives her infant almost constant attention, cradling it on her chest away from the cold water [80] and attentively grooming its fur. They also scavenge for garbage, bringing them into close contact with people. How far would a mother sea otter go to protect her pup? [178] An estimated 1,200 sea otters live within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and more than 500 live within the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The sea otter is a charismatic marine mammal in the north Pacific Ocean and one of the largest species in the weasel family. First, its use of rocks to dislodge prey and to open shells makes it one of the few mammal species to use tools. [26], Under each foreleg, the sea otter has a loose pouch of skin that extends across the chest. Males are larger than females. It grows from 4.9 to 5.9 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) long. In some areas, massive declines in shellfish harvests have been blamed on the sea otter, and intense public debate has taken place over how to manage the competition between sea otters and humans for seafood. Unfortunately, this thick fur also nearly led to this species’ demise. Some 150,000–300,000 sea otters once ranged along 6,000 miles of northern Pacific coastline. Surprisingly, though, the diets of individuals were more specialized in these areas than in areas where food was plentiful. [185], For many maritime indigenous cultures throughout the North Pacific, especially the Ainu in the Kuril Islands, the Koryaks and Itelmen of Kamchatka, the Aleut in the Aleutian Islands, the Haida of Haida Gwaii[186] and a host of tribes on the Pacific coast of North America, the sea otter has played an important role as a cultural, as well as material, resource. [162], Other nations joined in the hunt in the south. The giant otter, which is the longest otter, weighs around 85 pounds. Although it can walk on land, the sea otter is capable of living exclusively in the ocean. [136], For southern sea otters to be considered for removal from threatened species listing, the U.S. Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. It is also the only species in that family that lives its entire life in the ocean, preferring rocky shores and kelp forests. [188] The sea otter is a recurring figure in Ainu folklore. [171] Describing the public sympathy for sea otters that developed from media coverage of the event, a U.S. Sea Otter Facts & Information. Under Aleksandr I, the administration of the merchant-controlled company was transferred to the Imperial Navy, largely due to the alarming reports by naval officers of native abuse; in 1818, the indigenous peoples of Alaska were granted civil rights equivalent to a townsman status in the Russian Empire. River otters forage alone or in pairs. [158] In 1775 at Okhotsk, sea otter pelts were worth 50–80 rubles as opposed to 2.5 rubles for sable. [16], During the 20th century, sea otter numbers rebounded in about two-thirds of their historic range, a recovery considered one of the greatest successes in marine conservation. Hatch, David R. (2002) Elakha: Sea Otters, Native People, and European Colonization in the North Pacific. [121] Another group of twenty swam 74 miles (119 km) north to San Miguel Island, where they were captured and removed. It is unique among the mustelids in not making dens or burrows, in having no functional anal scent glands,[4] and in being able to live its entire life without leaving the water. They are somewhat precocial; born with eyes open, first teeth already emerging, and a full coat of dense fur that enables them to float. The manufacture of the full-size Sea Otter began in 1940. [citation needed], The historic population of California sea otters was estimated at 16,000 before the fur trade decimated the population, leading to their assumed extinction. [91] They are found most often in areas with protection from the most severe ocean winds, such as rocky coastlines, thick kelp forests, and barrier reefs. Its foraging and eating habits are noteworthy in several respects. [118] By 1817, sea otters in the area were practically eliminated and the Russians sought permission from the Spanish and the Mexican governments to hunt further and further south of San Francisco. The cry of a pup is often compared to that of a gull. Sea Otter vs Beaver: Fight Comparison (Beaver vs Otter) If we compare a beaver with an otter, the beaver is largest and has sharp teeth and more mass that will help to attack its opponent. A great way to get involved in protecting #oceans: Join Oceana as a Wavemaker & sound off on important issues! A raft typically contains 10 to 100 animals, with male rafts being larger than female ones. [96], In about two-thirds of its former range, the species is at varying levels of recovery, with high population densities in some areas and threatened populations in others. [64], The species exhibits a variety of vocal behaviors. [170] Poaching was a serious concern in the Russian Far East immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991; however, it has declined significantly with stricter law enforcement and better economic conditions.[102]. [103] By 2006, though, the Alaska population had fallen to an estimated 73,000 animals. [69] In California, sea otters usually breed every year, about twice as often as those in Alaska. Along the coasts of what is now Mexico and California, Spanish explorers bought sea otter pelts from Native Americans and sold them in Asia. Sea otter have loose skin, very little body fat, and no scent glands. [55], The sea otter hunts in short dives, often to the sea floor. Cold water is kept completely away from the skin and heat loss is limited. But instead, I held back and listened to the conversation, thinking back to ten years ago or so when I first saw river otters in the ocean. [33] The tail is fairly short, thick, slightly flattened, and muscular. [3] At birth, the eyes are open, ten teeth are visible, and the pup has a thick coat of baby fur. [78], Females perform all tasks of feeding and raising offspring, and have occasionally been observed caring for orphaned pups. [54] When eating, sea otters roll in the water frequently, apparently to wash food scraps from their fur. Between 1803 and 1846, 72 American ships were involved in the otter hunt in California, harvesting an estimated 40,000 skins and tails, compared to only 13 ships of the Russian-American Company, which reported 5,696 otter skins taken between 1806 and 1846. [122] By 2005, only 30 sea otters remained at San Nicolas,[123] although they were slowly increasing as they thrived on the abundant prey around the island. Although they are most strongly associated with rocky substrates, sea otters can also live in areas where the sea floor consists primarily of mud, sand, or silt. [183], Left: Aleut sea otter amulet in the form of a mother with pup. [157] Thus began what is sometimes called the "Great Hunt", which would continue for another hundred years. The largest otter is the giant otter. [175] Necropsies of dead sea otters indicate diseases, particularly Toxoplasma gondii and acanthocephalan parasite infections, are major causes of sea otter mortality in California. [139], Historian Adele Ogden described sea otters are particularly abundant in "Lower California", now the Baja California Peninsula, where "seven bays...were main centers". The Russians initially traded with the Aleuts inhabitants of these islands for otter pelts, but later enslaved the Aleuts, taking women and children hostage and torturing and killing Aleut men to force them to hunt. Sea otters don’t have blubber or fat to keep them warm like other marine mammals. [16][146] Contrary to popular depictions, sea otters rarely eat starfish, and any kelp that is consumed apparently passes through the sea otter's system undigested. [92] Although they are most strongly associated with rocky substrates, sea otters can also live in areas where the sea floor consists primarily of mud, sand, or silt. Mothers nurse their young for up to eight months. The southernmost limit was Punta Morro Hermoso about 21.5 miles (34.6 km) south of Punta Eugenia, in turn a headland at the southwestern end of Sebastián Vizcaíno Bay, on the west coast of the Baja Peninsula. [71] In 1911, Russia, Japan, Great Britain (for Canada) and the United States signed the Treaty for the Preservation and Protection of Fur Seals, imposing a moratorium on the harvesting of sea otters. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) determined that the population should exceed 3,090 for three consecutive years. [127] 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. [141], Sea otters consume over 100 prey species. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. [145] However, south of Alaska on the North American coast, fish are a negligible or extremely minor part of the sea otter's diet. North Pacific areas that do not have sea otters often turn into urchin barrens, with abundant sea urchins and no kelp forest. California’s southern sea otter has been listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act since 1977. [176], Sea otter habitat is preserved through several protected areas in the United States, Russia and Canada. [126], When the USFWS implemented the translocation program, it also attempted, in 1986, to implement "zonal management" of the Californian population. [74], Females become sexually mature at around three or four years of age and males at around five; however, males often do not successfully breed until a few years later. Of living exclusively in the north Pacific areas that do not have sea spend. Endangered species Act since 1977 coast of California with a small horn shark clasped in forearms. On important issues the thickest fur of any mammal, with abundant urchins. 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