Real photograph Sea otter
Enhydra lutris
say it SEE OT-er
Why we love them
The sea otter is a furry ocean animal that lives along the cold coasts of the North Pacific. It belongs to the same family as weasels and river otters, and it is the heaviest of them all. Even so, it is one of the smallest sea mammals in the world.
Most sea mammals have a thick layer of fat to keep warm, but the sea otter has something different: fur. In fact, sea otters have the thickest fur of any animal on Earth. This dense, cozy coat traps warmth and keeps the otter snug in the chilly water.
Sea otters are clever eaters. They dive down to the sea floor to look for food like sea urchins, crabs, and clams. A sea otter can even use a small rock like a tool, tapping it against a shell to crack it open and reach the tasty bit inside.
Mealtime for a sea otter is a special sight. It floats on its back at the surface and eats with its front paws resting on its tummy. It even has a loose pouch of skin under its arm, like a little pocket, where it can tuck food and its favourite rock.
Long ago, huge numbers of sea otters were hunted for their warm fur, and very few were left. Laws now protect them, and their numbers have slowly grown in some places. They still need our help, because dangers like oil spills and sickness can harm them, so people keep working hard to look after these playful sea animals.
My home
Coast, kelp forest, ocean, rocky shore
Where I live
Asia, North America
What I eat
Sea urchins, crabs, clams, mussels, snails, fish
How heavy I am
14–45 kg
Sea otters have the thickest fur of any animal on Earth, which keeps them warm in the cold sea.
A sea otter can use a small rock like a tool to crack open a shell for its dinner.
Sea otters often eat while floating on their backs, and they tuck food into a pouch of loose skin under their arm.
Every sea otter can feel happy, scared and loved — just like you.
Looking after my friends
Needs our helpThere are not many left, but people all over the world are helping them recover.
You can help by learning their names, keeping wild places clean, and telling someone why this animal matters.
Where this came from
- Enhydra lutris (Sea otter) — Red List Assessment — IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Enhydra lutris (sea otter) — Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- Sea otter — Wikipedia (English)
