Sea Otters

E440136

Sea otters are marine mammals known for their dense fur, playful behavior, and habit of using rocks as tools to open shellfish while floating on their backs in coastal waters of the North Pacific.

Jump to: Surface forms Statements Referenced by

Observed surface forms (2)

Surface form Occurrences
Sea otter 0
southern sea otter 1

Statements (52)

Predicate Object
instanceOf marine mammal
species of mammal
activityPattern mostly diurnal
averageAdultLength 1–1.5 meters
averageAdultMass 14–45 kilograms
behavior floats on back while feeding
playful social interactions
class Mammalia
commonName northern sea otter
sea otter
conservationAction legal protection under Marine Mammal Protection Act (US)
listed under Endangered Species Act (southern sea otter, US)
diet clams
crabs
fish
mussels
sea urchins
snails
effectOnEcosystem controls sea urchin populations
family Mustelidae NERFINISHED
furDensity up to 1,000,000 hairs per square inch
genus Enhydra NERFINISHED
habitat kelp forest ecosystems
nearshore coastal waters
rocky shorelines
hasFur extremely dense underfur
insulationMethod fur rather than blubber
IUCNStatus Endangered
kingdom Animalia
lifespanInCaptivity up to about 20 years
lifespanInWild 10–15 years
nativeTo British Columbia NERFINISHED
California coast NERFINISHED
Japan (historically) NERFINISHED
North Pacific Ocean NERFINISHED
Russia Far East NERFINISHED
Washington State NERFINISHED
coastal Alaska
order Carnivora
phylum Chordata
reproduction gives birth to single pup
restingBehavior wraps in kelp to anchor while resting
roleInEcosystem keystone species in kelp forests
scientificName Enhydra lutris NERFINISHED
socialStructure forms groups called rafts
taxonRank species
threat disease
entanglement in fishing gear
historical fur trade hunting
oil spills
predation by orcas
usesTool rocks to open shellfish

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Monterey Bay Aquarium hasExhibit Sea Otters
Elkhorn Slough hasSpecies Sea Otters
this entity surface form: southern sea otter