Endangered Sea Otters
Do you want to save them? by Pasha2
A Sea Otter's Description
*They have very warm, dense fur that keeps them insulated in the water
*Brown color fur, whiskers on cheeks and warm blooded
*Newborn Otter weigh 3-5Lbs, A Sea Otter is about 4ft. tall with 12-inch tails
*Males weigh 65Lbs, Female Otters weigh 20Lbs
*Sea Otters scream when in pain, coo when they relax, whine when danger, and growl to scare predators away, babies cling to mom when scared, and move side to side to say hello
Special Characteristics
*Only mammal that gives birth in water
*Tend to act like humans, communicate, play like little kids(play hide and seek), and love their community
*Have loose loose folds of skin to carry food
*(Sea.Wo.),(Na.Geo)
The Habitat of Sea Otters
*Sea Otters are coastal, shallow water dwellers
*Go to the ocean floor to find food
*They eat, groom fur, rest, and socialize with other Otters on the ocean surface
*(T.A.S.O.S.S.L.C),(Sea.Wo.)
Adaptation belonging to Sea Otters
*When wanting to loose heat from body, they put feet under water and maximize surface area by stretching.
*Have aquatic vision, good hearing, and very sharp sense of smell and brain.
*Speed of swimming is 9km/h
*Barely migrate
*Have strong jaw bones and large rounded teeth to crush shells of crabs and snails.
*Sea Otters try to scare predators away from them.
*Swim with babies on back if very small or if big, allow to swim.
*(SOA)
Food in a Sea Otter's diet and Hunting
*Some favorites are starfish, clams, mussels, snails, and abalones
*Use strong fore paws to grab and catch food
*They also use rocks to break open shells of foods such as mussels, clams, and snails
*Have special ways to eat food, for foods such as star fish, they first bite the legs and then suck out all the soft parts
*Its predators are Sharks, Humans, Bald Eagles, Stellar Sea Lions, Coyotes, and Bears
*(Na.Geo.),(Sea.Wo.),(T.A.S.O.S.S.L.C)
Reasons for Endangerment
*Polluted water bodies-trash thrown into the the ocean
*Killed also because of oil spills-ruins the Sea Otter's fur
*Sea Otters are targeted by Whales and Orcas-humans reduce other prey for Whales and other big fish
*Diseases that are deadly are Toxoplasma gondii and Sacrocystis-frequently occur in Sea Otters
*(Na.Geo.),(Sea.Wo.),(A.L)
Critical Information about what is being done to help
*Government collects money from all California tax payers to save this species
*Fish and Wildlife service to help hurt Sea Otters
*The Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act help researchers learn about Sea Otter decline.
*Environmental Protection Agency enforce laws to stop oil spills
*Created a Sea Otter Friendly Kitty Litter which kills a parasite that causes decline of Sea Otters
*The government enforced laws that there will be no more hunting Sea Otters for its fur
*(A.L),(W.O.O),(MBA),(D.O.W),(Na.Geo.)
Information Sources and Picture Sources
"Animal Legal and Historical Center."http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ddusseaotters.htm. Web
"Defenders of Wildlife." www.defenders.org/magazine/winter-2010/defenders-action-2. Web.
"Monterey Bay Aquarium." "www.montereybayaquarium.org/media/all_about_otters/whatsanotter.suf. Web.
"Otternet." www.otternet.com/species/seaotter.htm. Web. <http://www.otternet.com/species/seaotter.htm>.
"Sea Otter Adaptation."http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2008/bluske_brit/Adaptation.htm. Web.
"Sea Otters." National Geographic. Web. <animals.nationalgeographic.com>.
"Sea Otters." Sea World. Web. <www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/otters/reproduction.htm>.
"The Alaska Sea Otter and Stellar Sea Lion Commission." www.seaotter-sealion.org/seaotter/factsseaotter.html. Web
World of Otters. Web, Book
Picture Sources(order of appearance:
A Se *A Sea Otter. Photograph. www.courses.washington.edu
*The Pacific Ocean. Photograph. www.fmsivantagepoint.wordpress.com
*Sea Otter Mother and Child. Photograph. www.brucefinocchio.wordpress.com.
*Sea Otter Eating. Photograph. www.britannica.com
*Picture of an Oil Spill. Photograph. www.library.thinkquest.org
*Help save Sea Otters. Photograph. www.friendsoftheseaotter.wordpress.com