Sea Otters
The
scientific name for the sea otter is Enhydra lutris, which means "otter in the water". This name is quite fitting as they spend
almost all their life in the ocean - they eat, sleep, mate, give birth and
feed their young at sea. Sea otters are the largest members of the weasel
family. They are also among the smallest of the marine mammals. Like all
mammals, otters breathe air, feed milk to their young, are warm blooded
and have hair on their bodies. Sea otters are only found in the North
Pacific Ocean, where they live along rocky shorelines and sheltered coves.
Approximately 168,000 sea otters live in the waters off of Alaska and
Russia. Groups of sea otters, called rafts, float among the kelp beds,
where there is plenty of food.
Discovery
Channel Canada video of "Toxic Otters" - recovery of sea otters
from the Exxon Valdez oil spill
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