! ! location" program was tried by environmental changes. This fact One of the most complex study of dead otters found along may contribute to their slow growth The Southern moving 130 otters to one of the threats is the question of the Central Coast implicated such resting offshore in their favorite lungs are 2.5 times larger than in numbers since the 1930s. Channel Islands. Recently, a "no- man-made water pollution. infectious diseases in more than kelp beds, either singly or in most mammals of equivalent size Other natural threats include otter zone" was tried below Santa Evidence shows that land runoff 40% of those deaths. groups called "rafts." to help them regulate buoyancy the hazards of living in the sea Barbara. Neither effort has proven and sewage spills may be Everyone should do their Sea otters spend almost all their and store more oxygen for their itself. The Big Sur coast can to be very successful. harming the otters. Some of the part to ensure the continued growth SEA OTTER time in the ocean--they eat, sleep, dives, which average 1 minute but experience severe winter storms. Otters play an important role in chemicals thereby introduced are of the sea otter population. mate, give birth and feed their can be as long as 4 minutes. the Monterey Bay area. Biologists A young pup can easily get young at sea. They .are the only Sea otters are the only marine consider them a "sentinel” separated from its mother in marine mammal with paws, and mammals that routinely swim and species. They tend to indicate to rough waves. The ocean also use their dexterous and powerful rest on their backs. An otter us the general health of our overall periodically serves up a deadly forelegs to capture the invertebrates floating on its back moves its tail algal bloom containing that cling to the rocky bottom. in a sculling motion to shift or the toxic domoic acid In its underwater search for maintain its position. that can kill birds food, an otter may use a rock The life span of sea otters and sea lions. as a tool to dislodge abalone averages about 10-12 years with and sea urchins from their a maximum of probably 15-20 ! "Where are the sea otters?" rolling around having tight grasp of the seafloor. This years. Females live slightly longer R. W. Cooke III Without a doubt, these marine fun... this is the Southern Sea rock may be brought to the than males. Overall length is ! mammals are the most interesting Otter, Enhydra lutris nereis. surface, along with the food, to be approximately four feet. Males. R. W. Cooke III known to suppress the immune How sad it would be to lose and beloved of all the inhabitants in At times it can be difficult used as an anvil to crack open average 65 pounds; females local environment. In addition, These algae also systems of fish and marine these fascinating creatures. To the Reserve. to find an otter because to the hard shells. This noisy pounding about 45 pounds. otters are considered a "keystone" contaminate the otter's food. mammals. A recent study found learn more, join a docent-led nature Imagine a small playful untrained eye, bobbing bull-head may alert you to the presence of a Otters live their entire lives in species that plays a vital role in Natural predators include the great several types of bacteria and walk and look at the otter displays animal with webbed hind feet, a kelp resembles a floating sea sea otter. Pouches of loose skin the ocean, rarely coming ashore. balancing the local ecosystem. white shark and the killer whale parasites in otters that are similar to at the Information Station. You will slightly flattened tail, and beautiful otter. During storms, when the under the arms can be used to They seldom venture more than a They eat sea urchins that feast on (Orca). those found in humans and wild be glad you did! soft brown fur. Now picture this wind comes out of the south, the hold food or tools during dives or mile from shore or into water the kelp beds. In this way the Man still represents the greatest and domestic cats. A further same animal with a lovable otters may be found in the more while on the surface. Otters much deeper than 100 feet. otters help the kelp beds to threat to the continued survival of whiskered face sleeping peacefully protected coves. On calmer days, consume large quantities of many Sea otters live in waters flourish. The kelp then offers a the sea otter. A major oil spill, on its back in a kelp bed or just you are apt to discover them different marine invertebrates, from ranging from 35° to 60° F., yet haven and a very productive especially from a large tanker, Printed with funds from the Point Lobos Foundation sea urchins to octopus to abalone. they must maintain a constant habitat for many small fish and could endanger the entire otter www.pointlobos.org Sea otters can see clearly in body temperature close to 100° F. invertebrates. population. Oil on the fur will in cooperation with California State Parks California State Parks supports equal access. both water and air. An adult otter Unlike other marine mammals like Marine biologists point out that destroy the insulating properties Printed on recycled paper Prior to arrival visitors with disabilities has a strong jaw with 32 teeth, seals or sea lions, they do not otters have a "low genetic and cause death by chilling. 2014 California State Parks who need assistance should contact including long canines to help grab have blubber to keep them warm. variability" that may make them Ingestion of oil-contaminated Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, food and broad flat molars for Instead, they depend on their We gratefully acknowledge the educational material supplied by the Monterey Bay 831-624-9423 (TTY relay service, 711). more susceptible to. diseases and shellfish can also cause death. Aquarium, Friends of the Sea Otter and the Ocean Conservancy crushing hard-shelled prey. Their remarkably dense, water-resistant This brochure is available in alternate formats at pointlobos.org. Hall Warren (most recent revision, 2014) 5 2 ! ! fur to insulate them against the heat production. To keep this is absent as a care-giver. Look researchers to suspect that the The Southern resting offshore in their favorite lungs are 2.5 times larger than cold ocean. Their fur has two “furnace" going they need to eat carefully for a mother otter lying on recovery may be at a plateau. kelp beds, either singly or in most mammals of equivalent size layers. The long outer guard hairs approximately 25% of their body her back in the kelp with a small Although fully protected under groups called "rafts." to help them regulate buoyancy give it that soft appearance. Under weight each day. For a 160 pound "woolly pup" upon her chest. California law, the southern sea Sea otters spend almost all their and store more oxygen for their the guard hair layer, the otter has human, this would mean eating The sea otter once ranged from otter remains a threatened pop- SEA OTTER time in the ocean--they eat, sleep, dives, which average 1 minute but a shorter, extremely fine and about 40 pounds of food per day. Baja California in Mexico up the ulation. If their numbers were to mate, give birth and feed their can be as long as 4 minutes. dense underfur. One square inch Since an otter's forepaws and young at sea. They .are the only Sea otters are the only marine of otter fur contains between webbed fins have little or no fur, marine mammal with paws, and mammals that routinely swim and 600,000 and 1,000,000 fibers, the they often float on their backs with use their dexterous and powerful rest on their backs. An otter most dense of any animal on their "feet” in the air to warm them forelegs to capture the invertebrates floating on its back moves its tail earth. By comparison, a human and to conserve body heat. that cling to the rocky bottom. in a sculling motion to shift or head contains about 100,000 Otters mate and give birth any In its underwater search for maintain its position. hairs. time of the year, but there is a peak food, an otter may use a rock The life span of sea otters In order to maintain this in pupping from January through luxurious coat of fur, sea otters ! as a tool to dislodge abalone averages about 10-12 years with March, followed by a second, less R. W. Cooke III must spend a lot of time grooming productive period from August to and sea urchins from their a maximum of probably 15-20 West Coast to the Pacific decline to fewer than 1,850, they "Where are the sea otters?" rolling around having and cleaning their fur to retain its October. Males mate with as many tight grasp of the seafloor. This years. Females live slightly longer Northwest. In California alone, would be uplisted to the "en- Without a doubt, these marine fun... this is the Southern Sea special insulating qualities. This females as possible. Females rock may be brought to the than males. Overall length is there may have been as many as dangered" category. mammals are the most interesting Otter, Enhydra lutris nereis. activity also traps air between the usually mate with only one male surface, along with the food, to be approximately four feet.