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The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean.Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg (30 and 100 lb), making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among [3] the smallest marine mammals.
Sea otter conservation began in the early 20th century, when the sea otter was nearly extinct due to large-scale commercial hunting. The sea otter was once abundant in a wide arc across the North Pacific ocean, from northern Japan to Alaska to Mexico. By 1911, hunting for the animal's luxurious fur had reduced the sea otter population to fewer ...
Tool use behavior is more associated with geographic location than sub-species. Most behavioral research has been conducted on Enhydra lutris nereis, the Californian otter, and some has been conducted on Enhydra lutris kenyoni, the Alaska sea otter. Sea otters frequently use rocks as anvils to crack open prey, and they are also observed to rip ...
Otters are amongst most playful of mammals. They frolic with each other, swim, dive, and slide. Anyone who has watched otters entertaining themselves, either in a zoo or in the wild, know it doesn ...
"When a male sea otter finds a receptive female, the two engage in playful and sometimes aggressive behavior. The male often grasps the female's nose in his teeth, causing it to become swollen and ...
Santa Cruz's sea otter, 841, has given birth to a wee pup — suggesting that her erratic behavior could have been hormonally driven. After terrorizing surfers, California's angriest otter finds ...
North American river otters characteristically approach within a few feet of a boat or a person on shore due to their near-sightedness, a consequence of vision adapted for underwater sight. North American river otters have a transparent inner eyelid (called a nictitating membrane) to protect their eyes while swimming. [10] [23] [24]
Sea otters were once hunted for their fur, which is what lead to their dramatic decline, and they are now listed as a threatened species. It is unclear what drives 841's surfboard-aggressive behavior.