This allows the kelp forest to thrive and contributes to an increase in marine diversity. In coastal waters, they can be found traveling and foraging in estuaries, marshes and the lower parts of streams. One of these otters is the Sea Otter, which is found in the Pacific Coast of North America. The southern sea otter was widely believed to be extinct due to the expansive fur trade of the 18th and 19th centuries, which reduced the global population from between 150,000 and 300,000 to roughly 2,000. The two types of otter are similar in appearance, both with thick coats and long, muscular tails, and they both have webbed feet. This stone is used to crack open mollusks. River otters live most of their lives on solid ground and use the water to travel and find food. Fanshawe and her colleagues found that red abalone were far more abundant at the sites without sea otters than at those with the otters: there were about seven times more of the abalone in the “deep” zones (15.6 vs 2.2 per study plot), and nearly 20 times more in the “shallow” zones (17.5 vs … Tracks are usually at least 2cm wide (wider than your thumbprint). Their fur actually consists of two layers, an undercoat and longer guard hairs. Because Sea Otters spend so much time in cold waters, they have a very dense layer of fur as opposed to a thick blubber layer like whales, sea lions and seals. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg (31 and 99 lb), making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals. These fun-loving, raucous boys spend a great deal of time on land exploring, searching for food, clowning around and generally having a great time—much to the delight of our visitors. As top predators, sea otters are critical to maintaining the balance of nearshore ecosystems, such as kelp forests, embayments and estuaries. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. In recent years there has been much effort put into returning sea otter populations to previous numbers with conservation programs and re-introduction projects. River otters in our region, on the other hand, are found all over Washington state and are commonly seen in pond and stream habitats as well as Puget Sound. The health of many other species is determined by the health of the sea otter population, making them a keystone species. What does an Otter eat? Many people don’t know the difference between sea otters and river otters—but, with a little info, you’ll be able to tell right away. These seals can remain underwater for close to 30 minutes! The sure way to differentiate between the two is the fact that on the surface of the water river otters swim with their belly facing downwards,  their bodies almost submerged, but sea otters do backstroke while floating fairly high above the surface of the water. In the years from about the 1740s and the early 1900s, the population of sea otters plummeted from about 200,000 animals to just about 2000 due to their being extensively hunted and killed for their thick fur. Sea Otters have fully webbed, long, flat hind feet which they use to swim. He’s trying to climb up the pipe!” It was then that the explainer in me wanted to jump in and say, actually, no. Sea otters spend most of their time in the water, only occasionally climbing onto land, but river otters stay on land for the majority of the time and go swimming in order to find prey. Like other members of this family, they have very thick fur. They bear the thickest fur of all mammals! In the wild, river otters make their homes in a variety of habitats, near both marine and fresh water. To facilitate this they have loose skin, and they are flexible and supple so they can reach the fur on all parts of their bodies. They are most known for floating on their backs with a stone on their chest. They are covered with thick fur which is predominantly dark brown, but it can sometimes be black or a silvery gray. Then in 1914 a remnant population of about 50 southern sea otters was found along the rugged Big Sur shoreline. How much food Otter eat each day? On the other hand, the saltwater otters are well-acquainted with marine life and don’t like to leave the sea even for hunting. Outdoor Revival – Reconnecting us all with the Outdoors. The otters belong to the weasel family Mustelidae. • Identify the body parts and behaviors of a seal. • Use a Venn diagram to illustrate similarities and differences between the two marine mammals. 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