How does a sea otter move?

How does a sea otter move?

Sea otters spend a great deal of time floating on their backs at the surface. They move by paddling their hind limbs and sculling with their tails. For rapid swimming and for diving, they swim similarly to other otters, using up-and-down undulations of the body.

What is the Sea otters niche?

Ecological niche Sea otters play a big role in their ecosystem by controlling herbivorous invertebrates. They prey on sea urchins, preventing them from overgrazing the forest of kelp, which supports marine diversity. The variety in their diet supports greater diversity amongst benthic grazers.

What is a Sea otters life cycle?

Pups start diving within two months. LIFE CYCLE: Male sea otters live between 10 and 15 years, while females live slightly longer, from 15 to 20 years. FEEDING: Underneath each of the sea otter’s powerful front paws is a pouch to store food collected during foraging dives.

How do Sea otters protect themselves?

How do sea otters protect themselves? Sea otters have three basic ways to escape predators: fleeing; taking refuge in the kelp where they live; and coming up on land. They also have strong teeth they can use in interactions with other sea otters.

What’s so special and unique about a sea otter’s fur?

Sea otters have the thickest fur of any animal. Their fur contains between 600,000 to 1,000,000 hair follicles per square inch. Unlike most other marine mammals, otters lack a blubber layer. Instead, they depend on their dense, water-resistant fur to provide insulation.

What is a group of sea otters called?

raft
A group of resting otters is called a raft. Researchers have seen concentrations of over 1,000 otters floating together. To keep from drifting away from each other, sea otters will wrap themselves up in seaweed, forming something that resembles a raft. A raft of otters resting in a group.

How does a Sea Otter Swim at a high speed?

When swimming at a high speed, the entire body, including the tail, undulates up and down and the hind feet steer. Researchers have observed giant otters swimming at speeds up to 14.4 kph (9 mph). Sea otters spend a great deal of time floating on their backs at the surface.

How does a sea otter use its forepaws?

The sea otter’s forepaws are very agile. They can rub, twist, and pull with a great amount of strength. The forepaws have retractable claws. The palms have tough pads that help with gripping. Under each forearm are baggy pockets of loose skin. The sea otter uses these pockets to store food it has gathered.

How does a male sea otter court a female?

The male sea otters will swim around and search for females in oestrus . When courting, the males tend to swim in a face down swimming posture, moving faster than normal. When they are encountered by a female the male tries to embrace her or sniff her body. If the female is interested a period of rolling around and playing goes on for some time.

How are river otters different from sea otters?

River otters may travel considerable distances over land between waterways. Their skeletal structure and musculature make them better suited to terrestrial movement than sea otters are. River otters can attain running speeds up to 47 kph (29 mph). They travel over snow and ice using a combination of running and sliding.