The California or Southern Sea Otter
is related to the mink, and depending on the source, has anywhere from 300,00 to 1,000,000
hairs per square inch. Now that's a furball. Their constant grooming traps air close to
their skin and insulates them against the cold waters of the Pacific. They grow to about
4-1/2 feet long, with adult males weighing between 70-100 pounds, and females about 40-60
pounds. Otters are constantly diving for fish, sea urchins, oysters, crabs and mussels,
eating about 1/4 of their body weight in food per day. Sea Otters often hold rocks on
their chests which they use to crack open the shellfish they catch. Mother sea otters can
often be seen with their babies resting on their bellies.
There are a number of excellent
references on the web with fascinating reading material. One source is the Marine
Mammal Center, with lots of info about otters and many other marine mammals. Also of
particular interest is Sea Otter Cuisine,
an article on sea otter eating habits and behavior by research biologist Marianne Riedman.
I highly recommend it. You'll learn about Josie, the female resident of Monterey Harbor
who loves to jump onto certain low-style kayaks, nearly tipping them over. Or Hunter, the
male rehab who may or not make it in his new home at Elkhorn Slough. Hunter carries a
tracking beeper and also loves to climb aboard an occasional kayak.
