The fur traps air bubbles to help keep them warm. Easy to understand text for student research, including material for primary school students K-6Easy to navigate formatUnits of work and lesson plans for teachers on a variety of topics in key learning areaskidcyberQuests: student webquest assignments with links to information sites for research, project ideas, evaluation'Ask a kidcyber Researcher' feature where students can request specific information about a topicAdvice to parents about helping with school homework assignments and projects. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. An imbalance can destroy the ecosystem. Explore {{searchView.params.phrase}} by color family The object is for the sea otters to cross the ocean three times and get a sea urchin each time without being "eaten" (tagged) by an orca whale. Baby sea otters, like this little pup, depend on their mom to hunt for food for them. kidcyber provides links to other web pages, selected and examined for their appropriateness, to provide more information about a particular topic. The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows 10% of the number of words on this website to be reproduced and/or communicated by any Australian educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or the body that administers it) has given a Notice to Copyright Agency under part VB of the Act. Their back feet are used to steer them in the water. Terms and Conditions. An endangered species, the adult sea otter is the smallest of the marine mammals. They are the largest of the otter species, but not as heavy as the sea otter. Close to their skin there is a thick layer of fur that traps air. They close their nostrils and ears when they are underwater. They use the rock as a table against which they smash their shelled prey to g… Sea Otters :: MarineBio Video Library Sea otters, Enhydra lutris (Linnaeus, 1758), are the largest member of the Family Mustelidae (70 species of river otters, skunks, weasels, badgers, etc.) The season for mating depends on the region where they live. These charming marine mammals are a contrast of extremes. This set contains 32 clipart files in both color and black and white.This download contains some of the following graphics. Sea Otter Stock Photos and Images 2,986 matches. If so desired, buyers can even have their Rapha Cycle Club member number printed on to the frame, too. They are known to hunt in the sea and in freshwater. Some of their playful behaviour of rubbing on logs, rolling in piles of fallen leaves and rubbing their chests on bunches of leaves on bushes actually has a serious purpose:  they are ways of leaving scent to mark their territory. An Asian short-clawed otter eating on a log across a river. Filter by : Image Type . Happy National Sea Otter Awareness Week! Most have sharp claws on their feet and all except the sea otter have long, muscular tails. FEEDING: Underneath each of the sea otter's powerful front paws is a pouch to store food collected during foraging dives. (Credit: Karen C Drayer Wildlife Center, University of California, Davis) The … The females of most species give birth in a den, called a holt. These otters choose territories in areas with equal amounts of land and running water. Do ... Do Unto Otters Ocean Unit Sea Colour Science Projects Life Cycles Learn To Draw Nature Pictures Creative Art Wildlife. They flip over when they are required to use their front paws or dive underwater for food. This makes up for its lack of blubber in the cold Pacific water. The evergreen trees and shrubs, also commonly called mangroves, thrive in mud or sand flats that are flooded daily with sea water. Asian short-clawed otter at entrance of its holt ©Getty Images. There are 13 species, or kinds, of otter, on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm. They also face dangers from being caught in eel and fish traps and drowning, and being killed when crossing roads. Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. The tiny claws do not protrude past the end of their nimble fingers. Level 15, 233 Castlereagh Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: +612 9394 7600 Facsimile: +612 9394 7601 E-mail: info@copyright.com.au, Except as permitted under the Act (for example for the services of the Crown or in reliance on one of the fair dealing exceptions i.e. They swim mostly on their backs or sides so they can see underwater and above. Asian short-clawed otters are classified as Vulnerable. ©Getty. Saved from exploringnature.org. Otters have long, streamlined bodies and long , flattish tails that move side to side to propel them through the water. Sea otter mother with baby and male, big sur, california, usa. Otters are born otters but grow and develop into bigger otters. Hairy-nosed otters are endangered, and their numbers decreasing. The 13 species range in adult size from 0.6 to 1.8 m (2.0 to 5.9 ft) in length and 1 to 45 kg (2.2 to 99.2 lb) in weight. Teach your students in an exciting and entertaining way using these clipart graphics! Includes easy to read sentences for early readers. Floating freely on its back, the sea otter seems like the very picture of serenity, but they are quite voracious predators and need to eat a lot to sustain their lifestyle. Relevance. The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammals, but one of the largest members of the family Mustelidae, a group that includes skunks and weasels among others. They are classified as of Least Concern. Periodic messages. Only 2% of sea otter births are multiples. Sea otters birth throughout the year with the peaks in March and September. Upon returning to the surface, they float on their backs, with the rock on the stomachs. The biggest male sea otter can weigh up to 100 pounds. Otters reproduction and life cycle. When sleeping, sea otters are known to hold hands to keep from drifting apart while asleep. Sea otters are foragers that eat mostly hard-shelled invertebrates, including sea urchins and a variety of clams, mussels, and crabs. Step 3: The mother sea otters must get five sea urchins. Life Cycle. Females are slightly smaller, weighing 14-33 kg and measuring 1-1.4m in length. In fact, at 850,000 to one million hairs per square inch, they have the thickest fur of any mammal. Otters are playful, energetic animals. Sea otters typically do not swim alone, they usually swim in rafts, all of them floating together. Sea otters are part of the weasel family. Discover the science behind the cute. It is found in Sumatra (Indonesia)  and southern Thailand, southwest Cambodia and south Vietnam. Google Images. For school or homeschooling projects or just reading for interest. They are  found in north-western and south-western India; southern China including Hainan, a large island off the south China coast; the Malay Peninsula; the islands of Sumatra, Java, and Borneo; the Riau islands; and Palawan Island in the Philippines. ©Getty. Males weigh 22-45 kg and are 1.2-1.5 m in length. Thanks for signing up for Ocean Conservancy emails. Learn more about the life cycle of a sea otter with these brightly colored graphics! Sea otters are social, and can often be seen in large groups called rafts. Males are more solitary or spend time with other males. Text HELP to 69866 for more information. Jun 9, 2016 - Explore Jenna Raski's board "Sea Otters" on Pinterest. Since they don’t have a layer of blubber to keep them warm, like other marine animals, adult sea otters must eat 25% or more of their body weight a day to keep warm. Otter (Sea) Otter (Sea) Saved by Exploring Nature Eduational Resource. In a healthy ecosystem, everything has its place. Otters are ready to reproduce when they are from 2 to 3 years of age. The Asian short-clawed otters are considered to be the most vocal of the otters. They are seriously threatened by rapid habitat destruction, hunting, and pollution. They have very thick fur – near about 250,000 to one million hair per square inch. Only adult males establish territories, which they patrol during mating season to keep out other adult males. There is an outer layer of longer fur that is waterproof. Otters can "hide" in the kept forests and are safe from the whale, but can only stay there for one minute. Currently, the species has stable populations in Alaska, alon… Sea otters are social, and hang out together in groups called rafts. Like most other mammals, sea otters will live based on if there is a good food supply. The average gestation period is six months. It is classified as 'Endangered, population decreasing'. Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Female california sea otter with her baby/infant and a male otter are seen in the kelp on a cold Sea otter … Instead, the fur is very thick, the thickest of all animals. The tail comprises less than a third of the body length. Enhydra lutris. Sort by : Relevance. Information for kids K-6 about the different otter species. Sea otter diet includes sea urchins, abalone, octopus, snails, clams and mussels. Horizontal . Sea otters often sleep floating on their backs on the surface, often in large groups called rafts. Thanks for celebrating National Sea Otter Awareness Week with us! The heaviest of the otter species. Learn from their accomplishments, Rose. They often float in the kelp forests, wrapping kelp around their bodies to anchor them in that spot. Sea otters love cracking open mollusks like these and even use tools to crack them open. This amazingly thick, waterproof fur is the reason sea otters were once hunted almost to extinction. They have webbed feet, water-repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water. All otters are amphibious (say am-fib-ee-us) which means they are equally at home on land and in the water. Fishermen train otters to drive fish into nets. Two sleeping sea otters holding hands so they do not float apart. Make a difference for sea otters, the ocean they call home, and the ecosystem we all depend on by making a donation today. They have webbed feet and flat tails for swimming. They float on their backs, and crack open mussel and clam shells with a rock they hold on their stomachs.Sea otters eat about one quarter of their body weight each day. Rice farmers are tolerant of these otters because they feed on crayfish that can damage rice fields. kidcyber has no control over the information at these sites or links made from them to others sites, which might be considered inappropriate by some people. Sea otter life cycle: The otter does not go through stages to become an otter like some animals, for example a frog. They are also at home in rice paddies and in mangroves. They hold their food in their hands as they eat, and although they crush the shells of crabs and molluscs with their strong back teeth, they are known to leave them in the sun for a while so that the shells open up in the heat. All . Students from K to 8, their teachers and parents.Homeschool students and their parents.Teacher Librarians, If you:– need more help with this topic– need information for a school project– find broken linkscontact kidcyber. Adult males reach an average length of 4.5 feet (1.4 m) with a typical weight between 50 and 100 lbs (23 to 45 kg), while adult females reach an average length of 4 feet (1.2 m) and typically weigh 45 lbs (20 kg). The term ‘mangrove’ refers to a both habitat and its plants. Even a baby sea otter can stay warm on the open ocean, but they do need some help from their mothers. The giant otter, which is the longest otter, weighs around 85 pounds. Sea otters are members of the weasel or mustelid family. They easily run on land and swim doggie-style. Rolling in the grass or against logs is fun, but it also is a way of keeping their fur in good condition. A European otter standing on an ice ledge ©Getty. The diet of Asian short-clawed otters is mainly crabs, other crustaceans, molluscs and fish. Your support can make a difference! Instead the sea otter relies on its thick fur to keep its body temperature around 100 degrees. But right now, their population is at risk from oil spills, disease, and predation. Our ocean faces many threats like the onslaught of ocean trash, overfishing and ocean acidification. DISCLAIMER: In the interest of a safe, educational online experience. Sea otter holding a rock that it uses to open shells ©Getty Images. They can dive as deep as 100 metres, and can close their nostrils and ears when they do so. This species have a wide range of habitats with nearby land area suitable for their resting and grooming, including coastal areas, rivers, streams, fjords, and ricefields. The sea otter is born an otter and grows just like we do. Female otters reach their sexual maturity at the age of 3 years while their male counterparts are mature at the age of 5-6 years. has a very unique life history and reproduction cycle.. Sea Otters have a polygynous mating system and show highly significant sexual dimorphism. In California, the weight of a female is 45 lbs and of a male otte… The sea otter spends most of its life at sea. The length of a sea otter is four feet in California whereas in north sea, the height is slightly more than this. Otters carry large stones between their forepaws on these dives, used to dislodge prey and to break open shells. Sea otters play a very important role in maintaining the balance in their near-shore marine environment, so important that they are considered to be a 'keystone' species. New. Otters were once heavily hunted, and numbers are still low. ©Getty. This isn’t exclusive to sea otters alone — river otters are also known to maintain river ecosystems and a healthy fish population by eating diseased fish. The life expectancy is 10-15 years. The heaviest of the otter species. Saved from exploringnature ... . For details of the CAL licence for educational institutions contact: Copyright Agency. again or contact 1.888.780.6763. Make a difference for sea otters, the ocean they call home, and the ecosystem we all depend on by making a donation today. Sea otters dive to rocky reefs, where they collect invertebrates and also a large rock. Browse 1,606 sea otter stock photos and images available, or search for sea otter pup or sea otter alaska to find more great stock photos and pictures. See more ideas about otters, sea otter, otter art. Sea otters have lighter hair around their head, a fluffy, husky body, swim on their backs, and are very rarely found on land. ... #128521256 - sea otter floating lazily on its back in clear cold water and.. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm. Most are found in Alaskan waters. Ocean Conservancy, International Coastal Cleanup, Ocean Action Network, Trash Free Seas, Trash Free Seas Alliance and Rippl are registered trademarks of Ocean Conservancy. Sea otter pups are born in the water, with their eyes open, and have a special layer of fur so they can float even though they can't swim yet. Males are more solitary or spend time with other males. On two toes on each of its back feet there are short claws for grooming, but otherwise they do not have claws or webbing between their toes. Similar Images . Jeff Foott / Getty Images Behavior . They can hold their breath underwater for about five minutes at a time. The most comprehensive image search on the web. All inquiries should be made to the copyright owner at us@kidcyber.com.au. They choose areas that have rocky substrates. The life cycle of the parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, how it contaminates coastal waters and infects... [+] wild sea otters. Water and ocean pollution affects them, particularly oil spills at sea. Sea otters are classified as Endangered but stable, and today are found  in shallow  coastal seas in Canada, Russia, Japan,  and the US states of Alaska, Washington and California. Otters find most of their food in the water. This species is the most widespread of the otters and are found from parts of Asia such as Sri Lanka and Indonesia, through Europe right up to the Arctic Circle, and in North Africa. A sea otter’s pelt is the thickest of any mammal. Their habitat  is next to rivers and streams, in wetlands, and estuaries (an estuary is a partly enclosed area of water with rivers running into it, and connected to the sea). Msg & data rates may apply. They are found near slow-moving rivers, streams, lakes and swamps or rainforests in South American countries including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraquay and Venezuela. After about a month, their eyes are open and they begin exploring the den. They are just over 1m long, have fully webbed feet and strong claws. Sea otter rafts are segregated: Groups of between two and 1,000 otters are either all males or females and their young. River otters are slimmer and sleeker with a long tail. Asian short-clawed otter feeding ©Getty Images. The fur is responsible for insulating them and keeping them warm because they do not have a layer of blubber to keep them warm and protect them from the outside environment. Otters live in groups consisting of a female, her older young, and her latest pups. Sea otter predators include killer whales, sea lions and sharks. Vector Illustration . Please try Otters live in groups consisting of a female, her older young, and her latest pups. Sea otters are usually dark brown, often with lighter guard ha… Recent books written together include Using the Library 1, 2 & 3; Thinking Through Themes (4 titles: Air, Fire, Water, Earth); and The Perfect School Project, published by and available at Teaching Solutions. As well as fish, freshwater otters hunt and eat frogs, crayfish, crabs and molluscs. Using their sensitive front paws, they dig around in the mud and under stones to find their prey. As a keystone species in many ecosystems, sea otters are a critical part of maintaining our ocean’s ecosystem. Otters have two layers of fur. They have so much fur, they are too buoyant to stay underwater. A raft of sea otters in a bed of kelp ©Getty Images. They learn to swim at about two months of age, and until then they ride on their mother's chest to drink milk as she floats on her back. Without the sea otters, undersea animals would eat all the coastal kelp (a kind of seaweed) forests that provide shelter and food for many species of animals. If pollution like this continues to make its way into the ocean, sea otters and other animals can confuse it with food, get tangled up, and injure themselves. Otters are crucial in maintaining healthy kelp by eating the predators, like crabs, that prey on slugs that clean the algae from kelp, as well as sea urchins that lay waste to kelp forests and create urchin barrens. When they are about a year old, they are independent and head off on their own. An ecosystem is the interaction of living things with each other and with their environment. What better way to celebrate these slippery sea weasels than by basking in their adorableness and learning some fun facts about our furry friends! Welcome to www.kidcyber.com.au, a website established in 1999 for primary students and teachers. Without them, the vibrant marine life they make possible is at risk, too. The benefits that a heavy sea otter presence provides to seagrass, among others, is one of the many reasons they are deemed keystone species — that is, species that hold an ecosystem together. ... A raft of sea otters in a bed of kelp ©Getty Images. It is possible there are some in Lao, Malaysia and other places in Indonesia. They are classified as Near Threatened, with threats including chemicals in water from run off from farms and sewage that affect the otters' food,  illegal hunting, increased fish farming in some areas has made otters to be considered a pest. Said every sea otter ever because these cuties tend to hold hands while they rest so that they won’t drift away. We’re dedicated to working with indigenous communities, legislators, scientists and people like you to advocate for science-based solutions to protect this fragile ecosystem. Mangrove swamps are found along tropical and subtropical coastlines, usually in bays protected from heavy waves, freshwater areas where rivers meet the sea. The writers and publishers of kidcyber are Shirley Sydenham, a primary teacher, and Ron Thomas, a primary teacher-librarian. Their fur actually consists of two layers, an undercoat and longer guard hairs. https://www.dkfindout.com/us/animals-and-nature/otters/, https://www.activewild.com/sea-otter-facts/, Fun Fact: baby otters have to be taught how to dive and swim by their mothers …, http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/71202603185. They have incomplete webbing between the fingers. It has a highly buoyant, elongated body, blunt snout and small, wide head. Another way to prevent drifting off before sleeping is for sea otters to wrap themselves in kelp. They prefer the shoreline to the deeper waters. LIFE CYCLE: Male sea otters live between 10 and 15 years, while females live slightly longer, from 15 to 20 years. Features of sea otters: What do they look like? Depending on where they live, predators could include large cats and snakes, alligators or caimans, domestic dogs, or eagles. With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing innovative solutions to save our ocean. Today they are protected by law and their numbers have increased. They occasionally eat a small bird or mammal. They feed several times a day because they are such energetic animals. Mobile alerts from Ocean Conservancy. a fair dealing for the purposes of research or study) no part of this website may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. According to www.worldwildlife.org, “ sea otters will spend their entire life without leaving the water, but on occasion some come ashore and rest”. They  spend most of their time in the water, particularly sea otters, which spend only a little time on land. With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing solutions to save our ocean. We are authors (together, individually and with others) of numerous books for teachers and kids, published in Australia and overseas. Otters have very fine brown and black fur, but as they age their hair gets lighter until it is almost white around their necks and hands. Orientation. Most otter species have webbed feet, some more than others. It’s a member of the weasel family, and the only marine mammal that doesn’t have blubber to keep it warm. From holding paws to rubbing their faces, sea otters are otter-ly adorable. If this layer becomes matted and clogged with oil or other substances, it could prevent the animal staying warm, and it would affect its hunting ability. Sea otters are native to the coasts along the eastern and northern Pacific Ocean. kidcyber cannot be held responsible for inappropriate sites Note: all kidcyber topics are regularly checked, updated and added to, so keep checking out this website. They protect themselves from the ocean winds by inhabiting rocky coastlines, barrier reefs, and thick forests of kelp. The sea otter is in the phylum chordate because sometime during its life cycle it has a notochord, dorsal nervechord, pharyngeal slits, endostyle, and a … They thrive in warm, coastal waters and usually remain within a kilometer from the shore. They have an interesting method of eating their prey. The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species and the giant otter and sea otter are the largest. Otters are alert, and their sensitive whiskers can detect movement of any predators in the water. As top predators, sea otters are critical to maintaining the balance of nearshore ecosystems, such as kelp forests, embayments and estuaries. They also live near beaches and shores and mangroves. They are classified as Endangered. Photo gallery: 2019 Sea Otter Classic, Part one. Otters .. and are the smallest marine mammal in North America. by James Huang. Portrait . Their teeth are different from those of other otters,  adapted for crushing shellfish and the bones of large fish. Some species use their hands to feel about in the mud or under rocks. They have long whiskers that help them find food even in murky water. Sea otters have an acute sense of smell and taste an… Text STOP to 69866 to stop receiving messages. It is made up of a waterproof top layer and a short underlayer, which can contain as many as one million hairs per square inch. Built-in floaties! Female sea otters can have two babies born at once, however they usually will abandon one of them. At about two months of age, they are taught to swim by their mother. 34. The species’ kingdom is animalia because the sea otter is motile at some point in their life cycle, multicellular, heterotrophic, and also lacks cell walls. Groups consisting of a safe, educational online experience, published in Australia and overseas unlike. For swimming them floating together, streamlined bodies and long, flattish tails that move side propel. And measuring 1-1.4m in length alon… sea otters do not swim alone, they have very thick fur a! 13 species, or playing with things they find to www.kidcyber.com.au, website... - 10 minutes, depending on the stomachs read more » otter Research from holding paws to rubbing faces! Celebrating National sea otter is born an otter like some animals, for example a.. A thick layer of air next to their skin so their skin does not go stages. Or females and sea otter life cycle pictures numbers have increased million hair per square inch, they have so much,! 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