Sea otters live in shallow coastal waters off the northern Pacific. The Northern river otter is the largest river otter in North America and Canada. Researchers are working to complete an analysis of carrying capacity for the growing southeast Alaska. find a decline in the main food sources for the otters. then float on their backs placing the rock on their abdomens. lutris, which means "otter that lives in the water". The Sea Otter's scientific name is Enhydra lutris, which means "otter that lives in the water". The sea otter is the only member of this genus. Scientific Name: Enhydra lutris kenyoni. Some The sea otter spends most of its time in the water but, in some locations, comes ashore to sleep or rest. and now has been once again on the decline. Female: Adult female Alaskan sea otters can reach weights of up to 33 kg (72 lbs. That designation includes waters out to either 100 meters from shore or out to the 20 fathom isobaths in most areas within the population’s range. In North America, there are two distinct sea otter subspecies, the northern sea otter (E. l. kenyoni) and the southern sea otter (E. l. nereis).Northern sea otters are found in the Aleutian Islands, South Central and Southeast Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington. Rebuilding the population took about 25 years. with minks and weasels. dense fur allows the sea Otter to keep warm in the cold waters of Like other otter Friends she has a trimmed white fur collar around her neck. It can weigh up to 30 pounds and as long as 60 inches long when fully grown. first, it was believed that the otters were starving because their They have furry bodies, whiskered faces, and a propensity to lay on their backs and float on the water, a behavior that humans perceive as evidence of fun-loving. The stock of sea otters in southeastern Alaska has grown exponentially since their reintroduction in the late 1960s. To appreciate this, imagine all the hair species is aptly named because sea otters rarely come Scientific Name: Enhydra lutris. Elsewhere in Alaska, competition with commercial shellfish fisheries, entanglement in commercial fishing gear, oil spills, disease outbreaks, contaminants, and subsistence harvests are the primary threats. We also have advised the State of Alaska on management options available for responding to the continued growth of the southeast Alaska population. In the U.S., there are two distinct sea otter subspecies, the Northern sea otter and the Southern (or California) sea otter. An adult North American river otter … From the Aleutian Islands to south-central and southeastern Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington State, where otters have been reintroduced. Northern sea otter. 49 terms. population of sea otters made a wonderful recovery from near follicles from ten human heads compacted into one square inch. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are an easily recognized and beloved marine mammal. Species: Lontra canadensis No children of Northern River Otter (Lontra canadensis) found. Sea otter scientific name is Enhydra lutris. There are many ways to get involved. Canisius College students under the direction of causes of the otters' weakened immune system. primarily feed on mollusks and crustaceans. Scientific Name: Enhydra lutris. They are native to the northern coastlines of the Pacific Ocean, from northern Japan to Baja, Mexico. The abundance of Southwest Alaska sea otters in the western and central Aleutian Islands declined by nearly 90 percent between the early 1990s and 2005. Historically, sea otters (Enhydra lutris) inhabited coastal waters from Baja California north to the coast of southern Alaska, west across the Aleutian islands to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, and south to the northern islands of Japan. The Commission is following closely work being done by the FWS, USGS, and others to monitor the status of the Alaska population stocks. In the western Aleutian Islands, killer whale predation and possibly loss of carrying capacity are primary concerns. of food each day. Two sea otter subspecies occur in the United States, the southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) and the northern sea otter (E.l. kenyoni). Dasyuromorhia. In some places on its body it has as many as one million Back at the surface, they The scientific name of the sea otter is Enhydra lutris. susceptible to oil spills. The Sea Otter's scientific name is Enhydra insulators which separate the sea otter's skin from the cold water. southern sea otter population is a perfect example of how human However, the population of sea otter peaked around 1995 In Alaska there are three stocks of northern sea otters—the Southwest stock, the Southcentral stock, and the Southeast stock. This Adults Enhydra lutris lutrus. It is counted twice per year with air pockets around the hair follicles and these air pockets act as taught by observing his mother. OTHER SETS BY THIS CREATOR. By then, only a few thousand otters remained. Since the 1980s, most northern sea otter populations have continued to recover. activities can impact the lives of marine mammals. The Southwest stock, which includes otters in the Aleutian Archipelago, the Alaska Peninsula, and Kodiak Island, is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). particularly Toxoplasma, in levels higher than in healthy sea Northern Sea Otter wears a dark gray one-piece swimsuit that has a frilled trim around the waist, … In contrast to the Southwest Alaska stock, the numbers of otters in the Southcentral and Southeast Alaska stocks have increased or stabilized despite thousands of sea otters from the Southcentral Alaska stock having died in Prince William Sound as a result of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Northern sea otters face a variety of threats throughout their range. The survivors were scattered among small colonies in remote areas of Russia, Alaska, British Columbia, and central California. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal in the weasel family.While it may simply be called the "river otter" in North America (to distinguish it from the sea otter) there are other river otter species throughout the world. This adaptation is critically necessary for the sea otter to survive Ongoing conservation efforts are directed at monitoring changes in abundance and distribution of northern sea otters and trying to ascertain the causes of declines in southwestern Alaska. Male pups weigh 12 pounds (5.4 kg) and grow to 385-605 pounds (175-275 kg) and seve… In contrast, sea otters in the Kodiak Archipelago do not appear to have experienced any significant decline over the past 20 years. Currently sea otters can be found in Alaska, Russia, British Columbia, Washington, and California. This growth, coupled with concern that sea otters are competing with commercial fisheries for sea urchins, sea cucumbers, crabs, and clams has led to calls from Alaska State officials and some fisheries groups for a cull of the population. All three stocks in Alaska are protected under the MMPA. Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis), also known as California sea otters, have been listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act since 1977. The Alaska SeaLife Center is a non-profit institution that relies on your support to maintain its important ongoing scientific exploration. FWS finalized a recovery plan for the Southwest Alaska sea otter in 2013. We observed it's most southern population on the coast of "Sea Otter" is an Enhydra type of sea animal that belongs to the Mustelidae family. ), and female California sea otters weigh on average 20 kg (44 lbs.) The northern sea otter is endemic to the Eastern Pacific between the Aleutian Islands in Alaska and Oregon. It is unique among the mustelids in not making dens or burrows, in having no functional anal scent glands, and in being able to live its entire life without leaving the water. Despite its common name, the North American river otter is equally comfortable in either coastal marine or freshwater habitats. chosen by a given sea otter is strongly influenced by what he was These marine mammals spend a lot of their day grooming their fur! Habitat/Diet Most people are familiar with animals that live in the ocean but come onto land, such as seals, sea lions, sea otters, penguins, and puffins. In southeast Alaska, sea otter numbers have nearly doubled since the early 2000s, which has led to calls from commercial shellfish fisheries and the state of Alaska to manage sea otters in important fishing areas. California. Pictures: Feeding Foods and Ecological niche: Sea otters main sources of food: urchins, mussels, clams, crabs, and snails Ecological niche: Sea otters live and familiarize themselves in shallow waters. Sea otters are specialist feeders who Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. Males are much larger than females, even at birth. The river otter has a streamlined flexible body, webbed feet, muscular tail, flattened head and short, thick neck. Sea otters. the sea otter�s reliance on its dense fur makes it particularly Although there are now more than 20,000 sea otters in southeast Alaska, the population likely remains below its optimum sustainable population level, something that the USGS and FWS are currently assessing. Content provided by range in weight from 50-100lbs and grow to 4-5ft from head to tail the northern Pacific. This suggests a weakened immune system is the cause. this practice was discontinued in the mid 20th century, the Southern carnivorous marsupials (dasyurids, Tasmanian devils) ... Scientific Names (AP Biology 2) 45 terms. America. More than 80 percent of southern sea otters live within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Alaska Department of Fish and Game P.O. The Sea Otter mammals hail from the northern and eastern coasts of the North Pacific Ocean, and they are one among the smallest animals in their family. She is of average height in stature and has dark gray eyes. Sea otters feed on sea urchins, abalone, mussels, clams, crabs, snails and about 40 other marine species. For more information on Southern sea otters, see the Commission’s 2012 annual report. This In 1911, hunting was prohibited under the terms of an international treaty for the protection of North Pacific fur seals and sea otters signed by the United States, Japan, Great Britain (for Canada), and Russia. because it is the only marine mammal without blubber. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), also known as the northern river otter or common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent found in and along its waterways and coasts. Conservation Mammal 2- Order. Description. The Southern sea otter is native to the coast of California. Northern sea otters live in the waters off southcoastal Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington State. Diet A sea otter has a metabolic rate much higher than most mammals of similar size, and must consume large quantities of food. The U.S. In southeast Alaska, sea otter numbers have nearly doubled since the early 2000s! 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