Sea Otter Research Paper

Have you ever wanted to keep something so much that you genetically modified yourself? Neither have I, but the Sea Otter has. Besides having a very convenient arm pouch, the sea otter has a plethora of other special and unique features, which we will dive into later. *Sea otter sounds here* The sea otter, or Enhydra Lutris, is the smallest of marine mammals, weighing between 31 to 73 pounds for a female, and 49 to 99 pounds for a male. Their weight doesn’t come from copious amounts of blubber or fat like other marine animals, instead, to keep them warm, they sport two dense layers of fur that helps keep them at about 100˚ Fahrenheit. Though they spend most of their time in water, the second, under layer, of fur keeps completely dry. They have …show more content…
The sea otter will hold another’s paw while they sleep, so they don’t float away from each other. They are also polygynous with the males having multiple female partners. The act of mating can often be rough. The male otter will sometimes bite the nose of the female, causing it to bleed and in time scarring. They mate year round and can take between 4 and 12 months for the pup to be born. Birth usually takes place in the water and only produces one, however the birth of twins has a 2% chance of happening. Most often only one of the pups survive. A pup is usually about 3-5 pounds and is born with their eyes open, a thick layer of baby fur that sheds to adult fur after 13 months, and a set of teeth. After birth the mother will spend hours grooming the pup, fluffing the fur to the point where so much air is collected in it that the pup cannot dive, making it float on the surface like a buoy. A pup is carried on the mother’s tummy, being given constant attention and grooming. When the mother needs to hunt, they are left on the surface to float, sometimes being wrapped in kelp to prevent them from floating away. Only about 25% of pups survive their first year. There have been cases of the mother carrying around the dead pup for

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Sea Otters Research Paper

Sea Otters Research Paper

Sea Otters Research Paper