Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)

Description: The charismatic sea otter is a favorite for wildlife viewers. They are known for their playful personalities and adorable bear-like appearance, but they also have a big impact on the marine ecosystem. As a top predator in kelp forests, sea otters are essential keeping prey species populations in check and therefore the forests healthy. There are two subspecies of sea otter (Northern and Southern), Oregon once had both. The fur trade of the 1800s wiped out the entire population in Oregon. Unfortunately, to this day it is very rare to see sea otters on the Oregon Coast. As the sea otter populations in California and Washington have begun to recover, individuals have wandered to Oregon waters and hopefully they will repopulate the area. Sightings are most common in Southern Oregon and the Newport area, but they have been reported on the North Coast as well. You can distinguish a sea otter from a river otter, (who are also spotted in the ocean), by looking for their large size, flippers, and round face. River otters are seen on beaches, estuaries, and near shore. They are slim and resemble a weasel.

Habitat: Sea otters range from Alaska to Southern California, with Oregon as the boundary between the Northern and Southern subspecies. Sea otters rarely come on land; they eat, sleep, and raise young in the ocean. Typically gathering in colonies, sea otters prefer to live in near shore kelp beds.

Diet: Their diet is primarily composed of sea urchins, crabs, and clams. They use rocks as tools to open shells and access the food inside.

Tide Pool Tidbits:

• The sea otter population on the West coast was heavily impacted by the fur trade and are still listed as endangered to this day.

• A sea otters coat can have up to one million hairs per square inch, making it the thickest fur of any animal.

• Every day, sea otters eat about 1/4 their body weight!

References: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Department of the Interior