Knowra Sea otter Sea otter The sea otter is a coastal marine mammal of the North Pacific and the smallest marine mammal. It has exceptionally dense fur and commonly uses stones to open hard-shelled prey.
Sea otter fur : The exceptionally dense coat that insulates sea otters in cold water. Air trapped in this coat, rather than a thick blubber layer, provides most of the otter’s insulation.
Kelp forest : A marine ecosystem dominated by large brown algae called kelp. By eating sea urchins, sea otters can reduce grazing pressure on kelp.
Mustelidae : The mammal family that includes otters, weasels, badgers, and their relatives. Sea otters are mustelids, unlike seals and sea lions, which belong to other mammal groups.
Maritime fur trade : The commercial trade in animal furs conducted by maritime traders, especially in the North Pacific. Intensive hunting for sea otter pelts drove populations to the brink of extinction.
Sea otter tool use : The use of objects, especially stones, by sea otters to access prey. Otters strike shellfish against stones or their bodies to break shells.
Trophic cascade : An ecological sequence in which predators indirectly affect organisms at lower trophic levels. Sea otter predation on urchins can cascade through kelp forest food webs.
Enhydra : The genus of sea otters, represented today by the sea otter species. Its living member is uniquely adapted among mustelids to a fully marine way of life.
International Fur Seal Treaty : A 1911 agreement among Russia, Japan, Britain, and the United States to regulate pelagic fur sealing. Its protections for sea otters helped end commercial hunting across much of the North Pacific.
Sea otter foraging : The search for and capture of food by sea otters. Frequent dives and high food intake help meet the energetic cost of staying warm.
Sea urchin : A spiny marine invertebrate that grazes on algae and other plant material. Sea urchins are major sea otter prey and can overgraze kelp when predators are scarce.
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