Sea otter

Sea otters are one of the largest otter species. Rarely coming ashore, sea otters spend most of their time in the kelp forests off the west coast of America, Alaska and Russia. To keep warm they have the densest fur of all mammals but no insulating body fat. When resting or sleeping sea otters float on their backs wrapped in kelp and often holding paws with another individual so they don't drift apart. Stones are used as tools for dislodging and cracking open molluscs.

Did you know?
Sea otters play an important role in protecting kelp forests from grazing sea urchins.


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