1. Search For The Missing Sea Otters: An Ecological Detective Story - Introduction Search for the Missing Sea Otters An Ecological Detective Story Introduction - by Mary E. Allen and Mark L. Kuhlmann, Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY. From the Case Study http://www.sciencecases.org/sea_otters/sea_otters.asp

Search for the Missing Sea Otters: An Ecological Detective Story Introduction by Mary E. Allen and Mark L. Kuhlmann Department of Biology Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY The Problem Dr. James Estes, a marine ecologist with the U. S. Geological Survey, and his coworkers recently found that the sea otter population in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska had crashed since 1990. Although wild animal populations always rise and fall to some degree, a decline of this size cried out to be explained. The decline in the sizes of sea otter populations inhabiting the Aleutian Islands, which was observed by Dr. Estes and his group, was indeed large. On some islands the sea otter populations declined by 90 percent in fewer than 10 years (see Figures and )! What could cause such a rapid decline in the number of otters in this island chain of Alaska? Over the next several weeks, we will consider this problem from several perspectives. As we work to solve this mystery, keep in mind the following questions. Figure 1. Changes in the relative abundance of sea otters at several locations in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. (Redrawn from Estes et al., 1998.)

2. Sea Otters Imagine that you are fishing on the coast of the United States or Canada. You see a large brown and tan spot in the Pacific Ocean. It is coming closer and closer. http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215242/sea_otters.htm

Imagine that you are fishing on the coast of the United States or Canada. You see a large brown and tan spot in the Pacific Ocean. It is coming closer and closer. You’re scared about what it could be. You’ve never seen anything like it. You snap a picture of it so you can ask someone to identify what it is. Someone tells you it is a sea otter. Next, you decide to look up information on sea otters. Life Cycle of a Sea Otter The majority of sea otter pups are born in early spring. Newborn sea otters range in weight from 3 to 5 lbs. Sea otter pups are typically born in the water. After a few weeks, young sea otters can be found swimming, diving, grooming themselves, and also beginning to eat solid foods. Young sea otters are very curious and play in a rough way. Between five and eight months of age, sea otters leave their mother to make it on their own. Characteristics Sea otters have a small, round head, closeable nostrils, ears with flaps, and small eyes that are good for seeing in and out of the water. The nostrils and the ears close while underwater so that no water gets into them. Southern sea otters are about 4 feet long including their 12-inch tails. Northern sea otters tend to be a little larger. Male sea otters are usually about 65 lbs. and females are about 20 lbs. less than males.

3. Sea Otters Sea Otters . Ballachey, B.E., J.L. Bodkin and A.R. Degange (1994). An overview of sea otter studies. In Marine Mammals and the Exxon Valdez, Academic Press, Inc. San Diego http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/MarineMammals/sea_otters.htm

Information Resources on Marine Mammals Return to Contents Sea Otters Ballachey, B.E., J.L. Bodkin and A.R. Degange (1994). An overview of sea otter studies . In: Marine Mammals and the Exxon Valdez, Academic Press, Inc.: San Diego, California, USA; London, England, UK, p. 47-59. ISBN: 0124561608. Descriptors: marine ecology, pathology, pollution, assessment, control, toxicology, sea otters, Exxon Valdez oil spill, foraging behavior, hydrocarbon level, injury assessment, mortality, Prince William Sound, reproduction rate, survival rate, toxicology studies. Bayha, K., J. Kormendy, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (U.S.). (1990). Sea otter symposium: proceedings of a symposium to evaluate the response effort on behalf of sea otters after the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill into Prince William Sound, Anchorage, Alaska, 17-19 April 1990 . Biological Report No. 9012, U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Washington, D.C., 485 p. NAL Call Number: QH540.U562 no. 90(12)

4. Sea Otters | Ask.com Encyclopedia The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg http://www.ask.com/wiki/Sea_otters?qsrc=3044

5. Sea Otters | The Humane Society Of The United States The Humane Society of the United States Yes, please send me action alerts, updates, and special offers to help animals. http://www.hsus.org/marine_mammals/a_closer_look_at_marine_mammals/sea_otters.ht

Pets Wildlife Wildlife Marine Mammals ... Books Yes, please send me action alerts, updates, and special offers to help animals. Receive action alerts, tips, news, and special offers via email. First Name Last Name Email Address Zip Code The Humane Society of the United States 2100 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 HSUS Marine Mammals A Closer Look at Marine Mammals Sea Otters Sea otters consume approximately 20% of their body weight in food daily. They dive to the bottom of their shallow shoreline habitat to feed upon sea urchins, clams, oysters, and other shellfish. Only strong males are able to catch fish. The otters return to the surface with their prey, float on their backs, and strike the shellfish together or against rocks to pry them open. Sea otters have a strong influence on coastal ecosystems. They restrict the sea urchin populations in near-shore habitats, allowing kelp forests to flourish (sea urchins graze heavily on kelp). It's easy to see where sea otters thrive: Just look for abundant kelp. Pups are born (generally one per litter) after a six-month gestation period and remain with their mother for 12 weeks. Fathers play no role in the offspring's upbringing; the two sexes tend to remain separate except when breeding. There are three subspecies of sea otters, two of which are in the United States. The Southern, or California, sea otter (

6. USGS Multimedia Gallery: Sea Otters Photo Set Sea Otter in Monterey Bay, California A sea otter swims in Monterey Bay, California. USGS scientists study sea otters in efforts to help the threatened species continue to http://gallery.usgs.gov/sets/Sea_Otters

@import url("/styles/common.css"); @import url("/styles/custom.css"); // override Highslide settings here // instead of editing the highslide.js file hs.graphicsDir = '/highslide/graphics/'; USGS Home Contact USGS Search USGS USGS Multimedia Gallery Maps, Imagery, and Publications Hazards Newsroom Education ... Social Media Search: Photos Videos Audio Multimedia Gallery Home Sets Sea Otters Views: Slide show uses JS. Try main view. As thumbs: As a list: Southern Sea Otter Location: USA Tim Tinker (USGS) Location: CA, USA Sea Otter in Monterey Bay, California A sea otter swims in Monterey Bay, California. USGS scientists study sea otters in efforts to help the threatened species continue to recover from near extinction.... Location: Monterey Bay, CA, USA Studying Sea Otters Sea otter researcher Michelle Staedler, of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, records sea otter behavior in her logbook as part of a study with the USGS and the University of California at Santa Cruz on sea otter behavior. ... Location: Monterey Bay, CA, USA

7. Sea Otter Facts, Video, And Sound - Enhydra Lutris - Defenders Of Wildlife - Def Get the facts on sea otters. Endangered Species Act California, or southern, sea otters are listed as threatened under the federal ESA and fully protected under California http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/sea_otter.php

8. Arctic Studies Center Sea Otter Enhydra lutris. Sea Otters are playful animals that spend almost all their time in the sea. They eat, sleep, and even have their babies in the water. http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/html/sea_otter.html

St. Lawrence Gateways The Search for a Past (Saami) Vikings Looking Both Ways Arctic Wildlife Crossroads/Continents Yup'ik Masks Alutiiq Dance Arctic Social Sciences Repatriation Yamal Ainu Get Plug-ins Help Printing Credits Sea Otter Enhydra lutris Sea Otters are playful animals that spend almost all their time in the sea. They eat, sleep, and even have their babies in the water. In the daytime sea otters float on their backs eating Abalone, their favorite food. To open the Abalone shell they place a small rock on their chest and smash the shell against it. Sea otters are one of the few mammals, beside humans, that use tools. They will use strands of kelp to tie themselves into the kelp beds for a secure night's sleep. They love to frolic with other otters and seals. Unlike seals and walrus, sea otters have no blubber to keep them warm in the cold arctic waters. Air trapped in their fur keeps them warm and bouyant. Oil spills can damage this fine fur and cause the otter to get very cold and die. That is why volunteers cleaned the sea otters so carefully after the oil spills in Alaska. Sea otters also faced great dangers from hunters who wanted their valuable coats. They were hunted so heavily in the 18-19th Centuries that they had to be placed on the U.S. government endangered species list. Now the populations have come back to a large extent, but conservationists would like to continue to protect them. Fishermen would like them off the endangered species list in order to protect the abalone harvest.

9. Sea Otter - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_otter

Sea otter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation search Not to be confused with Marine Otter For other uses, see Sea otter (disambiguation) Sea otter A sea otter wraps itself in kelp in Morro Bay, California Conservation status Endangered IUCN 3.1 ... Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Subfamily: Lutrinae Genus: Enhydra Fleming Species: E. lutris Binomial name Enhydra lutris Linnaeus Modern and historical range The sea otter Enhydra lutris ) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean kg lb ), making them the heaviest members of the weasel family , but among the smallest marine mammals. Unlike most marine mammals, the sea otter's primary form of insulation is an exceptionally thick coat of fur , the densest in the animal kingdom. Although it can walk on land, the sea otter lives mostly in the ocean. The sea otter inhabits nearshore environments where it dives to the sea floor to forage . It preys mostly upon marine invertebrates such as sea urchins , various molluscs and crustaceans , and some species of fish . Its foraging and eating habits are noteworthy in several respects. First, its use of rocks to dislodge prey and to open shells makes it one of the few mammal species to use tools. In most of its range, it is a

10. Sea Otters Photo Gallery By Tom Merigan At Pbase.com The last 5 pics in this gallery pesent serial views of an otter eating a large clam. http://www.pbase.com/merigan/seaotters

profile all galleries Beautiful Locations and Critters encountered while birding >> Sea Otters tree view slideshow Sea Otters The last 5 pics in this gallery pesent serial views of an otter eating a large clam. Sea otter out of the water Sea Otter rubs his face Sea otter moves to the water Sea Otter in the water Sea Otter looks us over Sea Otter looks at us Sea Otter showns his teeth Sea Otter Yawns Sea Otter Sea Otter mom and oversized baby Sea Otter eats Crab Sea Otter with clam Sea Otter with clam Pair of Sea Otters Three Sea Otters 5 Sea Otters Rafting together Sea Otters at Dawn Six Sea Otters rafting together Sea Otter wrapped in kelp Sea Otter mom and baby wrapped together in kelp Sea Otter Sea Otter in the AM wrapped in kelp 1. Sea Otter eats large clam series 2.Sea Otter eats large clam series 3.Sea Otter eats large clam series 4.Sea Otter eats large clam series 5.Sea Otter eats large clam series post a comment click on thumbnails for full image

11. DONATE Provides information on the sea otter conservation and advocacy program organized by the North American conservation group, Defenders of Wildlife. http://www.saveseaotters.org

If this page fails to load within 20 seconds, click here

12. Animals: Sea Otters - EThemes Animals Sea Otters. These sites are about sea otters, a marine mammal that has extremely thick fur. Learn about sea otters’ physical characteristics, behavior, life cycle http://ethemes.missouri.edu/resources/S00001110.shtml

University of Missouri eThemes Your source for content-rich, kid-safe online resources. Animals: Sea Otters Grades Links Species Profiles Animal Bytes: Sea Otters Read some fun facts about this animal. Zoogoer This site for older students is about the decline of the California sea otters and the Alaska sea otters. Use the links at the left to read more. Animal Planet: Alaska Sea Otters on Decline Read this article on the unexplained decline of the Alaska sea otters. Alaska Sea Otters Fact Monster: Otters Read a short encyclopedia entry about otters. Enchanted Learning: Sea Otters Printout This page has information about the anatomy and characteristics of sea otters. Includes a labeled illustration. Kids' Planet: Defenders of Wildlife This is a fact sheet about sea otters. Includes an audio report on the dangers facing this animal. Use the link at the bottom to read more. Friends of the Sea Otter Learn about the main threat to sea otters. There is also information about their behavior and answers to common questions. Includes video and audio clips of this animal. Sea Otter Photography This page has some close-up photographs of sea otters. Click to view the images in large format.

13. Sea Otters, Sea Otter Pictures, Sea Otter Facts - National Geographic Learn all you wanted to know about sea otters with pictures, videos, photos, facts, and news from National Geographic. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/sea-otter.html

14. Sea Otter Research SEA OTTER Research. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) have had a long history of federal protection dating back to 1911 when they were hunted to near extinction—the International http://www.alaskasealife.org/New/research/index.php?page=seaotter.php

15. Sea Otter - Defenders Of Wildlife Provides information on the sea otter conservation and advocacy program organized by the North American conservation group, Defenders of Wildlife. http://www.defenders.org/programs_and_policy/wildlife_conservation/imperiled_spe

16. Friends Of The Sea Otter - Advocacy Group Working To Protect Sea Otters Home page of Friends of the Sea Otter, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the threatened sea otter. http://www.seaotters.org

Kids Section: Sea otters are a charismatic species with tons of unique characteristics... learn more about your favorite smallest marine mammal here! Adult Section: Learn more, stay informed, help us save an endangered species. SEA OTTER ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION URGES PROMPT ACTION TO ELIMINATE NO-SEA Otter ZONE IN CALIFORNIA Write your senator or congressman; help protect vital coastal ecosystems Sign Me Up For Updates Email Address: Friends of the Sea Otter (FSO) is an advocacy group dedicated to actively working with state and federal agencies to maintain the current protections for sea otters as well as to increase and broaden these preservation efforts. We wish to inspire the public at large about the otters' unique behavior and habitat. During the fur trade of the 18th and 19th centuries, southern sea otters were hunted to near extinction. Today only about 2,200 otters can be found off California's central coast. Since January 1977, US Fish and Wildlife Service has placed sea otters on the Endangered Species list so they are protected by state and federal laws. Currently

17. Sea Otter Web Cam | Monterey Bay Aquarium Our programs are funded by contributions from people like you who care about the oceans. Your fully taxdeductible gift will help us ensure that sea otters, and all ocean wildlife http://montereybayaquarium.org/efc/efc_otter/otter_cam.aspx

18. Sea Otters: Kelp Management Specialists Hunted To The Edge Of Extinction Important for maintaining their own habitat and very well adapted for their life there. http://www.suite101.com/content/sea-otters-a34797

19. Sea Otter Fishing Provides description of Sea Otter V (party boat) and Sea Otter IV (charter) with photos, rates, links and contact information. http://www.seaotterfishing.com/

WELCOME TO SEA OTTER FISHING Same great fishing, brand new website. Hang on a second and you will automatically be transferred. Or you can just click here: seaotterfishing.com

20. Inspiring Conservation Through Education - Seaotters.com seaotters.com is the official public education and outreach arm of the Southern Sea Otter Research Alliance. http://seaotters.com/

Share Tweet Share Tweet

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Page 1     1-20 of 87    1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | Next 20