41. Southern Sea Otters Enjoy the antics of our playful southern sea otters as they romp, tumble and wrestle like their brethren in the bay. On the second floor of the exhibit you can watch them swim http://library.thinkquest.org/J0111704/

42. Free Wonderwise Activities For Kids Features learning activities about plants, space geology, veterinary science, parasites, ecology, sea otters, pollen, and using a virtual telescope to view genetic material. http://wonderwise.unl.edu/01kids/kids.htm

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 9909496. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).

43. Implication Of Sea Otter Population On Kelp Forest Communities Back in the late 18th Century after North America was discovered, the Europeans heavily hunted sea otters around the West Coast of North America. http://mypage.direct.ca/r/rhsu/otters.html

Implication of Sea Otter Population on Kelp Forest Communities By Rodney Hsu Abstract This report investigates the impacts caused by the increasing of sea otter population, on the kelp forest ecosystem. The food chain of the three major species is focused in this report: Sea otter, sea urchin and macroalgae. It provides a clear description of the food chain formed by these three species and how the existence and absence of sea otter changes the population structures of the other species in the kelp forest ecosystem. This study focuses on two researches: One was done by Dr. Jane Watson in 1993 on Northwest Vancouver Island, and the other major study was done by Dr. James Estes and Dr. David Duggins in Alaska back in the past two decades. Introduction Back in the late 18th Century after North America was discovered, the Europeans heavily hunted sea otters around the West Coast of North America. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters have very little fat. In order to adapt to the cold water temperature during the winter period, they have very dense furred skin, which acts as great insulator. The thick furred skin was what the hunters were after for the commercial trade. The great fur hunt went on for 170 years until early 1900's when the Fur Seal Agreement was signed. By that time sea otters' population had declined to the point that they became extinct in many areas. Today, total population of sea otters have recovered, but sea otters remain absent in some areas where they used to be abundant over 200 years ago. It wasn't until the early 1980's that ecologists began to study the impacts of sea otters to the communities of rocky shoreline. By studying the top-down food chain of sea otters, various herbivorous marine invertebrate species (sea urchins in particular), and kelp, scientists have identified sea otters as a "key stone" species in the intertidal environment.

44. North American River Otter | Bristol Zoo Contains information about sea otters. Information includes habitat, diet, and physical description. http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/otter

Jump to content [s] Jump to site navigation [0] Jump to search [4] Bristol Zoo Gardens ... About Us Search this site: change colour theme pink orange green blue ... Mammals › North American river otter Education sessions Self-guided activities Plan your education visit Educational resources ... Courses leading to qualifications North American river otter Scientific name: Lontra canadensis Country: USA, Canada Continent: Diet: Fish - piscivore, crustaceans - crustacivore, frogs - ranivore, also rodents and worms. Carnivore Habitats: Fresh water, coast Conservation status: Least concern Relatives: Sea otter, skunk, weasel Description: Lifestyle: In the wild they spend a lot of time foraging for food, so in the Zoo food is often hidden in different parts of the enclosure so they have to search for it as they would in the wild. They are mostly active early in the morning or late afternoon. They dive in pursuit of fish, dragging bigger ones to the bank to eat. They can remain beneath the water for upwards of a minute. Keeping in touch: Otters use anal glands to mark their territory so that other otters know who they are. They deposit special piles of excrement scented with anal gland smells, usually on top of a prominent rock or log, along the river bank or shoreline.

45. Sea Otters Sea Otters Why Are They Endangered? The Europeans didn't know about the Sea Otter until 1741. They found the Sea Otter when some men were down on the beach and the Sea Otters http://www.tgmag.ca/envbrain/seaotter.html

Sea Otters Why Are They Endangered? The Europeans didn't know about the Sea Otter until 1741. They found the Sea Otter when some men were down on the beach and the Sea Otters were in a bed of kelp. The sailors started killing them for food, clothing and fur blankets. They started to explore the Pacific Ocean for Sea Otters because Sea Otter fur got very popular in China. Spanish settlers traded otter pelts to the Europeans for things that they needed. The Sea Otters off of the California Coast soon became endangered. The U.S.A., Russia, Japan, and Great Britain decided in 1911 that they would no longer hunt seals or Sea Otters. By that time, everybody thought the Sea Otter was extinct, but, there were a few hidden in the Bays and coves of the Aleutian Islands. Facts About The Sea Otter: Where they live: The Sea Otter lives in the Pacific Ocean. They dwell near the Western shores and the United States. Sea Otters seldom leave the water. Activities: Sea Otters mostly swim on their back. They also eat and sleep on their back by floating. To keep warm and comfortable they sleep on their back in a bunch of kelp. Food: Sea Otters eat a fifth of their own body weight. They eat octopus, fish, jelly fish, clams, crabs, sea urchins, mussels, abalones and squid. To break open their food they either use rocks or bang them against each other. Sea Otters dive 180 feet for their food and can stay under water for 4 minutes to catch their food.

46. YouTube - Otters Holding Hands Vancouver Aquarium two sea otters float around, napping, holding hands. SO CUTE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno

47. Ed Tussey.com - Alaskan Fine Art Alaskan, marine, wildlife, and landscape prints and original paintings by artist Ed Tussey. Glaciers, whales, seascapes, and sea otters are some of the sujects Mr. Tussey captures on canvas. http://www.edtussey.com

Tussey's Fine Arts welcomes you to the website of artist Ed Tussey This site will enable you to view the artist's limited edition prints, current print values , information on new releases upcoming shows and exhibits originals , and a listing of galleries that feature the work of Ed Tussey. Please contact us with any inquiries you may have regarding Tussey artwork. - Jacki Tussey, Tussey's Fine Arts home prints originals about the artist galleries ... what's new Designed by and may not be used without permission.

48. OCEAN FRIENDS IMAGES By Paul Ratcliffe. Photographs of marine mammals; including whales, dolphins, seals, and sea otters. http://oceanfriendsimages.com/

49. Sea Otters | Audubon Nature Institute AudubonInstitute.org. Audubon Nature Institute is a 501(c)3 not for profit that operates a family of museums and parks dedicated to nature. These New Orleans facilities include http://www.auduboninstitute.org/visit/aquarium/attractions/sea-otters

Skip to Main Content Audubon Nature Institute AudubonInstitute.org Audubon Nature Institute is a 501(c)3 not for profit that operates a family of museums and parks dedicated to nature. These New Orleans facilities include: Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Wolden- berg Riverfront Park, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Audubon Wilderness Park, Audubon Insectarium and Audubon Nature Institute Foundation. Password Forgot your password? Register Search Search this site: Visit Join Support Shop ... Community Outreach Attention IE6 Users We have phased out support for your browser version (Internet Explorer 6) . Please upgrade to one of these more modern browsers: Home Visit Audubon Aquarium of the Americas Attractions / Sea Otters Sea Otters Buck and Emma eat seafood meals five times a day. Buck looks for a command during his training session. Emma plays in a pool filled with ice. Our Aquarium is home to two Southern sea otters, Buck and Emma At home in the kelp forests off the California coast, sea otters spend all of their lives in the water. They eat, sleep, mate and even give birth at sea! In their home at Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, their custom-made habitat, a 25,000-gallon exhibit, features two swimming pools at different depths, rock nooks and a large behind-the-scenes area. Come meet Buck and Emma at the Aquarium and let them show you what it takes to be a sea otter!

50. Otter Bay Gifts Specializes in items related to marine mammals, specifically sea otters, whales, and dolphins. http://www.otterbaygifts.com

51. Sea Otters And Zonal Management In California Provides background details on the potential economic and ecological impacts on the translocation of the species, which has been moving southward in the state. Provided by the California Seafood Council. http://ca-seafood.ucdavis.edu/news/seaotters.html

SEA OTTERS SEA OTTERS and ZONAL MANAGEMENT in CALIFORNIA "The significance of this translocation for future resource management decisions in California needs to be emphasized. As recommended by the Marine Mammal Commission in 1980 ... the ultimate management objective for the California sea otter is to establish a "zonal management" scheme... In the interest of protecting the California sea otter and... balancing the utilization of the resources of the California coast, I urge adoption of this legislation." Senator Alan Cranston Congressional Record, Senate Background: Prized for their luxurious fur, sea otters were hunted to near extinction by the early 1900s throughout their range around the Pacific Rim, from Russia across the Aleutian Island chain and Alaska down the west coast to California. In 1938, wildlife biologists discovered a small colony of sea otters off Big Sur in central California. Through subsequent decades, as sea otters recolonized the central California coast from Monterey to Morro Bay and beyond, they devoured shellfish resources, eliminating local fisheries for such species as abalone, sea urchins and Pismo clams. With a mandate to conserve a balance of marine resources, California Department of Fish and Game resource managers first recommended placing limits on sea otter expansion in 1971. Before action could be taken by California, however, Congress enacted the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, transferring custody of all marine mammals to the federal government, with oversight by a newly created Marine Mammal Commission. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) gained responsibility for sea otter protection.

52. Sea Otter Facts Sea otters have round heads, small eyes, and visible ears. Habitat Sea otters are coastal, shallow water dwellers. Their habitat consists of two areas in these waters the ocean http://www.seaotter-sealion.org/seaotter/factsseaotter.html

SEA OTTER FACTS Scientific Name: Enhydra lutris kenyoni Family: The sea otter is the largest member of the Mustelidae, or weasel family, and the only one which lives almost entirely in the water. Lifespan: Sea otters can live up to 25 years of age, although the average lifespan is 10 to 12 years. Length and weight: Although the sea otter is the smallest marine mammal, the average adult can be as large as 5 feet in length and weigh up to 70 lbs. The average length of an adult female is 4 feet and average weight is 60 lbs. At birth, sea otters weigh approximately 5 lbs and are 10 inches in length. Color: Sea otter fur ranges from brown to almost black with guard hairs that may be silver, light brown, or black. As a sea otter ages, their hands and necks will lighten until almost white. Fur: Behavior: Sea otters are social animals who may float together in groups of less than 10 to more than 100, called rafts. Usually these groups are separated by sex, females and pups spend time in one group and males in another. Otters usually swim on their backs but have been known to swim on their stomachs while traveling. Sea otters will only eat while they are floating, but may also groom, rest, and nurse their young. It is also common for sea otters to wrap themselves in kelp beds when resting or sleeping. Body: Habitat: Sea otters are coastal, shallow water dwellers. Their habitat consists of two areas in these waters- the ocean floor where they find their food, and the ocean surface where they eat, groom, rest and social interactions occur.

53. Center For Conservation Biology- Sea Otters Briefly describes a University of Washington research project with the goal of improving the management of both wild and captive populations. http://depts.washington.edu/conserv/Sea Otters.html

Sea otters were widely extirpated for their fur, dramatically reducing their genetic diversity. This, coupled with a variety of environmental disturbances, has threatened sea otter populations throughout their range. We are collaborating with Shawn Larson of the Seattle Aquarium to investigate this problem using stress, reproductive and genetic measures in wild and captive sea otters. Fecal estrogen and progesterone analyses have clarified reproductive seasonality, estrus cycle length, induced ovulation, and delayed implantation in captive sea otters. Increased stress hormone levels are associated with low genetic heterozygosity (He), low growth rate (GR), and high population densities in wild sea otters. This study is being expanded to include additional sea otter populations, and we expect results to improve management of both wild and captive populations.

54. About Friends Of The Sea Otter - Advocacy Group Working To Protect Sea Otters 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 http://www.seaotters.org/aboutus.html

The story on the re-discovery of California's sea otter is well-documented. In 1938 a group of otters were spotted near Bixby Bridge along the Big Sur coast. This sighting confirmed that California's otter was, indeed, still in existence. That was 57 years ago. For almost half of that time Friends of the Sea Otter (FSO) has worked to protect the sea otter and its habitat from a wide range of threats. And it is in large part due to FSO's efforts that the California (southern) sea otter population has grown. In 1968 when Margaret Owings , a well respected conservationist, and Dr. Jim Mattison , an avid outdoorsman, founded FSO, the southern sea otter population numbered about 650. Since that time, the population has grown in number and range and includes about 2,300 otters along the central California coastline. When FSO first began, it was operated solely on a volunteer basis; many times meetings were held at Owings' home and it was through her sheer force of will that the organization continued. She helped establish environmental policy to benefit the otter; she spoke to legislators both in Sacramento and Washington D.C.; and she used her insight and knowledge to rally scientists, conservationists, educators, and friends to embrace FSO's mission.

55. Page Not Found - Tufts OpenCourseWare Features links to research reports for students of veterinary medicine. http://ocw.tufts.edu/courses/5/content/236885

56. Sea Otter Web Cam | Monterey Bay Aquarium Features live images from 7 a.m to 7 p.m. Pacific Time. Also offers information on the species and a guide to spotting them in the wild. http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/efc_otter/otter_cam.asp

57. Sea Otter Printout- EnchantedLearning.com Sea Otter Printout. Sea otters are sleek, furry, streamlined marine mammals that live along rocky Pacific Ocean coasts. They are a type of weasel. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/weasel/Seaotterprintout.shtml

Advertisement. EnchantedLearning.com is a user-supported site. As a bonus, site members have access to a banner-ad-free version of the site, with print-friendly pages. Click here to learn more. Join Enchanted Learning Site subscriptions last 12 months. Click here for more information on site membership. As low as $20.00/year (directly by Credit Card Site members have access to the entire website with print-friendly pages and no ads. (Already a member? Click here. Our subscribers' grade-level estimate for this page: 3rd - 5th EnchantedLearning.com More Mammal Printouts EnchantedLearning.com Sea Otter Animal Printouts Label Me! Printouts Sea otters are sleek, furry, streamlined marine mammals that live along rocky Pacific Ocean coasts, bays, and kelp beds. They are found from the coast of California through Alaska and along the eastern coast of Russia to northern Japan. This type of weasel spends most of its time in the water, where it is fast and graceful; it is slow and awkward on land. The scientific name is Enhydra lutris (Genus species). The sea otter is a protected species because of previous overhunting (they were once hunted for their thick, dense fur).

58. A Raft Of Sea Otters Lesson plan for teaching species ecology and spatial distribution to primary grade level students. http://www.coe.ilstu.edu/iga/ALASKADG2.htm

A Raft of Sea Otters Across the Curriculum: Literature, Geography, Essential Element III : Physical Systems Geography Standard # 8 : The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface Grade Level: Primary "Sea otters are a keystone species in our waters because of their predation on green sea urchins, abalone, and other important herbivores. In the absence of otters, these grazers flourish and decimate kelp beds, which are important habitats for many fish and crustaceans. Removal of urchins by otters favors the kelp beds and their inhabitants. In feeding, otters may carry a rock on their chest, to use as an anvil to smash urchins or other hard-shelled prey. During storms, otters ride out the surf by wrapping a strip of kelp around their middles for stability." from The Nature of Southeast Alaska Materials: Video: Wild Alaska, Skyriver Films (sea otter segment) Video: Alaska’s Coolest Animals , Skyriver Flims (sea otter segment) Book: Lepthien, Emilie. 1994. A New True Book: Otters . Children’s Press. Chicago, IL

59. Sea Otter, Enhydra Lutris At MarineBio.org Sea otters must eat 25% of their body weight each day in order to stay alive. That means a 18 kg sea otter must eat 4.5 kg of food each day! They will eat nearly any seafood they can http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=157

60. Sea Otters Randall William Davis describes how otters were saved after the Exxon Valdez supertanker ran aground in Prince William Sound. http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/save/seaotters.shtml

These Webpages are no longer maintained. We are keeping the pages here to preserve some of the early years of Project Dragonfly , to honor the students who created the interactives in the early days of the Web, and because many of the activities are fun and people are still using them. For current Project Dragonfly work, go to: www.ProjectDragonfly.org Thanks! The Project Dragonfly team. Sea otters are the smallest marine animals. And otters are different from other marine mammals, such as seals, and whales, because they depend only on their fur to stay warm in their cold ocean home. Their fur keeps them warm by trapping a thin layer of air next to their skin, even when they are diving underwater. Sea otters' fur keeps them warm by trapping a layer of air next to their skin. The Problem What would happen to a sea otter if its fur were coated with thick, black oil? Oil tankersships that sometimes carry millions of liters of oilsail up and down the Pacific coast from California to Alaska. The tankers pass right through sea otter habitat. If an oil tanker wrecks, oil spills into the ocean, threatening otters and other creatures. My friends and I began some research to answer two questions: 1) How does oil affect sea otters; and 2) can otters be cleaned and returned to the wild, if they become oiled?

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