Sea Otters Research Paper

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Sea Otters
Enhydra Lutris, also known as sea otters are the heaviest members of the weasel family and the second smallest marine mammals (Basic Facts About Sea Otters). Sea otters make up four different types of species: Enhydra (sea otter), Pteronua (giant otters), Aonyx (clawless otters), and Lutra (river otters) (Seaworld). Sea otters are not found just anywhere in the world. Most sea otters are found in coastal areas and islands of eastern and western North Pacific Ocean such as California, Alaska, Washington, south along British Columbia, and Aleutian Islands (seaworld). Sea otters have physical characteristics such as various shades of brown, short legs, about 4 feet in length, webbed and strong feet, long tails, fur that is long and
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For sea otters, swimming is their primary transportation. Sea otters spend most of their time in the water either swimming, diving for food or floating on their backs at the surface of the water. Because swimming is a sea otters main transportation, sea otters can swim all over the place for miles straight either alone or with their pup is on their stomach (Otter 501). While sea otters float on their backs they use their hind limbs to paddle and their tails as their propellers. When sea otters float on their backs they have several positive effects. For example, when sea otters sleep, they float on their backs wrapped in seaweed so they do not float away while sleeping (Canadian Wildlife Federation). Sea otters can reach a speed of about 0.9mph while swimming on the surface and about 5.6mph under water (seaworld). With sea otters being able to swim so well, sea otters can swim rapidly to get away from prey. In order to survive a sea otter life, the main thing for survival is eating. For sea otters to get food they swim or dive down about 66ft under water and can stay submerged for about 52-90 seconds

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