Sea Otters at Home

Eating, washing up, playing, and even sleeping-sea otters do everything at sea! The harsh winds and big waves of the open ocean can be dangerous for sea otters. So, they usually stay within a mile or two of shore. Their favorite places to live are in the kelp forests that grow just off the coasts of California and Alaska.

Kelp is a type of seaweed that anchors itself to the sea bottom and grows up toward the sunshine at the water's surface. Many tall fronds of kelp sway together, side by side, creating a beautiful underwater "forest." A kelp forest is a home for fish, clams, crabs, octopuses, sea urchins, and especially for sea otters.

Sea otters can find plenty of food in a kelp forest. They dive to the bottom to hunt for clams and sea urchins. Like people, sea otters need to breathe air. But they can hold their breath underwater for two minutes or more.

When a sea otter spots a clam it likes, it picks the clam up in its paws. But how will the otter break through the clam's tough shell? It finds a rock on the sea bottom and tucks the rock under its arm. Now the otter is ready to surface with its meal. It floats on its back, balancing the rock on its tummy. With its nimble paws, the sea otter whacks the clam against the rock. Tap, tap, tap! The clam's shell cracks. Then the otter can pry the clam open with its sturdy teeth and lick out the sweet meat inside.

After each meal, a sea otter carefully cleans and grooms its fur. The otter somersaults through the water, rinsing off all the crumbs. It rubs its fur with its paws, combs it with its claws, and gently blows warm air into the fur through its nose. Clean fluffy fur can hold lots of tiny air bubbles. And that means the otter's skin will stay dry and warm, no matter how long it stays in the cold ocean water.

In a kelp forest, sea otters can play and be safe. Adults love to float on their backs in the water, paddling with their long flipper-shaped feet and strong tails. Youngsters especially love to play tag and wrestle with each other. But sometimes sharks swim near the forest to hunt for food. Otter moms know they must keep their babies close to the fronds of kelp. The color of the otters' fur matches the brownish color of the seaweed. As long as the otters stay near the kelp, sharks and other enemies cannot see them.

Where do sea otters find comfy beds for sleeping? In a kelp forest, of course! As night falls, they gather in groups called "rafts." Each otter lays a strand of kelp across its belly to hold itself in place so it doesn't drift out to sea. All safe and secure, the otters lie back and let themselves be rocked to sleep by the ocean waves.

Eating, washing up, playing, and sleeping-sea otters are at home in the forests of kelp.

Copyright Carus Publishing Company Jan 2005
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved