Like every other person on this planet, I have an obsession with the teddy bears of the ocean: sea otters! We've all seen a million and one videos of adorable sea otters swimming and playing, essentially acting like the children we wish we still were. Other than that they are incredibly cute, sea otters are intelligent as well. Here are five amazing facts about sea otters that you might not know!
1. Baby sea otters are buoyant!
Can you believe it? Baby sea otters don't sink! They also don't know how to swim which is why mama sea otter is always carrying the pups on her belly, which allows for an adorable photo opportunity! Mama sea otters also wrap their babies in kelp to keep them stationary while they hunt.
2. Sea otters hold hands while they sleep!
To keep from drifting apart when sleeping, sea otters will hold each other's hands! Also, another neat fact, a group of linked otters floating downstream is referred to as a raft!
3. Sea otters only have three marine predators!
The only threats to sea otters are humans, great white sharks, and killer whales! Sea otters are also considered a keystone species. This is because they help keep the sea urchin population under control, which allows for kelp to flourish in the waters!
4. Sea otters are incredibly clean.
You would assume that a mammal that is so closely related to the weasel can be rather dirty, but sea otters are obsessive groomers. This is because dirty, dense fur prevents oxygen from being absorbed into their bodies. They need to stay clean so that the flow of oxygen can keep them warm in icy seas.
5. Sea otters juggle rocks when they're bored!
Sea otters are very playful animals, which is why they're so much fun to observe in zoos. As proof of how much fun they are, I once had to wait to enter the Wildlife Center because the otters had escaped from their enclosure. This incident has happened to me 2 out of the 4 times I've been the the Wildlife Center! Along with their use of rocks as tools to break open clams, they also juggle them when they're bored!
