SE A OT TERS
:
Supercute, Supertough
BY RUTH A. MUSGRAVEB
ursting from the depths of frigid
Alaskan waters, a sea otter holds
her prize: a lifeless giant Pacific
octopus. She quickly rolls onto
her back to use her stomach
as a table. The enormous octopus drapes
over her body like an oversize tablecloth.
As astonished researchers watch the otter
devouring the feast, they can only imagine
the epic battle that must have occurred
under the water. “I’ve never seen an
otter bring up such large prey, but it’s
not surprising,” marine biologist Chris
Marshall says. “They’re extraordi-
narily tough animals.”
A sea otter may look like
a cute, gentle ball of fur,
but they’re actually
rugged, resilient,
wiry predators
that battle prey,the environment, and other otters every
day. In fact most humans couldn’t do what
otters do. Here’s why they deserve a repu-
tation as the tough guys of the ocean.SEA SURVIVOR
A sea otter is about the same size as an
11-year-old kid—buta whole lot tougher. Otters spend nearly
their entire lives just beyond the breaking
waves. Whether it’s stormy or calm, winter
or summer, they eat, sleep, fight, mate, and
give birth on the surface of the sea.These fuzz balls have incredible survival skills.
Otters live
within a half
mile of shore and
stay within a
two-mile area
year-round.GET ORE
/novemberGEGTET OOOOORRRERERR
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ANIMALS!