National Geographic Kids USA - November 2017

Having to eat 2,000 pieces of candy

might sound good, but what if you had to

make 2,000 dives to do it? Otters eat at

the surface and often eat only one thing

at a time. To eat 150 kelp crabs, the otter

needs to make at least 150 dives. And it

takes about six dives to pry just

one abalone from a rock.

SUPERSTRENGTH

Using tools such as rocks to crack

open shells is all the rage with otters in

California, but it isn’t always necessary.

That’s because sea otters are like

superheroes when it comes to

strength. Alaska sea otters crack

open dinner with their teeth! A hard

clam or mussel shell is no match for

an otter’s extremely powerful jaws

and strong teeth.

A person would have to make

several dives, use a special sharp

tool, and have lots of luck to pry a

firmly anchored abalone from its

rock. An otter has only its paws and

an occasional rock. The otter also

uses its strong paws to snatch and

overpower large crabs while avoiding

their dangerous claws.

Superswimmers, supereaters,

superdivers—sea otters definitely

deserve their rep as supertough

marine mammals.

Male northern

sea otters weigh

up to a hundred

pounds. Females

weigh up to

72 pounds.

An otter’s

tail is about

one-quarter

the length

of its body.

CATCHING A

RIDE ON MOM

ENJOYING A

TASTY SNACK

DOC WHITE / NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY (DIVING OTTER); DESIGN PICS INC / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (TWO FLOATING OTTERS); ENRIQUE R AQUIRRE AVES / GETTY IMAGES (OTTER EATING); MILO BURCHAM / DESIGN PICS INC / ALAMY (MOTHER AND BABY)

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS (^27)
GET ORE
/november
GEGGETTT OOOOORERRERRERE
naatgtgeookikidscom
SEA OTTER
PUPS!