http://www.ck12.org Chapter 11. Understanding Biodiversity: Animals: Mammals
11.3 Enhydra lutris: Sea Otter
Common Name
- Sea Otter
Description
The sea otter is the smallest marine mammal species and weighs 49- 99 pounds. They are usually 1.2- 1.5 m long
and have light and dark brown fur. The sea otter pup usually weighs about 1-3 pounds at birth. The sea otter is
related to weasels, badgers, and minks. They are also the heaviest member of the Mustelidae family.
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Family: Mustelidae
- Genus:Enhydra
- Species:E. lutris
Habitat
The sea otter lives in Russia, Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. In the ocean, they
burrow themselves in kelp forests during the day, but sleep on the waves during the night. They usually live in
waters up to 100 ft. in depth, but they can dive down up to 325 ft. Sea otters occasionally travel to land, but are