Sea Otter: An Endangered / Threatened Animal

Mayumi Oda ESL099.3131 Professor YinMay 27, 2008

Photo Object; http://www.turtletrack.org.htm

Description Sea Otter = Enhydra

Lutiris(Silverstein, p.9)

• The male’s weight is 70-90 lbs. (32-41 kg) and 4.5 ft long (1.4 m).

• The female’s weight is 40-60 lbs. (18-27 kg) and 4.5 ft long (1.4 m). (Schneider)

Description (continue) Fur • The thickest and finest fur.• The function is to protect sea otter from cold

water (Siverstein, p.14).

Big appetite• The amounts of food equal 1/4 of the weight

each day.• Because of holding energy to keep the body

warm (Silverstein p.11 and p.20).

Life HistoryReproduction• Spring → it is easier to raise the pup. • A pup is born 4 - 6 months after mating.• The female can have a pup by 3 – 4 years old (Silverstein

p.30).

Parenting• Only female takes care of the pup.• The pup spend most time on

on the mother’s chest.

　　　　 (Silverstein, p.p 30-32)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　 http://olympiccoast.noaa.gov

Life History (continue)Parenting• 1 or 2 months age: starts eating solid foods.• 6 - 12 months age: becomes independent (Silverstein, p.p 30-32).

Life ActivityMale sea otter• Raft: a small group of only males.• Traveling more than 50 miles.Female sea otter• Not going far away from the birthplace.

(Silverstein, p.27)

Sea otter’s life span is 15 to 20 years. (Schneider)

Distribution

Past distribution

Pacific ocean all over the world

except Oceania

(Silverstein, p.17)

Current distribution

Relocation of sea otters ↓

The Pacific Coast in Alaska and British Columbia, and

Washington.| |

The area where a few people live in

（ Silverstein, p.p 41-45 ）

HabitatSea otter is a sensitive animal

• Shallow (50 to 75 feet depth)• Islands, rocks, reefs, and underwater kelp.• Abundant food (Silverstein, p.p 17-19)

http://www.amnh.org/

Reasons for Endangered

Decreasing the population

900,000 northern sea ottersand

100,000 to 200,000 southern sea otters were killed by people

(Silverstein, p.14)

Reasons for Decline

1. Shark Problem Most dangerous enemy (Martin, p.p28-31)

2. Gill Nets Sea otters are trapped in the net, and they drown (Martin,

p.p28-31).

http://www.glf.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

3.Oil ThreatOil spills from tanker into sea

↓Sea otters cannot survive

(Martin, p.p28-31)

4. Fur Hunting A lot of sea otters were killedby people because of the fur (Martin, p.p28-31)

http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/

ConservationFederal level• Russia, Japan, the U.S. and the UK

signed a fur treaty (Silverstein,p.14).

States level• California states banned the use of gill nets

(Glick).

Individual level• Many volunteers rescues sea otters

when oil spilled into sea (Silverstein, p.53).

ProspectConflict with

People

Big appetite of sea otter↓

Damage to the harvest of fishermen

↓Compete between

people and sea otters↓

Fishermen killsea otters

(Silverstein, p.p46-48)

Interaction between

Kelp and Sea Otters

The increase of sea otters

||The increase of kelp

||It is important for

fishermen

(Silverstein, p.p19-20)

Personal Thoughts • People have responsibility to

protect sea otter.

• Nobody has the right to deprive other animals’ habitat.

• People should understand how they affect the other animal’s lives.

• People can coexist with sea otters without hurting each other.

Works CitedGlick, Daniel. “Back from the Brink.” Smithsonian. Sep. 2005: 54-63.

AcademicSearch Premier. EBSCOHost. LaGuardia Community Coll. Lib., Long Island City, NY. 2 April 2008 <http://rpa.laguardia.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=18018965&site=ehost-live>.

Martin, Marlene. “Endangered, Threatened, or Thriving? The California Sea Otter.” Environment. September 1983: 28,5. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOHost. LaGuardia Community Coll. Lib., Long Island City, NY. 2 April 2008 <http://rpa.laguardia.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=5210478&site=ehost-live>.

Schneider, Karl. “Sea Otter.” Alaska Department of Fish and Game. 1994: 10 April 2008 <http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/marine/seaotter.php>.

Silverstein, Alvin, Virginia Silverstein, and Robert Silverstein. The Sea Otter:Alvin, Virginia, and Robert Silverstein. Brookfield, Connecticut: The Millbrook Press, 1995.