Hobbies And Interests
Shape &Size
Sea otters are larger than freshwater otters, but they are still long and lean. Their bodies are aquadynamic and flexible, which allows them to move quickly and easily in the water. Male sea otters weigh 60 to 90 lbs., and the females are only 35 to 65 lbs. All sea otters are 48 to 58 inches in length, and females are a few inches shorter than males. The northern sea otter is larger and heavier than the southern sea otter.
Fur
Sea otters are covered in fine, dense fur that is darker brown on the back and lighter on the underbelly. Fur can also be black, blond or gray. The longer guard hairs are more than an inch long, making them the longest hairs of all otters. With 12 to 108 shorter underhairs per one guard hair, the sea otter has the thickest fur coat of any mammal. Sea World reports that a large male sea otter could have 800 million hairs.
Face &Teeth
Sea otters have small rounded ears that close when they dive. Noses are black, diamond-shaped pads that may have pink scars. Although their noses do not have hair like some freshwater otters, the sea otter does have whiskers that average 2 inches in length but can reach 5 inches, if unbroken. The sea otter's teeth are mostly molars, but they do have two pairs of incisors. Together, these teeth crush mollusk shells and scrape out the meat.
Limbs &Tail
The front paws are padded and skillful for grooming, eating and grabbing. The unpadded back paws act as flippers to propel the sea otter in the water. The claws on the front paws retract, but the back claws are stationary. The sea otter's tail, though shorter than most freshwater otter tails, can be up one-fourth of its body length. The tail acts as a rudder in the water, whether they are swimming on their fronts or floating on their backs.