“Urchin ranching could be a viable solution to this problem, if they can figure out scalability of an industry and market,” he says, “urchin populations are already so out of hand”. By controlling sea urchin populations, sea otters promote giant kelp growth, as that species is a favorite of sea urchin grazers. Sea otters have not previously been fully documented but researchers are aware of how intelligent these marine mammals are. They can dive hundreds of feet deep. Sea otters eat about 25% to 30% of their weight. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. They eat sea urchins and other invertebrates that graze on giant kelp. Without the sea otters to keep them in check, urchins and other grazing invertebrates can turn flourishing kelp … Without sea otters, sea urchins can overpopulate the sea floor and devour the kelp forests that provide cover and food for many other marine animals. So when otters keep the population of urchins down, kelp forests expand. What is internal and external criticism of historical sources? Click to see full answer. What Do Giant River Otters Eat? On the other hand, the benefits of otters are the good they do for kelp stands. What do sea urchins like to eat? Without sea otters, these grazing animals can destroy kelp forests and consequently the wide diversity of animals that depend upon kelp habitat for survival. River otters and giant otters hunt by using their vibrissae to detect movements of prey in the water. In a kelp forest, sea urchins can graze on the kelp and eat their holdfasts, resulting in deforesting the kelp from an area. You may opt-out by. How do the otters keep warm? The abundant kelp resulted in carbon sequestration worth 2.2 … Red urchins will also feed on kelp, however the increase in their population has not been nearly as explosive as that of the purple urchins. On land, coyotes and bobcats also predate on otters. No Sea Otters. Scientists and researchers alike are scrambling for solutions. Otters have strong teeth and a powerful bite. In this way, cold water is kept away from the skin and there is little body heat loss. In a quiet cove of Monterey Bay in Northern California, a female raft of sea otters is hanging out in a kelp bed. Sea lions dart past a rock with purple urchins. They eat sea urchins and other invertebrates that graze on giant kelp. Luckily their coat keeps them buoyant but their mother still has to carry them around wherever they go. So whether you see an otter on land or at sea, be sure to maintain a safe distance of at least 50 yards and never feed sea otters. How long do otters stay with their parents. All freshwater otter pups stay with their mothers for a year, until the next litter is born. The sea otter: a keystone species. Since they must sleep at the surface, they often wrap themselves in giant kelp to keep from floating away. This, in turn, provides shelter for sea otter pups and a variety of other marine life, including fish. Otters are crucial in keeping kelp forests healthy and thriving. Each arrow points from something that is eaten to an animal that eats it. Additionally, how does a sea otter defend itself? decade, threatening kelp forests and commercial fisheries. Pups remain dependent on their mothers for an average of six months. Keith Rootsaert, a California diver since 1984, is now working to understand the urchin explosion through experiments in Monterey. Sea Otters Holding Hands. But new research suggests that sea otters may have outsmarted them — at least in the handiness department. Sea urchins eat kelp’s in great abundance; when the population of sea urchins is controlled, kelp forests can flourish. How do sea otters use kelp? Sea otters are another predator of urchins in the kelp forests. The intersection of ecology, sustainability and food systems is what excites me. You can follow me on twitter @AriellaSimke or reach out to me at asimke@comcast.net for story ideas or questions. In places where sea otters have disappeared, sea urchins will eat the kelp forest until it’s gone. Rootsaert’s experiments include weekly visits to the same urchin barrens, areas where urchins have eaten all the kelp, to remove urchins and determine at what point a kelp forest can re-establish itself. Since they must sleep at do sea otters eat kelp, floating on their mothers for a year cover in Monterey 2013 marine... The chest and food systems is what excites me does it cost to replace a clutch in a kelp.... Sea urchins which if there is little body heat loss collected food bring... Most intelligent animals research suggests that sea otters feed on sea urchins and keep the short, underfur... Looking for her favorite dish, provides shelter for sea otter and also! 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