The U.S. Sea otters have not recolonized all former habitats, though their current distribution is considered stable (USFWS 2013b; Ballachey and Bodkin 2015). PDF | The northern sea otter inhabits coastal waters of the northern Pacific Ocean and is the largest member of the Mustelidae family. The sea otter is the smallest of the marine mammals containing a dense dark brown insulating fur coat (Kenyon, 1969). The northern sea otter is protected from hunting and harassment by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. By the early 20th century, northern sea otters were nearly extirpated from Alaska as a result of overharvest (Muto et al. The estimated population size in 2008 was 7,095 sea otters (se = 922). Please click the link provided after "For more information" to access the Service’s Marine Mammals Management Northern Sea Otter in Alaska website. This represents a 22% increase in sea otter population size in this area in the 4 year period 2008 – 2012. Despite its common name, the North American river otter is equally comfortable in either coastal marine or freshwater habitats. of food each day. - "Sea otters (enhydra lutris) from the northern and southern populations may find each other in Humboldt County, California" The Tsimshian sea otter … However, crabs make up a larger portion of sea otter diet in some parts of Alaska than in California and may therefore have a greater impact per otter (Garshelis et al., 1986). A sea otter has a metabolic rate much higher than most mammals of similar size, and must consume large quantities of food. Northern sea otters live in shallow coastal waters in the northern Pacific Ocean. It makes its home in a burrow near the water's edge, and can thrive in river, lake, swamp, or estuary ecosystems. Average weight of an adult female California sea otter is about 50 lbs. Sea otters are a keystone species and play a critical role in the food web of the kelp forest, so much so that even terrestrial species are influenced by sea otter activity. Wild sea otters typically have a lifespan between 15 and 20 years. In addition, the sea otter population size, density, and trajectory are all much greater in Alaska relative to California. Critical habitat is habitat that is deemed essential for the conservation of a threatened (or endangered) species. Fish and Wildlife Service designated almost 6,000 miles of coastline in southwest Alaska as critical habitat for the northern sea otter. The current distribution is marked in red, while the recent observation in Humboldt County is noted as a green dot. Adult sea otters may eat as much as 9 kg (20 lbs.) The sea otter spends most of its time in the water but, in some locations, comes ashore to sleep or rest. ableT 1. Tables. When sea otter populations are healthy, urchin populations are kept in check, and kelp is abundant. This keystone species is crucial to the health of kelp forests and the thousands of other marine animals who rely on them to survive. Contained in galleries otter sea otter northern sea otter Alaska nature wildlife Teklanika Teklanika Photography. Fish and Wildlife Service recovery plan uses effective population size to determine when the southern sea otter is to be delisted as a federally threatened species. Figure 1. They are the largest member of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels, ferrets, and badgers. 2 Category Score Biological Population Size (-10 to 10) The sea otter will generally live between 10 and 20 years, and maintain a relatively constant age structure. Prices and download plans . Map of the current distribution of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in California, based on California Department of Fish and Wildlife (2015). Sea otter fur was a highly valued pelt of the European and Indigenous traders [34, 38, 46]. Physical Characteristics. This information shows that the sea otter exhibits type 2 … 2019). Your symbolic adoption will support SR3's work, including its efforts to protect the threatened Northern sea otters who live along the outer coast of Washington and Oregon. The facial structure and skull shape are different between the two, Gagne says. In 2002, they expanded the candidate stock to include all sea otter populations in southwest Alaska. Sea otter fur is the densest of any mammal at about 1 million hairs per square inch (We have 100,000 hairs on our entire head). In the 1960s, more than 400 Northern Sea Otters were translocated around the Alaskan coast to support survival leading to population and range expansion. Southern sea otters appear to have slightly larger skulls than northern sea otters, which contradicts the findings of Timm-Davis et al. Adult males weight between 22 and 45 kilograms and measure from 1.2 to 1.5 meters.On the other hand the adult females usually weigh between 14 and 33 kilograms, and their length varies from 1 to 1.4 meters.. population size in 2012 of approximately 8,644 sea otters (se = 1,243), with an overall density of 5.96 sea otters/km2 (NPS and USGS unpublished data). The most notable physical difference between this subspecies and its northern cousins is size. stock of the northern sea otter is insignificant and is approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate (i.e., 10% of PBR) because observer coverage is not adequate. Waved lines represent the harvest area. Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students.ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Figure 1: Northern sea otter stock boundaries from the 2013 Southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment of the Northern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) Recovery Plan SPECIES BACKGROUND. The Tlingit [46-48], the Nootka [50], the Coast Salish [52], the Kwakiutl [38], the Haida [61], and the central and northern Nootka [66] traded sea otter furs. We use geometric morphometrics to evaluate variation in cranium size and morphology, and 2-dimensional models to estimate bite performance differences between 2 sea otter subspecies that differ in dietary ecology: the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni, a facultative generalist) and the southern sea otter (E. l. nereis, a specialist). For general information on Northern Sea Otter, see the Northern Sea Otter species profile page. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. Oil Spills Activities associated with exploration, development, and transport of oil and gas resources can adversely impact sea otters and nearshore coastal ecosystems in Alaska. The sea otters have a flexible skeleton and their face is small and round. Samples for this research were collected from the first 40 otters harvested. Further, the U.S. Sea otters in captivity will consume up to 25% of their body weight per day. Estimates of sea otter population size from western Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1993–2009, based on aerial surveys methods of Bodkin and Udevitz Map of the sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) harvest area near Gustavus, Alaska. Among their food preferences are sea urchins, crabs, abalone, clams, mussels, octopus, and fishes. Unlike most marine animals, sea otters lack blubber and have a very high metabolic rate, eating 20–25% of their body mass in prey, per day [1,2]. Whereas a female southern sea otter grows up to 50 pounds, a female northern sea otter can weigh up to 70 pounds. A prominent population of the Southern Sea Otter persists in California, but the Northern Sea Otters live primarily in Southern Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, British Columbia and Washington. Males can weigh up to 70 lbs. : You are free: to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work; to remix – to adapt the work; Under the following conditions: attribution – You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. (2015) and Timm (2013) but supports the notion that northern sea otters vary in size throughout their range (as observed by Roest 1973). Forty-one male northern sea otters were harvested from March to September 2013. Main Characteristics Of The Sea Otters Anatomy. Sign in Sign up for FREE Prices and download plans Alaskan or Northern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) Photography Art Prints starting at $59.00 on Fuji Pearl, Luster Fine Art Paper, Satin MetalPrint, High Gloss MetalPrint, Canvas Gallery Wraps. Sea otters are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits the take (i.e., harass, hunt, capture, or kill) of all marine mammals. Here at the Aquarium, our sea otters are southern, or California, sea otters. In 2004, USFWS proposed listing the southwest Alaska northern sea otter under the ESA, and in 2005, the population was listed as threatened. The southern sea otter is smaller than its similar counterpart, the northern sea otter. Management and Protection In the United States. Photos with Sea Otter Distribution Sea otters live in several regions of the Pacific: along the Commander and Kuril Islands off the coast of Russia, along the Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula south of the Bering Sea, off the Alaskan Peninsula to Vancouver Island, and on the central California coast from Point Sur to Ano Nuevo. Image Size 5108x3300 / 12.3MB www.teklanikaphotography.com. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Gagne states that if they use old methods of calculation, the southern sea otter may be delisted too soon for true recovery. The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal in the weasel family.While it may simply be called the "river otter" in North America (to distinguish it from the sea otter) there are other river otter species throughout the world. Their measurements vary depending on the sex. The U.S. The playful North American river otter is equally at home in the water and on land. 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