Sea Otters Hold Hands So They Do Not Drift Apart
An otter is a semi-aquatic mammal. Sea otters rest in groups called rafts and sometimes hold paws while sleeping.
An otter is a semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal of the weasel family. Sea otters rest floating on their backs in groups called *rafts*, and they sometimes hold paws or wrap themselves in kelp so the current does not separate them while they sleep. They also have the densest fur of any animal, up to a million hairs per square inch, because they have no blubber to keep warm. A sea otter often keeps a favourite stone in a loose fold of skin under its arm to crack shellfish.
- A semi-aquatic mammal. *A river otter.*
- Raft — a group of sea otters. *A raft of otters.*
- Holt — a river otter's den. *An otter holt.*
- Mustelid — its family. *The weasel family.*
- Spraint — otter droppings. *Fresh spraint.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | otter | One otter. |
| Plural | otters | Two otters. |
| Group | raft | A raft of otters. |
| Den | holt | An otter holt. |
| Old English | otor | Otter. |
- The otter slipped into the river.Behaviour.
- Sea otters rest in rafts.Social.
- They use stones to crack shellfish.Tool use.
Sea otter facts
- Densest fur of any animal, since they have no blubber
- Use tools — a stone to crack shells, kept in a skin pouch
- Eat around a quarter of their body weight daily to stay warm
- Keystone species — by eating urchins they protect kelp forests
- Nearly hunted to extinction for their fur by 1900
Old English *otor*, from a Germanic root related to *water*, shared with Greek *hydra*.
Do sea otters really hold hands?
They do link paws while resting, and also anchor themselves in kelp, so the group does not drift apart.
Why are sea otters important to kelp forests?
They eat sea urchins, which graze kelp. Without otters, urchin numbers explode and the forests are destroyed.