Mustelidae Spotlight: Sea Otter

You know, my research into sea otters may have proved them to be the most popular. They are not my personal favorite, but I was rather astounded how much more material there was on them than with all the "otter" guys. It may be because they are endangered, and when cute and endangered come together, there tends to be a fair bit of outcry about it. That said, there really are a lot of interesting things to talk about concerning this mustie. So, let us begin!

The sea otter can only be found in the North Pacific Ocean on both the eastern and northern coasts. They average about 3 and a half feet in length. It may just be my opinion, but I always found their faces particularly odd to look at. It almost looks like they aren't even real--something like a plush animal that was just sewn together that way.

These musties are "otterly" unusual. For one, they are very competent with the use of their front paws. They can pick things up and hold them like hands. They can use tools like rocks to open up clams. It's actually rather odd to see them do it. All the other otters I have seen struggle in this area. Another really odd thing about these guys is that they have pouches like kangaroos. They are actually up on their chests which makes them seem like little pockets to put things in. Unlike kangaroos who put there babies in them, these pockets are actually there to put whatever the heck they want into them. Let's jabber about the pockets for a bit.

Sea otters spend a lot of time underwater catching fish, clams, and other sea life. If you think about it, the entire ocean is like a big buffet where you can just choose what you want. But who wants to come up to eat for each individual bit of food. That's one of the uses for those pockets. After they catch the food, they store it in the pocket and keep going until their pockets are full. It's "otter" brilliance! It is fun watching them float on their backs while they eat right off of their chest. How cute! These pockets also store a little rock in them that they use to break open the clams they find. Sea otters are like living, mobile tool chests! How awesome is that?!

I found their social habits both cute and disturbing. Like the North American river otters, they love intermingling with one another--males and females alike. The males are known for having multiple mates. The disturbing part has to do with the actual act of breeding. Without going into too much detail, it is shockingly a rough affair. I am serious. The males are quite horrible to their women. Often times, the females come out of it with bite marks all over. Some of the wounds never heal. Even worse, the male tends to shove her head under water during the act. It reminds me how dangerous libertine lifestyles can actually get.

I do not know of any sea otters in fiction, but I am willing to bet that they do exist. These musties are very popular. I think the most striking thing about these guys were their social behavior--especially when it came to mating. I imagine the men to be quite chauvinistic when it comes to their feminine counterparts. They are fishermen of course and likely were the first ones to invent a modern style of fishing reel. In this respect, they would also be mechanically inclined. Despite their smiles and friendly outward appearance, I see them having a dark side that comes out if they are pushed. What do you think? It would sure fit the Asian lore, wouldn't it?

It is clear that the sea otter proves to be one of the most fascinating of his brethren. The ocean is his smorgasbord, and he swims about taking what he wants. Like most of his type, he is out there to have fun and enjoy himself. That is why we love otters after all. Stay tuned for yet another otter next week. It's gonna be a big one. I "otter" know!

Thank you for reading this blog. If you enjoyed it, you can comment below, or you can email me at tooie@tooiekangaroo.com. Splish!