Sea otters inhabit the Pacific coast. These sleek, furry marine mammals have no insulating layer of fat like other animals that live in colder climates, but are kept warm by their fur and high metabolism.
Sea otters were hunted for their fur to the point of near extinction. In fact, sea otters have the densest fur of any mammal; the coat of a sea otter has over half a million hairs per 6.5 square centimeters! These animals are very clean as well; they wash themselves after eating and frequently clean their fur with paws.
The way sea otters eat is interesting; they use their stomach as a table. A sea otter eats in the water, lying on its back, with its food on its chest. Sea otters are the only otters to give birth in the water. Mother sea otters have the ability to nurture their young while floating on their backs.
Sea otters play an instrumental role in controlling sea urchin populations which would otherwise inflict extensive damage to kelp forest ecosystems (underwater forests).
Picture Credit : Google