Sea Otters: Keystone Species To The Ecosystem

The Enhydra lutris or sea otter are local to the coasts of the North Pacific Ocean, ranging from Canada to Southern California and even Mexico. This species ranks as the second smallest marine mammal in the animal kingdom and is known for its dense fur coat, as opposed to a layer of blubber (http://www.defenders.org/sea-otter/basic-facts). The sea otter is a keystone species. A keystone species is “a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically” (https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#safe=strict&q=keystone+species+definition). Their predation helps to protect the kelp forests of the shores in which they live. The
Adults grow to about four feet in length and can weigh between 54 and 44 pounds (http://www.otterproject.org/about-sea-otters/biology-of-the-southern-sea-otter/). Sea otters typically live 10 to 12 years. These creatures live mostly on their own. One of the most unique features on the sea otter is its dense fur coat. Most marine mammals have a layer of blubber for warmth, instead the sea otter has one of the densest fur coats in the animal kingdom; they have approximately one million hairs per square inch (http://www.otterproject.org/about-sea-otters/biology-of-the-southern-sea-otter/). The coat has two layers: the first layer is a dense, dry layer and the second is a water-resistant, oily coat to protect the first layer. Grooming their fur regularly is vital to the sea otter’s survival. This dense coat was the reason sea otters were hunted so severely and are currently
Most sea otters have upwards of 6 pups in their life time. Sea otters in different regions will give birth during different seasons of the year: “Southern Sea Otters in California give birth in the winter from around January to about March. On the other extreme, the Alaskan Sea Otter will give birth in the summer, when the water is milder” (http://www.otternet.com/species/seaotter.htm). A female sea otter only obtains enough resources for one pup; in the case of a twin being birthed, the mother is only capable of raising one. Pups rely on their mother for only about eight months, then they venture off on their own. Males will often find other parties of male sea otters in order to find a mate. Then the cycle of reproduction starts again. This process is violent and often painful for the female. After the male is finished, he will be out of the female’s life for good; he will play no part in the pup’s