The underfur is the layer closest to the body, and this fur functions to insulate their body and keep warm in very cold conditions. There are 13 species of otters in the world, with 12 of those species requiring access to freshwater and only one species residing in the ocean. Otters webbed paws are interesting because sea otters will hold hands with their partners, so they dont drift too far apart from their group. There are quite a few to discuss, as river otters and sea otters belong to different genuses of animal. Ocean Conservancy is a 501(c)3 Tax ID #23-7245152 Donations are 100% tax-deductible as allowed by law. Vote in the embedded tweets below, on Twitter with the hashtag #CPMarchSadness, or on our Facebook page. There are about 33 species in this family. If you spot an otter in the Chesapeake Bay, it's a river otter, whereas if you spot one in Monterey Bay (especially in the water), the chances are high that it's a sea otter. The dietary preferences and lifespans of river otters and sea otters differ as well. They are agile and flexible due to their four limbs and streamlined bodies. The most famous in the United States, the California seal lion can be found all along the West coast of North America. Delivered in the scientific deadpan required of such papers, the Aquatic Mammals report attributes the incidents to three male sea otters observed harassing, dragging, guarding, and copulating with harbor seals, persisting for up to seven days after the otters killed the objects of their misguided advances. Sea otters have an average lifespan of 12-15 years in the wild while river otters live an average of 9-12 years. With no power for the electric lights, the house was a sea of darkness. There are 33 species of pinnipeds alive today and, they too can be found on every continent on Earth! I graduated from Rowan University in 2014 with degrees in English and Education. River otters weigh between 11 and 31 pounds. They eat 15% of their body weight a day. Their familial units are very strong, while river otters tend to lead solitary lives. difference between sea otter and penguinups insurance cost calculator. Otter and seals belong to different families. It is a grave mistake to see the so-called "depravity" of penguins, dolphins, and otters in the same way as our own behavior. Rather than being deviant, the behaviors were a regular part of penguin life, triggered by males associating a rather flexible interpretation of a females mating posture with receptiveness. Sea otters are mainly native to the northeastern seaboards of the Pacific Ocean, so they arent spotted in areas like the East Coast or the Gulf of Mexico. Though most species occur in cold-water environments. Taxonomically speaking, river otters and sea otters are different genera. Sea otters carry their young on their stomachs to keep them safe until they are ready to swim by themselves. They have flippers and do not have visible ears. You may already have an idea as to what makes river otters and sea otters look so different from one another. Otters are smaller while seals are comparatively large when it comes to body size. All pinnipeds (seals, sea lions and walruses) are protected in U.S. waters under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to NOAA. This makes people think that it is the same animal. Both are adapted to keeping themselves warm in the water. They include; walrus, eared seals, sea lions, fur seals, and earless seals. We shouldnt draw the curtains over the aspects of animal behavior that make us cringe, as Levick did when he coded some of his Adlie penguin notes in Greek and ultimately decided not to publish his findings. A fully grown otter weighs between 14 to 45 kg and this makes them the heaviest member among the smallest marine animals. The marine creatures also serve as fighters of climate change: their main preysea urchinslike to eat kelp, so by keeping the sea urchin population at a sustainable level, they keep kelp forests lush. Have some feedback for us? Heres a quick snapshot of just some of the otter and seal species size ranges: Asian Small Clawed Otters are the smallest species of otter. While floating on their backs, sea otters not only nap, but also use rocks to help them . Their gestation period is between 60 to 86 days. Sea otters also notably have two very large back feet, webbed and streamlined for paddling and swift swimming in unpredictable ocean waters. They feed on fish, shellfish, penguins, and other marine creatures. In contrast, sea otters actually have one layer of fur, which happens to be the densest fur of any other known animal. River otters actually have two layers of short, coarse fur. They are basically carnivores. Asian Small-Clawed Otters have a classification of Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List while Sea and Giant Otters are listed as Endangered as of today. Otter belongs to the Mustelidae family while the seal belongs to the Phocidae family. * {{quote-news, year=2013, date=April 9, author=Andrei Lankov, title=Stay Cool. YES! As their name suggests, sea otters are adorable mammals that barely leave their saltwater homes. Southern sea otters are approximately four feet in length and weigh on average between 45-65 pounds. Seals are larger than otters, weighing a lot more than them and growing much longer. Scientists believe this difference is due to the size difference between the two creatures. However, there some traits and features that make them different from each other. Levick was aghast because he viewed the penguins in human termsas little gents and dames dressed to the nines. We focus on how to be proactive in finding solutions. While sea otters and river otters share many differences, they do share a major similarity - the threats they face in the wild. For if such awful displays occurred in nature, what might that say about our own actions? The guard hairs can be brown to black to silver. Still, these two mammals are very different from one another. Answers: These three are all sea otters (credit: Deanna Lynch/USFWS) while the first and last photos in this blog are river otters (credit: Barry Troutman). unit 3: personal and business finance grade boundaries. 2022 Georgia Aquarium 225 Baker Street Northwest, Atlanta, GA. Georgia Aquarium is a nonprofit committed to inspiring awareness and preservation of our ocean and aquatic animals worldwide. River otters and sea otters have different lifespans. Male sea otters typically grasp the female from behind and bite her face, and this rough behavior was associated with the deaths of about 11 percent of dead sea otters discovered between 2000 and 2003. Otters and seals have many things in common. Sea otters commit to one another and raise one pup at a time. Although described as the smallest marine mammal this species is quite large as otters go, reaching as much as 80 lbs. While both animals are classified as otters, river otters are members of the Lontra genus, and sea otters are members of the Enhydra genus. They may look similar, but they are two different creatures. We can find beauty and poetry in nature, but we can also find terror and savagery, all essential parts of the entire picture. Levick wrote an entire book about the seagoing birds on his return, describing the impression of the elegant avians like so: When seen for the first time, the Adlie penguin gives you the impression of a very smart little man in an evening dress suit, so absolutely immaculate is he, with his shimmering white front and black back and shoulders. But the species shocked and horrified Levick so much so that his four-page report Sexual Habits of the Adlie Penguin was purposefully omitted from the official expedition findings and distributed only to a small group of researchers considered learned and discreet enough to handle the graphic content. They live in or near oceans. Do you think you can tell the difference if you saw them side-by-side? For whichever animal wins, ClimateProgress will write a feature-length article exploring the story behind whats ailing your chosen critter, and who is working to save them. As ethologist Sarah Hrdy has observed, there are various reasons for infanticide. Otters have webbed paws instead of flippers, visible external ears, and a long, thin tail that is easy to spot. Read the rules here. Many of, Crocodiles are among the most terrifying animals of all time. Asian small-clawed otters are just the opposite. Graduating Southern Oregon University with a BFA in Theatre and a specialization in creative writing, I have an invested interest in a variety of topics, particularly Pacific Northwest history. We know it can get otterly confusing to differentiate the species, so here are five ways to tell them apart! Giant Otter Giant Otters are the largest otter species and are very similar to large river otters. A sea otter can grow to be up to 4 feet long, while a river otter only grows to be about 2.5 feet long. union county latest news As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The gestation period for otters lasts between 60 to 86 days while the gestation period for seals lasts between 9 months to 12 months. They are both weasel family members, as evident by their long, slender bodies. Sea otters also have longer bodies than river otters. A 2010 study found that a toxin found in blue-green algae called microcystin had killed at least 21 California sea otters. Some river otters can be found in wetlands and lakes. They weigh between 45kg to 3,200kg. They have a very thick layer of fur on their bodies that enables them to keep themselves warm during the cold season. Lastly, seals use blubber under their thick skin to keep them warm when they spend time in the water, but otters have dense, two-layered fur that keeps them insulated. The distinction between these two is important: the sea otter will spend its entire life floating in the ocean, swimming, feeding, and reproducing. Decades of efforts to help the dark gray baleen whale recover through international protection have done little to improve the species prospects. Male giant otters average 26 to 34 kg (57-75 lbs. The pups learn their mothers voice to avoid confusion of the mother feeding another seals pups. They are not very graceful on land because of their flippers, but they manage to move very well in the water. River otters are smaller than sea otters in both length and weight. There are nearly 2,000 different species! WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. 2. For males, the difference is also significant a southern male grows up to 70 pounds while a northern male can reach up to 100 pounds! If dolphins really disappeared tomorrow, as in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series, I think their final message would be Screw You rather than the So Long, And Thanks for All the Fish farewell Douglas Adams imagined. Members of Phocidae are known as earless seals or true seals. There are many distinguishing features between a river otter vs sea otter. Seals belong to Phocidae, and otters belong to the Mustelidae, so they are not even close to being related. Search. They spend time in the water foraging for mollusks, fish, frogs and crustaceans. Youll have a very simple time determining if you are looking at an otter from a true seal with one or two of those factors. For example, sea lions are sometimes believed to be seals, but that is not the case. Seals have flippers, no visible external ears, and a very small tail. Many creatures dwell in the water, and some of them are difficult to tell apart. And baby Magellanic penguins in Argentina are dying at an unprecedented rate due to heavy rains, strong storms and heat. Some local populations, such as Gray seals in the Baltic Sea, are endangered. Sea otters are mainly native to the northeastern seaboards of the Pacific Ocean, so they aren't spotted in areas like the East Coast or the Gulf of Mexico. And kelp forests are good at storing carbon: a study in 2012 found that the presence of otters helped carbon storage in North American kelp forests surge. Female otters in the California region can weigh up to 60 pounds, while males can weigh up to 90 pounds. : Most all seal species are carnivorous. About Us RETWEET for Penguin or FAVE for Sea Otter #CPMarchSadness http://t.co/lzQh1SAaxZ pic.twitter.com/D7Tlow3Pad, Climate Progress (@climateprogress) March 27, 2015. There are twelve different sub-species of river otter, but only three separate sub-species of the sea otter. Otters have paws and external ears while seals have flippers but do not have visible ears. In terms of colours, seals have thick fur coats that range from pale yellow to light grey and dark brown. If youre on a river in the middle of the North American continent, far away from any seaboard: its a river otter. While it may be obvious, river otters are found in rivers while sea otters are found in the sea. Another significant difference is the number of offspring these creatures have. Both species face threats of pollution, habitat loss, and reduced food sources. In what promises to be two close matches, Sea Otter will face off against Penguin, and ThinkProgress office-favorite Sea Horse will battle the severely endangered North Atlantic Right. They are mammals without fur as adults. Otters spend a substantial amount of time grooming, and many species of river otters have designated areas on land for . Please try All of this is only the barest catalog of common and widespread phenomena in nature that we often shy away from examining, as we have great difficulty divorcing our own sense of morality from a wilderness that does not and cannot share our values. Not only do these two creatures have different habitats, but they have both evolved fur to best suit those habitats. nurse unit manager interview questions and answers australia. Sea Otters are a larger species of otter. The dark side of superficially cute animals is a part of their nature that reminds us that the wild does not exist for our entertainment and whimsy. Peregrine Falcon; Oyster vs. Butterfly; Lobster vs. Red Knot (voting closed) WINNERS: Sea Turtle, Falcon, Butterfly, Red Knot.Day 63/26: Polar Bear vs. Pangolin; Koala vs. Wolverine (voting closed) WINNERS: Polar Bear, Wolverine.Day 73/27: Sea Horse vs. Whale; Sea Otter vs. Penguin (voting closed) WINNERS: Sea Horse, Sea Otter.Day 83/30: Elephant vs. Mountain Goat; Moose vs. Narwhal (voting NOW OPEN)Day 93/31: Sea Turtle vs. Red Knot; Butterfly vs. Asian small-clawed otters have relatively short hair that consists of two layers a coarse, waterproof outer coat and a softer, finer layer that is used for warmth. The maximum lifespan for male Nothern Elephant Seal is age 14; for females it is to age 20. Sea otters eat sea urchins, seaweed, clams, and crabs. River otters and sea otters also have habitat preferences in these unique ecosystems. Although its not a visible means of telling the creatures apart, knowing their family can help distinguish the creatures. There are 13 species of otters. Southern sea otters are considered an endangered species, while Asian small-clawed otters are vulnerable. They can grow up to 4 feet and weigh up to 70 pounds. Both types of otters need their coats to form a layer of insulation that traps air to keep them warm, and they certainly need it when areas like the Pacific dip to chilly temperatures that are often between 35 and 60 (and even lower than that as you move up the coast toward Alaska and Canada)! ), while females average 22 to 26 kg (49-57 lbs.). Still, the attempts to mate with seals requires an explanation. Plus, visit our Arctic fox and see how his coat changes throughout the year. Length of Lions Mane Jellyfish vs Blue Whale. What sea otters, dolphins, and penguins sometimes do to one another in their attempts to mate can make us feel queasy, but this is just one sort of animal behaviors that have been unsettling us since the Victorian era. Seals are larger than otters on average, and the largest members of the species make otters look positively tiny. Taxonomically speaking, there is actually only one species of sea otter! Whereas a female southern sea otter grows up to 50 pounds, a female northern sea otter can weigh up to 70 pounds. Most immediately noticeable is the difference in fur types river otters have short, sleek fur, while sea otters are distinctly 'fluffy', with long, fuzzy fur that's extremely dense and warm. Its without a doubt that otters are some of the most adorable mammals to ever grace the planet. As the smallest species of otter, they range in size from 4.4 to 11 pounds, with a body length of only 16 to 24 inches, which makes them half the length of a southern sea otter! They also feed on invertebrates and small animals found in the sea. River otters can be found in pairs, but they tend to spend time with other otters in a more casual way. Learn More About Estate Planning. The Northern sea otter and the Southern sea otter, but in actuality, this is the one and only species of otter that is a lifelong ocean-dweller. The Northern fur seal and Nooded seal are vulnerable. Another interesting tidbit about penguins is that 15,000 years ago, they were actually able to tolerate a warming climate.
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