What do sea otters eat?
Sea otters are incredibly cute creatures that live in coastal areas near the ocean.
They are a part of the weasel family and weigh between 25 and 45 pounds.
Sea otters mainly eat invertebrates, such as clams, crabs, shrimp, urchins, and octopuses.
They also consume some fish and plant material.
Sea otters are able to eat so many different types of food because they have a very diverse diet.
They are known to be picky, though, and will only eat one type of animal that is easy for them to acquire.
For example, sea otters usually avoid clams that are much bigger than the size of their mouths, since they have to work hard to pry them open.
Sea otters have a very high metabolism, so they need to eat a lot to maintain their energy levels.
They can consume up to 25% of their body weight in food each day.
This means that an adult sea otter can eat up to 10 pounds of food per day!
In order to get the most nutrition from their food, sea otters will eat their prey on land or in the water.
Sea Otter Hunting Habits
They are strong swimmers and they use their forepaws to tear food apart before eating it.
Sea otters live together in small groups called rafts, which usually consist of about 10 members.
The sea otters found in a specific area may be part of the same raft or they may be members of different groups.
Sea otters are very playful animals, so the members of a raft are always active and enjoying themselves together.
Sea otters are known to use tools for hunting prey!
When hunting for clams, sea otters will often use rocks as anvils and pound on them until the shell breaks open.
They also use rocks to break open urchins and crabs that have hard shells or exoskeletons.
Sea otters have very sharp teeth that help them eat their prey.
They use their front paws to tear apart food, and then use their teeth to bite off pieces.
Sea otters will also store food in their fur for later consumption.
This is especially helpful when they are away from the ocean and unable to find food.
Sea otters are incredibly important to the health of the ocean ecosystem.
They help keep populations of invertebrates under control, which in turn helps keep other animals in the food chain healthy.
Sea otters are also very entertaining to watch, and their playful nature is a joy to behold.
Check out our other animal FAQs here:
