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Frequently Asked Questions

When do sea otters give birth and how many pups are born?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Sea otters generally give birth to one pup a year. If they give birth to two, they will abandon one of them, as they can't care for two at a time. This is how pups are orphaned. Orphans rescued by trained wildlife rehabilitators can survive to adulthood and, in fact, all three otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium were orphans. Otters are full-grown at about 3 years of age and generally they are weaned between 6 months and 1 year of age.

Who can hunt sea otters?

FAQ's
Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (MMPA), coastal Alaska Natives living along the North Pacific or Arctic Ocean are the only people who may harvest sea otters. When the act was passed, Congress recognized the cultural importance of marine mammals to Alaska Native peoples, and included an Alaska Native exemption for their take for subsistence or handicraft, provided that marine mammals are not taken in a wasteful manner.

How do sea otters communicate?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Through body contact, nosing one another, head-jerking and vocalizations. Sea otters, in comparison to sea lions, for example, are not extremely vocal animals. However, adults use a soft, low cooing sound, and grunts to exhibit "contentedness," among other things. Pups use a high-pitch squeal to communicate with their mom. Some other sounds in the vocal repertoire of sea otters include whistles, whimpers, squeaks, whines, growls, snarls and hisses.

What other protections are afforded to sea otters?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
All sea otters in the United States are classified as "depleted" under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. The California sea otter is also listed under state law as a "fully protected mammal."

What do sea otters eat?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Abalone, squid, snails and other molluscs; clams; mussels; crabs; lobster; urchins; sea stars; sea cucumbers; chitons; marine worms; and about 40 other marine invertebrates; and on occasion, marine birds; and in Alaska, certain fish.

How do sea otters forage for food?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Sea otters generally do not spend more than two or three minutes diving for food. They use their sensitive paws, whiskers and vision to make their way through the water to find food. Sea otters then return to the surface with their prey, lie on their backs, place the food on their chests and break open the prey using a tool of some kind (rock, bottle, etc.).

Where are sea otters on the food chain?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Sea otters are considered to be "opportunistic feeders" – that is, they feed on many prey items. They are carnivores, and, at times, omnivorous, meaning they feed on both animal and plant food. They are the top-end predator in the nearshore marine ecosystem.

What are the natural predators of sea otters?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Great white sharks are the primary predator in California. Ongoing studies in Alaska recently revealed that orcas (killer whales) are eating more and more sea otters in that region, possibly because the usual prey (seals and sea lions) are in decline. Other factors that may be influencing the orcas to eat more sea otters may include natural disturbances to the ecosystem that occur over space and time, as well as overfishing.

How do sea otters protect themselves?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Sea otters have three basic ways to escape predators: fleeing; taking refuge in the kelp where they live; and coming up on land. They also have strong teeth they can use in interactions with other sea otters.

What is the size and weight of sea otters?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
California sea otters average 4 feet in length and 50-60 pounds in weight. Northern sea otters are slightly larger.

What is the classification for sea otters?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Choose an animal or habitat Alligator Bald Eagle Bats Beluga Whale Bighorn Sheep Bison Black Bear Black-Footed Ferret Bobcat Burrowing Owl Butterflies Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy Owl California Condor Cerulean Warbler Channel Island Fox Cheetah Clouded Leopard Crocodile Desert Tortoise Diamondback Terrapin Dolphin Elephant Fisher Gopher Tortoise Grizzly Bear Hawaiian Monk Seal Hummingbirds Jaguar Lion Lynx Manatee Mexican Wolf Mohave Ground Squirrel Mountain Lion Panda Panther Penguin Peregrine Fal.

Is there a season or bag limit on sea otters?

FAQ's
There are no U.S. Federal government restrictions on the taking of sea otters for coastal Alaska Native subsistence as long as such practices do not contribute to the demise of the species. However, any Alaska Native Tribal Government has the ability to develop regulations on when and where hunts may occur. It is important to check with the local Tribal government to see if any regulations exist.

How are sea otters listed under the Endangered Species Act?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
The southern sea otter is listed as "threatened." If the population decline continues, this listing could be changed to "endangered." The northern sea otter, which consists of sub-populations in Alaska, Canada and Washington, isn’t listed as a whole subspecies. The different sub-populations have different status classifications. Currently there is no federal or state Endangered Species Act listing for Alaska and Washington.

Do sea otters have personalities, specifically with their interactions with humans?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Sea otters are wild animals, which means their behavior towards humans can be unpredictable. Like people and other animals, they all have individual personalities. Some may be aggressive towards humans and other otters may be friendly. There have been occasional reports of sea otters messing around with divers (e.g., pulling at their dive caps and other things).

How do sea otters use their forepaws and forelegs?

Sea Otter Frequently Asked Questions - Defenders of Wildlife
Sea otter forepaws are quite dexterous and sensitive, allowing sea otters to extract their prey from tight spots and to sense the prey they do handle. The pads of their paws are different from those of dogs -- sea otters have a continuous pad that covers the whole bottom part of the paw, while a dog’s paw is not fused.

Will hunting in other areas of Alaska be regulated if Southwest sea otters are listed?

FAQ's
No. The only sea otters that have been listed are found in SW Alaska. Sea otters in eastern Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound and Southeast are not affected by the listing. Populations in these areas are stable or increasing. In order for U.S. Federal government regulations to occur, it must be shown that subsistence harvest is a threat to the survival to the species and the affected stock must be declared depleted under the MMPA.

were where these pups from???

VoyForums: Alaska
Angel howls aying she has returned... she trots down toward the pack with a wolfish grin on her face she looks for R.D but doesn't see him she sniffs at Amarouq whom she hasen't met yet. Then she sniffs Ice Warrior...R.D when you come>>>> getting u and yawning,he stretches, and walks out,his tail swishing,his sleek fur rippling with his eery movement She walks in with many large fish in her mouth. She sets them down, taking one for herself, leaving the rest for the others.

Do you ship pups?

FAQ - CelestialStarKennel.com
We ship.We charge a standard fee of $250 for shipping. This includes crate,health certificates and airline charges for USA. If weather conditions are not favorable the puppy will NOT be shipped. They are gradually accustomed to the crate and outside climates before they go. Food, water, bedding and something to chew on accompanies them. Most of the stress is due to leaving their littermates, but they settle into their new homes quickly. From the stress the puppy might have soft stool.

whos pups are they then????

VoyForums: Alaska
I Have No Idea She Found Them A Hawk Was About to eat them.... -- Canon( Where is Winters!!), 16:29:39 03/28/01 Wed uhhhh horses can't be milked duh!!!!!!! only cows or goats wolves have milk but not me the winters person are these her pups Accually They Can...Its Gross But Mongolians used too...I say Thier only Good to Chase No these are not Winters Pups -- CANON, 16:24:50 03/28/01 Wed What Do You Mean?? He says sighing and watching romus Eat And Remus just Laying ther.e.

Why aren't pups bottle-fed?

The Marine Mammal Center
There are several reasons. First, we have found it difficult to simulate the nipple of a seal. Second, it takes seal pups a very long time to learn how to nurse from a bottle, and then it is equally difficult to wean them and teach them to eat fish. Tube feeding is faster, more efficient, and the pup makes the transition to fish more easily.
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