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What do you feed the Alaska sea otters? What is the size of an Alaska sea otter? What are the Alaska sea otters' names? Where do Alaska sea otters live in the wild? How long is gestation in Alaska sea otters? How long can Alaska sea otters live? How far can Alaska sea otters dive? What are threats to Alaska sea otters in the wild?  How did Shedd get its four Alaska sea otters?
The three oldest are rehabbed orphans from the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and the youngest is an orphan from an Alaskan storm in 1990.How do Alaska sea otters keep warm if they don't have blubber?
Alaska sea otters depend on their fur and a fast metabolism for protection from the cold. The fur is made up of outer guard hairs and extremely dense under fur. When the otters groom, they trap air at the base of the under fur to provide an insulating layer of air between their skin and the cold water. The guard hairs cling together, forming a protective covering that helps to keep the under fur dry. Natural oils in the fur also help to repel water. The fur must be clean and meticulously groomed. A sea otter also has an extremely fast metabolism. An adult eats the equivalent of 20 to 25 percent of its body weight daily, which amounts to about 17 pounds of food for an adult male.What do you feed the Alaska sea otters?
In the wild, Alaska sea otters eat a variety of invertebrates, including sea urchins, abalone, clams, mussels, cockles, scallops, crabs, lobsters, octopus and squid. Their diet at Shedd consists of clams, pollack, shrimp, crab, mussels, krill and squid.What is the size of an Alaska sea otter?
Male Alaska sea otters are approximately 58 inches long and weigh up to 100 pounds. Female Alaska sea otters are approximately 55 inches long and can weigh up to 72 pounds.What are the Alaska sea otters' names?
Our Alaska sea otters' names are: Kenai (KEE-nye), Nuka (NOO-kah), Nikishka (nah-KISH okah) and Kachemak (KATCH-mak).Where do Alaska sea otters live in the wild?
In the wild, Alaska sea otters can be found in waters near northern Japan, across Russia to Alaska and Canada; however, 90 percent of the Alaska sea otter population is in Alaskan waters.How long is gestation in Alaska sea otters?
Gestation varies from six to seven and a half months.How long can Alaska sea otters live?
Alaska sea otters can live between 10 and 15 years.How far can Alaska sea otters dive?
Alaska sea otters can dive to over 120 feet. The average depth of a dive is about 30 feet.What are threats to Alaska sea otters in the wild?
Main threats to Alaska sea otters are loss of habitat, pollution (such as oil spills), hunting and competition for food due to overfishing and overharvesting of abalone beds by commercial fishermen. Natural predators are orca whales and sharks. |
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