Sea otters are from Canada, Russia,  Japan and California. They are marine mammals that live in kelp forests. Sea otters are in serious danger because of oil spills and people killing them for fur. Back in the 1700s there were 300,000 sea otters, but in 1914 there were only 32 spotted. Now their numbers have gone back up, but there are only 3,000 left in the wild and that's not that much.

Kelp can grow up to 18 inches (45 centimetres) per day. In stark contrast to the colourful and slow-growing corals, the giant kelp canopies tower above the ocean floor. Also like a terrestrial forest, kelp forests experience seasonal changes. Storms and large weather events, like El Nino, which can tear and dislodge the kelp, leaving a tattered winter forest to begin its growth again each spring. One of the most important mammals in a kelp forest is the sea otter, who takes refuge (finds a safe place to live) from sharks and storms in these forests.  Sea otters are important to kelp forests too. Without them the whole kelp forests will be destroyed by sea urchins who love to eat kelp. Without the kelp the coral will die because the kelp provides shade to the coral but if there is no more kelp, there will be way too much sun on the coral. Sea otters keep the balance by eating the Sea Urchins and keeping their numbers in check.

Sea otter eat invertebrates. Invertebrates are when animals don't have a backbone like snails, sea urchins, crabs, clams, mussels, octopus, fish, and other marine invertebrates.

We can help by donating to organisations like The Monterey Bay Aquarium. This will help animals to have good care and the money will help the aquarium to also buy medication and supplies for the animals. You will be helping not just sea otters but many other sea creatures. 

https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/

1. Did you know that sea otters have the thickest fur in the world? Their thick fur helps them stay warm in the cold waters.

2. Did you know that sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don't drift away from each other?

3. Sea otters can sleep up to eleven hours a day.

4.  Sea otters need to eat about 25% of their body weight each day.

5. A sea otter pup grows its waterproof adult fur at about 3 months old.