Sea otters commit to one another and raise one pup at a time. They are mammals without fur as adults. What is Our Oceans Role in the Transition to Clean Energy? Thank you for reading! River otters also eat a different diet when compared to sea otters. YES! In addition, severe weather can make it difficult for sea otters to forage for and find food. When comparing the sea otter vs river otter, you may wonder if they the same animal. These are the major differences between seals and otters, and their unique qualities become even more prominent when you look closer at these two creatures. Or at least Im going to tarnish their reputation as some of the most charming little beasties in the seas. The North American River otter is classified as Least Concern meaning they have safe population stability as of today. All otters must continually groom their fur to maintain its insulating qualities. Learn More About Estate Planning. They average around 2 feet in length and weigh around 10 pounds. 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. Otters are comparatively smaller while seals are larger in body size. Since river otters are much smaller, they are more prone to predators. This only gets creepier given the recent suggestion that dolphins actually have names that they call one another. They also feed on invertebrates and small animals found in the sea. The largest sea otters can weigh up to one hundred pounds, but river otters are much smaller. Without a doubt, dolphins are jerks. Young cattle egrets will peck and harass weaker siblings, going so far to push them out of the nest and to their doom. Receive email updates to learn how you can help make a difference for the future of our ocean. The dark sides of otters, dolphins, and penguins are just as much a part of their nature as the parts we find so squee-inducingly adorable. Today, were in round two of the Sweet Sixteen, and the winners of our Fins and Flippers division are going head to head. While both species enjoy the company of many otters, sea otters form powerful partnerships with their chosen mate. If we truly wish to appreciate sea otters, dolphins, penguins, and the rest, we need to consider them as they truly are and not just as the cuddly caricatures that never cease to make us go Awww.. While both animals are classified as otters, river otters are members of the Lontra genus, and sea otters are members of the Enhydra genus. (label) A large number or quantity; a vast amount.A sea of faces stared back at the singer. They have a body length of about 3 to 4 feet and weigh between 40 to 60 pounds. While sea otters use their two webbed hind feet and tail to propel them through the water, the four webbed feet of river otters are what enable them to swim efficiently. Length of Lions Mane Jellyfish vs Blue Whale. It has "toes" on its feet. There is no animal that is made of rainbows and kisses and goodness all the way through. Still, these mammals are very different from one another, and were going to show you the differences between a seal vs otter. The sea otter we know is quite a bit larger in stature than the average river otter, the largest adults weighing up to 100lbs, heavier even than the largest river otter, the Giant otter (Pteroneura brasiliensis). Since southern sea otters are found in cooler waters, its important for their fur to be able to insulate them from the weather. Not to mention that we nearly eradicated sea otters out of lust for their pelts, and we continue to keep dolphins confined in small, hard-walled, unhealthy environments for nothing more than our amusement. The seal and otter are two animals that both love to call water home and have a face that can tell a thousand stories! Sure, dolphins may now and then help fishermen looking to snag fish, but dolphins intelligence and social complexity have endowed them with a suite of behaviors that make them seem less adorable than their carefully-groomed theme park images suggest. Considered a cousin of the weasel, otters are known for their elongated bodies, webbed feet, and playful antics, particularly their love of sliding down rocks, banks, or waterfalls. Email Us, Board of Fisheries and Game: Actions & Activities, Threatened, Endangered, and Diversity Program, Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS), About the Division of Commercial Fisheries, Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Program (WASSIP), Online General Season & Registration Permits, Subsistence and Personal Use Fishing Permits, CSIS Community Subsistence Information System, The Technical Papers and Special Publications Series, Special Status page for northern sea otter. They have dense fur that enables them to keep warm. The dietary preferences and lifespans of river otters and sea otters differ as well. The largest river otters weigh in at around thirty pounds. The sea otter is the largest member of the weasel family. Ground squirrels, hyenas, and lions may eat infants of their own species just for a snack. For as cute as they are while intertwining paws at an aquarium, frolicking among the wafting fronds of California kelp forests, or smashing sea urchins open with stones, some sea otters have developed the disturbing habit of humping and drowning baby seals. Both seals and otters can vary a great deal in their sizes owing to their various species. They live in or near oceans. The main difference between the two species is their size; Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest otters in the world, while sea otters are the largest. Southern sea otters are approximately four feet in length and weigh on average between 45-65 pounds. The sea otter is the "fluffiest" among these three animals. There was nothing obviously wrong with these rehabbed otters, but the trouble they experienced early in their lives might have made them more likely assailants. Sea otters are hardly the only marine animals to behave in ways that make us cringe. They are found all over the world and live in all waters both the arctic and subarctic. They are also captured for the exotic pet trade in some countries and several species are still trapped and killed for their fur. Although seals and otters are often believed to be related, the truth is that they belong to completely different families. Sea otters are larger than river otters. And amorous males of various species, including the noble lion, kill infants to make their mothers available for breeding again. A fully grown otter weighs between 14 to 45 kg and this makes them the heaviest member among the smallest marine animals. Sea otters arent only heftier than river otterstheir fur is also quite distinguishable. They are comparatively smaller in body size. For example, if you see a creature with flippers and no tail or ears, its clearly a seal rather than an otter. The elephant seal can weigh up to 6,000lbs and grows 20ft long. 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. These remaining otters can be found in rivers, lakes, and freshwater wetlands. Thats quite the size difference! Otters webbed paws are interesting because sea otters will hold hands with their partners, so they dont drift too far apart from their group. Many people may not know this, but sea otters are much larger than river otters. Strange as it may seem, mating is a relatively common cause of death for female sea otters as well. Nevertheless, seals tend to be much larger than otters. The former can reach up to 5.6 mph (9 kph) underwater, while the latter, in North America, has a maximum speed of 8.7 mph (14 kph). Not all otters are created equal, especially when it comes to their size. They move to land to escape some predators like sharks. In this article, we will address all of these differences in detail, including their physicality and social behavior. They are agile and flexible due to their four limbs and streamlined bodies. Maybe the bad behavior was just a rumor. When they are not in the water, river otters forage the land for food and build burrows or dens for their young. : Love to snack on small fish found close to shore banks, as well as amphibians such as frogs, and crustaceans such as crawdads. There are only 450 left in the world. Wildlife Informer is reader-supported. A post shared by (@seaotter_03112602). Otters spend the vast majority of their time in the water, and they even sleep in the water. Conversely, river otters mate with multiple partners during the course of their lives. They are not very graceful on land because of their flippers, but they manage to move very well in the water. While sea otters and river otters share many differences, they do share a major similarity - the threats they face in the wild. North American River Otter They have a very thick layer of fur on their bodies that enables them to keep themselves warm during the cold season. Although described as the smallest marine mammal this species is quite large as otters go, reaching as much as 80 lbs. River otters also reach sexual maturity earlier and are typically able to reproduce sooner than sea otters. This is likely due to their respective sizes and predators in their environments, as sea otters grow much larger than river otters do. Both are good swimmers but when we compare the two, the seals win because of their streamlined bodies and flippers that enable them to move in water fast. The gestation period for otters lasts between 60 to 86 days while the gestation period for seals lasts between 9 months to 12 months. Dolphins kill other marine mammals and fish just for fun and commit infanticide. While members of both otter subtypes love to swim, the swimming behaviors they engage in are quite distinct. On average, river otters have two to three pups per litter with the pups going off on their own after about six months to a year. Sea otters are slow swimmers, while their river-living counterparts are rather agile. Levick was aghast because he viewed the penguins in human termsas little gents and dames dressed to the nines. Plus, visit our Arctic fox and see how his coat changes throughout the year. As 2022 comes to a close, I am reflecting on everything weve accomplished together on behalf, Climate change touches many aspects of our lives, including the food on our plates. In desperation, some male Adlie penguins tried to mate with the ground until they ejaculated. difference between sea otter and penguin. If a male cant find a mate because of his youth or inability to chase off competitors, Harris and co-authors suggest, he might search for a female surrogate that may take the form of a young otter or, as in their study, seal pups. Who will make it to the next round for a chance at a feature story? Sea otters mate for life, as many people know, but this is not the same for river otters. You might not be able to tell by looking at them, but river otters and sea otters have very different fur. Sea otters also notably have two very large back feet, webbed and streamlined for paddling and swift swimming in unpredictable ocean waters. Their unique bodies make it easy to tell the creatures apart. If you see a vast creature, then its probably a seal and not an otter. With 13 species around the world, you can find an otter species located on almost every continent! 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. 5 Honest Difference Between Mouse Poop and Rat Poop with Similarities, 10 Difference Between Dog and Fox (With Table), 5 Difference Between Bed Bugs and Scabies with Similarities, 15 Differences Between Plant Cell and Animal Cell, https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/what-uc-santa-cruz-learning-about-otters, 7 Difference between Lice and Ticks (With Table), 9 Difference between Leopard and Snow Leopard (With Table), 10 Difference between Hippopotamus and Rhinoceros (With Table), 5 Difference between Farm-Raised and Wild Salmon (With Table), 7 Difference between Earthworm and Leech (With Table). The main difference between otter and seal is that Otters are comparatively smaller in body size while seals are comparatively larger in body size. Two out of those three species are now in decline. Sea otters spend the majority of their time in the ocean, while river otters spend their lives on land unless they need to hunt or travel elsewhere. 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. Vote below. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Site by Thrive Web Designs, Otters are one of the most fascinating and charismatic marine mammal species. Privacy Policy. Finally, river otters can dive to around 60 feet deep, whereas sea otters, remarkably, can dive to several hundred feet to forage for food. Why are these male sea otters killing seals? A 2010 study found that a toxin found in blue-green algae called microcystin had killed at least 21 California sea otters. With this insight, you should have a better grasp as to what makes both river otters and sea otters special. This makes them very different animals, especially when you consider the fact that sea otters are the only members of their genus. (36kg) and over 5 ft. (1.5M) in length.. Male sea otters compete with one another for mates. Otters use two layers of dense fur to keep warm when they are submerged in the water, and that is most of their lives. But the general idea is the same: if the otter isnt floating in the ocean, its most likely a river otter, and vice versa! The maximum lifespan for male Nothern Elephant Seal is age 14; for females it is to age 20. Although both seals and otters come in various sizes due to their many species, seals are almost always larger than otters. 1Polar Bear vs. Wombat; Tasmanian Devil vs. Pangolin; (voting closed) WINNERS: Polar Bear and Pangolin.Day 23/20: Paws and Claws pt. Thanks for signing up for Ocean Conservancy emails. Giant Otters have a smaller lifespan in the wild at about 10 years. Seals primarily eat fish, while otters eat a variety of items including fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and small mammals. The identity of a pair of repeat offenders held a clue. difference between sea otter and penguinhazbin hotel cherri bomb removed. In other species, post-hatching battles begin almost immediately. These two different animals have their key differences, but one thing is for sure: theyre all still otterly loveable wildlife all the same! Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. And baby Magellanic penguins in Argentina are dying at an unprecedented rate due to heavy rains, strong storms and heat. At Arctic Tundra we've created a habitat just like the grassy tundra near Point Hope, Alaska - and filled it with massive muskoxen. They spend their lives in water, and have many adaptations to their entirely aquatic lifestyle. 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. Have some feedback for us? There are so many amazing creatures that dwell in the waters of planet earth, and some of may seem so similar in nature, yet they are difficult to tell apart. Alaska sea otters are slightly larger than . As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Keep reading to learn more about what makes each of these species unique. It is a grave mistake to see the so-called depravity of penguins, dolphins, and otters in the same way as our own behavior. Individual Behavior Grooming. The marine otter simply lives near the ocean, diving in only to feed. SeaQuest is committed to protecting our worlds oceans and endangered animals. Whats the Difference Between a Dolphin and Shark? Sea otters are bigger and thus have larger feet than river otters. American Oceans, Quick Facts: Bioluminescence & What Causes It. The word pinniped means fin-footed or flipper-footed. They have a fat layer called blubber under their skin that makes them keep themselves warm during the cold season. However, we noticed a conundrum that many readers seem to get themselves into. Seals and otters are easy to tell apart if you know where to look. Wannabe mother primates may steal the baby of another and unintentionally starve that infant in a phenomenon called aunting to death. Dominant wild dogs may kill the offspring of subordinate members of the pack to make sure the alphas infants get the most food. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The American Oceans Campaign is dedicated primarily to the restoration, protection, and preservation of the health and vitality of coastal waters, estuaries, bays, wetlands, and oceans. Taxonomically speaking, there is actually only one species of sea otter! 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. If youre on a river in the middle of the North American continent, far away from any seaboard: its a river otter. These aquatic mammals split their time between the land and the water. The underfur is the layer closest to the body, and this fur functions to insulate their body and keep warm in very cold conditions. In the U.S. the dwarf seahorse, one-inch-long seahorse, found in seagrass beds in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida and the Caribbean, is threatened with extinction due to decline of seagrass and lingering pollution from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Your best bet for differentiating these animals is to look for their ears, flippers, tails, size, and fur. In Antarctica, the Adlie, chinstrap, and gentoo penguins flourished under warming that caused ice sheets to shrink. The Key Differences Between Seal vs Otter. The sea otters legs arent made for walking, like river otters are, but for constant swimming. Sea otters are generally diurnal. Giant Otter Giant Otters are the largest otter species and are very similar to large river otters. Decades of efforts to help the dark gray baleen whale recover through international protection have done little to improve the species prospects. One naturalist was so thoroughly disgusted with the sexual behaviors of Adlie penguins that his observations were hidden from view for almost a century. While a southern sea otters fur maintains heat well in the cold water, their metabolism must work quickly to help keep the animal warm. Heres a list of 9 ways that sea otters and river otters are different from one another. Only your votes can decide who moves on for a chance at a deep-dive feature story. They are both weasel family members, as evident by their long, slender bodies. They feed on fish, shellfish, penguins, and other marine creatures. They are comparatively larger in body size. Adult sea otters may grow up to 5 feet in . Another difference between river otters and sea otters is their appearance. The limbs are modified into flippers. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Their slow, quiet and sudden way. how to cancel quizlet subscription; denver criminal court docket; cody and caleb martin salary; how to remove a backwards bullet from the chamber Later researchers rediscovered what Levick had seen. There seems to be no crime too low for these penguins, he confided to his journal. Some seals have fur, but they are not considered true seals. It lives with its family for about a year. Do you think you can tell the difference if you saw them side-by-side? Otters have long bodies and short legs, while seals have shorter bodies and longer flippers. Additionally, sea otters spend the vast majority of their lives in the water, while river otters spend most of theirs on land, venturing into the water for tasks like hunting for food and traveling. They have the ability to walk but they prefer living in the oceans more than staying on the land. They have flippers and do not have visible ears. Well, they do. Answer: I can only speak about North American otters, of which there are two species: * Enhydra lutris - Generally called a "Sea Otter". They include; walrus, eared seals, sea lions, fur seals, and earless seals. The sentiments about proper human behavior were impressed upon the penguins, and vice versa. While the females are similarly much smaller than the males at 10-20 pounds, male river otters only reach a maximum size of around 30 pounds. With 13 species around the world, you can find an otter species located on almost every continent! 2Lemur vs. Koala; Panda vs. Wolverine (voting closed) WINNERS: Koala and Wolverine.Day 33/23: Fins and FlippersSea Lion vs. Sea Horse; Penguin vs. Manatee; Walrus vs. Sea Otter; Whale vs. Salmon (voting closed) WINNERS: Sea Horse, Sea Otter, Whale, and Penguin.Day 43/24: Horns and HoovesElephant vs. Horned Lizard; Rhino vs. Narwhal; Saola vs. Moose; Mountain Goat vs. Reindeer (voting closed) WINNERS: Elephant, Narwhal, Moose, and Mountain Goat.Day 53/25: Shells and WingsSea Turtle vs. Pelican; Sage Grouse vs. The most notable physical difference between this subspecies and its northern cousins is size. 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. In addition, sea otters tend to live in small to large familial groups, but river otters, especially males, are more territorial, and while they will be social, they prefer solitary lives or in small family groups. Please try Adult males weigh average about 700 pounds and 7 feet in length while females are a bit smaller at 250 pounds and 6 feet in length. The main feature that makes otters appear different from seals is the body size. Together, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. Another interesting tidbit about penguins is that 15,000 years ago, they were actually able to tolerate a warming climate. 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. Less like Flipper and more like the megalomaniacal King Snorky of The Simpsons, a dolphin has a permanent smile that gives off a decidedly creepy vibe. Im not saying any of this to put down these animals. We focus on how to be proactive in finding solutions. Which would you like to know more about? For example, the seal and otter are two animals that have a lot in common and are often confused for one another. . On average, seals are larger than otters. At Georgia Aquarium, we are home to two species of otter Asian small-clawed ottersandsouthern sea otters. In contrast, sea otters actually have one layer of fur, which happens to be the densest fur of any other known animal. Scientists believe this difference is due to the size difference between the two creatures. Careers, 2023 SeaQuest, All Rights Reserved. union county latest news However, river otters prefer to eat fish, frogs, crayfish, birds, and reptiles, while sea otters enjoy sea urchins, clams, crabs, and seaweed. While they are both otters, river otters belong to the Lontra genus, while sea otters belong to the Enhydra genus. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Seals are larger than otters, weighing a lot more than them and growing much longer. While it may be obvious, river otters are found in rivers while sea otters are found in the sea. 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. While sea otters and river otters share many differences, they do share a major similarity the threats they face in the wild. The most common seal in the Arctic, the ringed seal is the smallest of the seal species. As their name suggests, sea otters are adorable mammals that barely leave their saltwater homes. In terms of colours, seals have thick fur coats that range from pale yellow to light grey and dark brown. 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. As Natural History Museum, London ornithologist Douglas Russell and colleagues reported in a preface to Levicks belatedly-released report, this behavior is so ingrained that when a researcher set out a dead penguin that had been frozen in such a position, many males found the corpse irresistible. In a bit of weird field work, the same researcher found that just the frozen head of the penguin, with self-adhesive white Os for eye rings, propped upright on wire with a large rock for a body, was sufficient stimulus for males to copulate and deposit sperm on the rock. I fear Ive just made the Socially Awkward Penguin seem just that much more socially awkward. Both are adapted to keeping themselves warm in the water. Their tails alone can grow to 24 inches!. River otters keep their young safe by their side and in dens that they build on riverbanks, while sea otter moms typically keep their pups nestled on their stomachs as they float until they are old enough to swim on their own. The naturalistic fallacy refers to the misguided belief that whatever is natural is good. * {{quote-news, year=2013, date=April 9, author=Andrei Lankov, title=Stay Cool. Now, however, its differentthere is too little sea ice, which is impacting the food supply.