difference between sea otter and penguin difference between sea otter and penguin

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. They are not very graceful on land because of their flippers, but they manage to move very well in the water. There are quite a few to discuss, as river otters and sea otters belong to different genuses of animal. The notion that sea otters fall in love and hold hands in the ocean so that they dont drift away from one another is a foreign concept to a river otter! Another difference between river otters and sea otters is their appearance. They have a body length of about 3 to 4 feet and weigh between 40 to 60 pounds. African penguins are declining in part due to fluctuations in water temperature and increased storms on their breeding grounds. The average lifespan of a sea otter is twelve to fifteen years in the wild, but the average lifespan of a river otter is only nine to twelve years. difference between sea otter and penguin. The pups learn their mothers voice to avoid confusion of the mother feeding another seals pups. . Many people don't know the difference between sea otters and river otters but, with a little info, you'll be able to tell right away. Only your votes can decide who moves on for a chance at a deep-dive feature story. For example, sea otters are much larger than river otters in both length and weight. The majority of river otters mate with multiple otters throughout the course of their lives, and they may have multiple litters in a year. To meet the wonderful sloths that call SeaQuest home, book your visit today at any of the following locations: Utah, Las Vegas, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Sacramento, Minneapolis, Connecticut, Lynchburg, New Jersey, and Atlanta. Copyright 2023. 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.. Get Out Your Green & Gold! As Douglas and colleagues stressed in their preface to Levicks report, though, the behavior [displayed by hooligan males] is clearly not analogous to necrophilia in the human context. That fact can easily be lost when one is appalled by an animal acting out a human taboo. Although described as the smallest marine mammal this species is quite large as otters go, reaching as much as 80 lbs. Taxonomically speaking, river otters and sea otters are different genera. There are nearly 2,000 different species! The victims that were necropsied by veterinarians had lesions around the nose, eyes, flippers, and genitals, including perforations in the vaginal and rectal tracts. 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. Many creatures dwell in the water, and some of them are difficult to tell apart. North American River Otter This goes both ways! Their scientific name, Pinnipeds, says it all. Sea Otters have an average lifespan of 15-20 years but in captivity, some live over 25 years. Found in both saltwater and freshwater, a river otter lounges around riverbanks and swims with its belly down, keeping the majority of its body submerged below the water. Male sea otters can weigh up to 99 pounds, while female sea otters typically weigh around 44 pounds. River otters are smaller than sea otters in both length and weight. While visiting Adlie penguins rookeries, Levick was shocked by the activities of what he called hooligan cocks. Males accosted and copulated with other males, females that were injured, chicks that had tumbled from their nests, and corpses. One of the main differences between a river otter vs sea otter is their species or genus classification. The Caribbean monk seal was declared extinct in 2008. They are unique sea creatures because they are the only marine mammals that can flip over rocks and boulders on the sea floor to find food. In 2010, California Department of Fish and Game biologist Heather Harris and colleagues reported 19 individual cases of male sea otters trying to mate with, and often fatally injuring, harbor seal pups in the Monterey Bay, Calif. area between 2000 and 2002 alone. Still, these mammals are very different from one another, and were going to show you the differences between a seal vs otter. If they cant keep them on their stomachs for some reason like if they are hunting, scientists have witnessed sea otters wrapping their young in kelp to keep them afloat while the mothers seek food. 2. They have blubber that is deposited below the skin. Whereas a female southern sea otter grows up to 50 pounds, a female northern sea otter can weigh up to 70 pounds. Its without a doubt that otters are some of the most adorable mammals to ever grace the planet. This inner layer keeps them warm, and the outer layer keeps them waterproof. River otters build dens on the riverbanks and care for their young there. But if theres any marine vertebrate that wins the title of the squickiest, its dolphins. Learn more. The average river otter only weighs 15-20 pounds, while sea otters can reach anywhere from 20-80 pounds depending on their gender and age. There are over 70 different species of cetacean. how to cancel quizlet subscription; denver criminal court docket; cody and caleb martin salary; how to remove a backwards bullet from the chamber There are twelve different sub-species of river otter, but only three separate sub-species of the sea otter. Male river otters are extremely territorial, while sea otters form more friendships and bonds with one another overall. Given our ability to reason, we have the unique ability to decide the right and wrong of what we do. They have a fat layer called blubber under their skin that makes them keep themselves warm during the cold season. What is the difference between Otter and Seal? The largest otter, the river otter, only weighs about 100lbs when it reaches its full weight, and it grows about 6ft long. Not only is this useful for staying together, but it also keeps them away from the shore where many of their predators reside. Theyre both known for spending a lot of time in the water, something that is unusual for mammals that dont spend their entire lives in water. We know it can get otterly confusing to differentiate the species, so here are five ways to tell them apart! Such behavior led ornithologist Douglas Mock and colleagues to write Occasionally, the pen of natural selection writes a murder mystery on the pages of evolution. They have webbed feet, water-repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water. Who will win? The Key Differences Between Seal vs Otter. I am a non-binary freelance writer working full-time in Oregon. Welcome back to March Sadness, ClimateProgress educational bracket tournament of animals impacted by climate change and other environmental threats. Sea otters are larger Alaska sea otters are slightly larger than . This isnt where their social behavioral differences end, however. A river otter mother usually has between two and three babies, called pups. Can You Eat Clownfish and How Does It Taste? Sea otters are hardly the only marine animals to behave in ways that make us cringe. Sea otters have a different diet from river otters, given their habitat and saltwater location. Many of, Crocodiles are among the most terrifying animals of all time. Watch Five Giant River Otters Face-Off Against a Huge Jaguar, Watch a Group of Massive River Otters Defeat a Crocodile in Vicious Battle, River Otter vs Sea Otter: 5 Key Differences. If you see a vast creature, then its probably a seal and not an otter. A painful and confusing end for the poor pups. We can find beauty and poetry in nature, but we can also find terror and savagery, all essential parts of the entire picture. Ribbon Seals have a maximum lifespan of about 30 years, but they likely live about 20 years. Dolphins have tried to force themselves on human swimmers, a prospect made all the more terrifying by the fact that they have prehensile penises. In Antarctica, the Adlie, chinstrap, and gentoo penguins flourished under warming that caused ice sheets to shrink. This only gets creepier given the recent suggestion that dolphins actually have names that they call one another. 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. Both types of otters need their coats to form a layer of insulation that traps air to keep them warm, and they certainly need it when areas like the Pacific dip to chilly temperatures that are often between 35 and 60 (and even lower than that as you move up the coast toward Alaska and Canada)! Sea otters arent only heftier than river otterstheir fur is also quite distinguishable. They are also captured for the exotic pet trade in some countries and several species are still trapped and killed for their fur. Otters are mammals in the Mustelidae family. subfamily. hold hands with other otters so they dont drift apart, Watch Five Giant River Otters Face-Off Against a Huge Jaguar, Watch a Group of Massive River Otters Defeat a Crocodile in Vicious Battle, Weight: 10lbs-99lbs Length: 2ft-6ft, Blubber deposits under the skin keep true seals warm, -Dense fur that has two layers, guard hairs, and insulating underfur, Spend equal amounts of time on land and in the water, Spend the vast majority of their time in the water. The Northern fur seal and Nooded seal are vulnerable. You might think an otter is an otter, but hopefully, this article showed you that while two creatures can be called otters, they are very different. The webbed feet of a sea otter. Not only do these two creatures have different habitats, but they have both evolved fur to best suit those habitats. Ocean Conservancy is working with you to protect the ocean from todays greatest global challenges. The identity of a pair of repeat offenders held a clue. Keep reading to learn more about what makes each of these species unique. 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. With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing innovative solutions to save our ocean. While they are both otters, river otters belong to the Lontra genus, while sea otters belong to the Enhydra genus. . One thing many people dont realize is just how much larger sea otters are compared to river otters. For example, the seal and otter are two animals that have a lot in common and are often confused for one another. Sea otters also notably have two very large back feet, webbed and streamlined for paddling and swift swimming in unpredictable ocean waters. There are 13 species of otters. But how do we tell the difference between river otters and sea otters? Please try again when actual inflation is less than expected inflation borrowers quizlet. The North American River otter is classified as Least Concern meaning they have safe population stability as of today. While it may seem obvious at first, you may not know all of the differences between a river otter vs sea otter. Not all otters are created equal, especially when it comes to their size. However, seals split their time on land and in the water almost evenly. Their diets are reminiscent of their environments. While they are both otters, river otters belong to the Lontra genus, while sea otters belong to the Enhydra genus. Asian small-clawed otters have relatively short hair that consists of two layers a coarse, waterproof outer coat and a softer, finer layer that is used for warmth. The word pinniped means fin-footed or flipper-footed. Sea otters must groom regularly to help maintain the insulation. River otters and sea otters have different lifespans. Our mission at Wildlife Informer is to share free information and pictures of wildlife with our readers. Although seals and otters are often believed to be related, the truth is that they belong to completely different . It might be because river otters have to fight the strong currents of a river and catch their food and fish. Another motherly difference is how these two creatures care for their young. River otters will achieve maturity between the ages of two and three, while female sea otters mature between ages three and five, and males even later between ages five and seven. Vote below. Theyre even known to wrap their babies in kelp to keep them safe and warm while theyre off hunting, and as the Marine Mammal Center describes, these pups end up bobbing up and down on the surface of the ocean like little corks! Individual Behavior Grooming. An adorable detail about sea otters is the fact that they hold paws when sleeping to avoid drifting away from their familial units. Lets take a look and some similarities, and differences, between these two amazingly fascinating animals! Our work is focused on solving some of the greatest threats facing our ocean today. Still, the attempts to mate with seals requires an explanation. (label) A large number or quantity; a vast amount.A sea of faces stared back at the singer. Otters have webbed paws instead of flippers, visible external ears, and a long, thin tail that is easy to spot. again or contact 1.888.780.6763. RETWEET for Whale or FAVE for Sea Horse #CPMarchSadness http://t.co/lzQh1SAaxZ pic.twitter.com/WPiCEtbbDt, ***TOURNAMENT UPDATES:Day 13/19: Paws and Claws pt. Their bodies and feet are also shaped very differently as well. What is natural is not inherently good or evil: It simply is, and wed be fools to take such examples as models of right or wrong. About Us They are found all over the world and live in all waters both the arctic and subarctic. St. Patty's is coming Whats the difference between sea otters and river otters? From their curious faces to their charming behaviors, the otters of the world have earned the title of many nature lovers favorite creatures. The largest sea otters can weigh up to one hundred pounds, but river otters are much smaller. 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). Do you think you can tell the difference if you saw them side-by-side? When they are not in the water, river otters forage the land for food and build burrows or dens for their young. 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. Who will you choose? It may seem obvious, but the best way to tell if youre looking at a river otter or a sea otter is just paying attention to the body of water youre observing! Sea otters also notably have two very large back feet, webbed and streamlined for paddling and swift swimming in unpredictable ocean waters. Seals belong to the Phocidae family, and otters belong to the Mustelidae family. If you spot an otter in the Chesapeake Bay, it's a river otter, whereas if you spot one in Monterey Bay (especially in the water), the chances are high that it's a sea otter. They average around 2 feet in length and weigh around 10 pounds. A sea otter can grow to be up to 4 feet long, while a river otter only grows to be about 2.5 feet long. Enter your email and never miss an update. Plus, visit our Arctic fox and see how his coat changes throughout the year. They have the densest fur of all mammals at about 350,000 to 1,000,000 hairs per square inch. However, river otters prefer to eat fish, frogs, crayfish, birds, and reptiles, while sea otters enjoy sea urchins, clams, crabs, and seaweed. 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. : Love to snack on small fish found close to shore banks, as well as amphibians such as frogs, and crustaceans such as crawdads. They are agile and flexible due to their four limbs and streamlined bodies. They feed on fish, shellfish, penguins, and other marine creatures. Another interesting tidbit about penguins is that 15,000 years ago, they were actually able to tolerate a warming climate. A 2010 study found that a toxin found in blue-green algae called microcystin had killed at least 21 California sea otters. Otters and seals share many things such as they are both mammals and have the same physical appearance although they are different from each other. In other species, post-hatching battles begin almost immediately. River otters also eat a different diet when compared to sea otters. Since river otters are much smaller, they are more prone to predators. Nevertheless, seals tend to be much larger than otters. They entirely depend on meat for survival. Sea otters are bigger and thus have larger feet than river otters. A post shared by Daniel Rosengren (@naturebydanielrosengren). (In the concluding paragraphs of On the Origin of Species, he observed that this view of life contains grandeur and horror alike.) (36kg) and over 5 ft. (1.5M) in length.. Asian small-clawed otters have a body length of 30-45 cm (12-18 inches) and a tail length of 15-25 cm (6-10 inches). Its as easy as that! 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. Well, they do. Strange as it may seem, mating is a relatively common cause of death for female sea otters as well. Otters fur has guard hairs on the outside layer that are used to keep them protected from moisture and to maintain body temperature. Male giant otters average 26 to 34 kg (57-75 lbs. As the smallest species of otter, they range in size from 4.4 to 11 pounds, with a body length of only 16 to 24 inches, which makes them half the length of a southern sea otter!