Description
Otter Love
Sea Otter and pup
In Alaska, sea otter (Enhydra lutris) pups are born in late spring. Females give birth to one pup a year when food sources are sufficient. Mothers carry the young pups on their stomachs as they float in the water and grab them by the neck when diving to avoid danger. The pup may weigh 30 pounds (14 kg) when weaned and looks almost as big as its mother. Their impressive fur consists of a very dense underfur of inch-long fibers and sparse guard hairs. Sea otters depend on air trapped in their fur for maintaining body temperature in cool waters. For this reason, otters spend much time grooming their fur to keep it clean.
Printed in Alaska on matte paper that meets the Sustainable Forest Initiative guidelines that promote responsible management of the world’s forest.
