ABOUT
The Northern Pacific Sea Otter, scientifically known as the Enhydra lutris, is one of the smallest marine mammals in size but not in importance. Since Sea Otters are a keystone species; the otters control the entire kelp forest ecosystem because they are dominant predators. Their absence causes other species' populations to increase dramatically.
The decrease in the otter population causes a trophic cascade: indirect interference within a given ecosystem. Thus an alarming increase in red and purple sea urchins in kelp forests. Which then decimates giant kelp, causing an “urchin barren”, domination in population leaving only sea urchins in the place of other marine life. Kelp provides habits for hundreds of fish and other marine life also as a primary food source which is what makes it a primary producer.
The Sea Otters range in size from about 31 to 99 pounds, making them the largest of the weasel family. Their diet includes mussels, abalone, urchins, clams, and snails. Sea Otters have no blubber, only relying on their extremely heavy fur coat to keep them warm. It is thick in fact that their skin does not even get wet. Even with their thick coat they still need to eat about 25-30% of their body weight daily to have enough calories to combat the amount they burn to keep warm. The Sea otters live about two-thirds of a mile offshore in about 75 feet below the surface. Nevertheless, they do spend a lot of their time tangled up in the kelp which stabilizes them from drifting away in currents while they eat.