Or at least Im going to tarnish their reputation as some of the most charming little beasties in the seas. We know it can get otterly confusing to differentiate the species, so here are five ways to tell them apart! The Northern sea otter and the Southern sea otter, but in actuality, this is the one and only species of otter that is a lifelong ocean-dweller. Otters are one of the most fascinating and charismatic marine mammal species. Plus, their overall diets, lifespans, and locations differ from one another, not to mention how different they are in appearance! But if theres any marine vertebrate that wins the title of the squickiest, its dolphins. Their slow, quiet and sudden way. (In the concluding paragraphs of On the Origin of Species, he observed that this view of life contains grandeur and horror alike.) A sea otter also has a shorter tail than a river otter, and river otters are narrower in their body mass. Inside pregnant sand tiger sharks, for example, the first embryo to grow large enough rapidly devours all the other unborn sharks in its shared womb. They weigh between 45kg to 3,200kg. 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. union county latest news If you travel further north to areas like the Alaskan seaboard, you could even find males weighing up to 100 pounds! Not only do these two creatures have different habitats, but they have both evolved fur to best suit those habitats. Learn more. Charming, outgoing, and intelligent, otters are part of the Mustelids family and in the Lutrinae subfamily. However, there some traits and features that make them different from each other. If you find these critters as otterly . . The Asian small-clawed otter's tail is long, with a sharp end. Seals belong to Phocidae, and otters belong to the Mustelidae, so they are not even close to being related. 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. Only your votes can decide who moves on for a chance at a deep-dive feature story. Unlike the common otter, sea otter's feet are webbed. Fur seals are not members of Phocidae, and they are not true seals either. Length of Lions Mane Jellyfish vs Blue Whale. The sea otters legs arent made for walking, like river otters are, but for constant swimming. Careers, 2023 SeaQuest, All Rights Reserved. In fact, the largest members of the seal species make otters look quite tiny. There are nearly 2,000 different species! 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. Learn how to tell them apart quickly and easily! Sea otters also have longer bodies than river otters. Not all otters are created equal, especially when it comes to their size. difference between sea otter and penguinups insurance cost calculator. In desperation, some male Adlie penguins tried to mate with the ground until they ejaculated. Vote in the embedded tweets below, on Twitter with the hashtag #CPMarchSadness, or on our Facebook page. For example, the seal and otter are two animals that have a lot in common and are often confused for one another. Sea otters have back feet that are larger than their front feet, and much larger than the feet of a river otter. The marine creatures also serve as fighters of climate change: their main preysea urchinslike to eat kelp, so by keeping the sea urchin population at a sustainable level, they keep kelp forests lush. As their name suggests, sea otters live in the sea! Its Easy To Do. However, river otters prefer to eat fish, frogs, crayfish, birds, and reptiles, while sea otters enjoy sea urchins, clams, crabs, and seaweed. Peregrine FalconDay 104/1: TBDDay 114/2: TBDDay 124/3: THE FINAL FOUR: TBDDay 134/6: THE CHAMPIONSHIP: TBD, PAST ROUNDS:Round 7: Sweet Sixteen, part 2Round 6: Sweet Sixteen, part 1Round 5: Shells and WingsRound 4: Horns and HoovesRound 3: Fins and FlippersRound 2: Paws and Claws, part 2Round 1: Paws and Claws, part 1, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Maintained by Center for American Progress - Action Fund. While it may be obvious, river otters are found in rivers while sea otters are found in the sea. 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! Enter your email and never miss an update. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for W178 CENTEX Centex Charmyland Saru Gorilla Sea Otter Walrus Penguin Rockhoppe at the best online prices at eBay! Who will win? : Love to snack on small fish found close to shore banks, as well as amphibians such as frogs, and crustaceans such as crawdads. African penguins are declining in part due to fluctuations in water temperature and increased storms on their breeding grounds. Dolphin Coast Presented by Margaritaville by Wyndham, Beginning Environmental Leadership Program, Next Up: Sea Lion Pup Born at Georgia Aquarium, Alliance of Marine Mammals Parks & Aquariums (AMMPA), International Marine Animal Trainer's Association (IMATA). The reason for this skew in the population is unclear, but it leaves male sea otters in a bind. Answer: I can only speak about North American otters, of which there are two species: * Enhydra lutris - Generally called a "Sea Otter". While they are both otters, river otters belong to the Lontra genus, while sea otters belong to the Enhydra genus. Who will make it to the next round for a chance at a feature story? Lets dive in and get started! 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. Given the violence and depravity were capable of, were not exactly models of morality. Male giant otters average 26 to 34 kg (57-75 lbs. And delphine sexual aggression isnt limited to members of their own kind. Protect the Arctic from Future Oil Spills. RETWEET for Penguin or FAVE for Sea Otter #CPMarchSadness http://t.co/lzQh1SAaxZ pic.twitter.com/D7Tlow3Pad, Climate Progress (@climateprogress) March 27, 2015. This only gets creepier given the recent suggestion that dolphins actually have names that they call one another. Lets talk more about all of these differences in more detail now. Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Vote below. A post shared by Daniel Rosengren (@naturebydanielrosengren). They weigh 1-5 kg (2-11 pounds). 2022 Georgia Aquarium 225 Baker Street Northwest, Atlanta, GA. Georgia Aquarium is a nonprofit committed to inspiring awareness and preservation of our ocean and aquatic animals worldwide. Sea Otter Sea Otters are a larger species of otter. We focus on how to be proactive in finding solutions. The main feature that makes otters appear different from seals is the body size. In addition to the difference in fur, river otters and sea otters have other differences in appearance. 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. 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). They spend their lives in water, and have many adaptations to their entirely aquatic lifestyle. Later researchers rediscovered what Levick had seen. 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. There are quite a few to discuss, as river otters and sea otters belong to different genuses of animal. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Have some feedback for us? As ethologist Sarah Hrdy has observed, there are various reasons for infanticide. Yet, if the two creatures are closer in size, then you will need to rely on other methods of differentiating them. What sea otters, dolphins, and penguins sometimes do to one another in their attempts to mate can make us feel queasy, but this is just one sort of animal behaviors that have been unsettling us since the Victorian era. Sea otters commit to one another and raise one pup at a time. Seals are larger than otters on average, and the largest members of the species make otters look positively tiny. River otters also eat a different diet when compared to sea otters. You may already have an idea as to what makes river otters and sea otters look so different from one another. River otters weigh between 11 and 31 pounds. Their diets are reminiscent of their environments. Another significant difference is the number of offspring these creatures have. More commonly known as seals, they are a widely distributed and diverse group of fin-footed, semiaquatic, mostly marine mammals. Given their preferred habitats, this is only natural, though there are some dietary overlaps between sea otters and saltwater river otters. They are basically carnivores. When it comes to distinguishing between river otters and sea otterswell, what is the difference, anyway? Greetings From the Vortex of Unpredictability, rapidly devours all the other unborn sharks, feathery, fluffy dinosaurs killed the brontosaurus. Who will you choose? Otters belong to the Mustelidae family while seals belong to the Phocidae family. Their tails alone can grow to 24 inches!. Lets take a look and some similarities, and differences, between these two amazingly fascinating animals! 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 thats extremely dense and warm. Sea otters carry their young on their stomachs to keep them safe until they are ready to swim by themselves. One of the main differences between a river otter vs sea otter is their species or genus classification. 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. Otters are smaller while seals are comparatively large when it comes to body size. However, river otters can swim in saltwater if there is an ocean near their preferred river habitat. Sea otters are slow swimmers, while their river-living counterparts are rather agile. Asian Small-Clawed Otters have a classification of Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List while Sea and Giant Otters are listed as Endangered as of today. When you click and buy we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, out of around 50 species of seahorses, all but one are vulnerable or threatened. Ocean Conservancy is a 501(c)3 Tax ID #23-7245152 Donations are 100% tax-deductible as allowed by law. Their scientific name, Pinnipeds, says it all. Their hind feet are webbed to aid in swimming, and their front toes are short and stiff. There are a few exceptions: The Galpagos fur seal and the Monk seal are both now have an Endangered status. The largest sea otters can weigh up to one hundred pounds, but river otters are much smaller. difference between sea otter and penguin. 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). 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. Scientists believe this difference is due to the size difference between the two creatures. River otter mothers care for their pups until they are between six and twelve months old. When they are not in the water, river otters forage the land for food and build burrows or dens for their young. Strange as it may seem, mating is a relatively common cause of death for female sea otters as well. Many of, Crocodiles are among the most terrifying animals of all time. At Georgia Aquarium, we are home to two species of otter Asian small-clawed ottersandsouthern sea otters. 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! They are also known as fin-footed mammals. They have the densest fur of all mammals at about 350,000 to 1,000,000 hairs per square inch. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Some local populations, such as Gray seals in the Baltic Sea, are endangered. River otters are smaller than sea otters in both length and weight. 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. They feed on fish and shellfish. These two different animals have their key differences, but one thing is for sure: theyre all still otterly loveable wildlife all the same! Honor A Loved One's Milestone Or Memory With A Donation In Their Name. Sea Otters are a larger species of otter. Learn More About Estate Planning. What is the difference between Otter and Seal? Ocean Conservancy is working with you to protect the ocean from todays greatest global challenges. Although both seals and otters come in various sizes due to their many species, seals are almost always larger than otters. There are twelve different sub-species of river otter, but only three separate sub-species of the sea otter. The one exception to these rules is the Marine otter (Lontra felina) these otters are the only species of otter outside the Sea otter that reside in and around saltwater environments. However, when you add seals that arent true seals to the mix, the presence of ears can be a confounding factor. Both otters have their own adorable way of caring for their young and making them feel at home, too. SeaQuest is committed to protecting our worlds oceans and endangered animals. The newborn is taken care of by the males, females, and other offspring. However, just because an otter is spotted on the coast does not mean its a sea otter. 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. nurse unit manager interview questions and answers australia. Sea otters are mainly native to the northeastern seaboards of the Pacific Ocean, so they arent spotted in areas like the East Coast or the Gulf of Mexico. The majority of river otters mate with multiple otters throughout the course of their lives, and they may have multiple litters in a year. The ordeal must have been horrific for the seals. Sea otters are bigger and thus have larger feet than river otters. Seals themselves have been observed to cause similar kinds of trauma when groups of males mob females. Seals are larger than otters, weighing a lot more than them and growing much longer. Male sea otters can weigh up to 99 pounds, while female sea otters typically weigh around 44 pounds. : Most all seal species are carnivorous. Among birds, parents under stress to provide for their offspring during rough years may boot eggs from their nests or kill some of their own chicks so that others might survive. What is Our Oceans Role in the Transition to Clean Energy? 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. Elsewhere in Slate, read Jessica Winters essay about her dying cat, an excerpt from Jon Katzs new book about a Rottweiler in need of rescuing, and Jason Bittels thorough investigation into bat sex. 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. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Site by Thrive Web Designs, Otters are one of the most fascinating and charismatic marine mammal species. Thank you for reading! 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)! 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). The Northern fur seal and Nooded seal are vulnerable. Copyright 2023. Make A Lasting Impact By Leaving A Gift To Ocean Conservancy In Your Will. 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. They have a very thick layer of fur on their bodies that enables them to keep themselves warm during the cold season. If you look closely at river otters, youll notice that they have short, coarse fur made up of two layers: one for keeping them warm, and another waterproof one outside of that. Seals are larger than otters, weighing a lot more than them and growing much longer. Otters have dense fur that keeps them warm while seals have blubber that is deposited under the skin that keeps them warm. Have some feedback for us? They are very different from other mammals that share the seals name or lineage. Partially due to that, its believed to be the most endangered cetacean in the world, a category that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises.