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UNDERWATER GUIDE TO MARINE LIFE 



whales, cats, etc. Used as a term of scientific classification, it applies to a specific 

 order of mammals, which includes bears, raccoons, cacomistles, mongooses, 

 weasels, otters, skunks, dogs, cats, seals, and walruses. It is thus possible to speak 

 of a carnivorous, or meat-eating, carnivore (cat), an omnivorous, or both animal- 

 and plant-eating, carnivore (bear), a piscivorous, or fish-eating, carnivore (seal), 

 and even an herbivorous, or plant-eating, carnivore (panda). 



WEASELS: Family Mustehdae 



The sea otter is the only seagoing member of the weasel family and is on a 

 par with the wolverine as being the largest member of that family. Many of the 

 weasels have aquatic tendencies, but the sea otter is better adapted for living 

 in water than any other weasel. 



SEA OTTER (sEA BEAVER, KALAN, A-MI-KUk) : Enliydra hltris 



Size: Wi to Wz feet. 



Weight: 25 to 75 pounds. 



Distribution: Baja California coastwise to Alaska, the Aleutians, and Japan. 



Identification: The foot-long tail (short compared to other otters), short legs, 

 and otterlike face make this animal unmistakable. The color is dark brown to 

 nearly black, lighter about the head and neck. 



Habits: It is almost impossible to be unemotional about this animal, for it is an 

 immensely appealing, yet tragic one which has sufi^ered greatly at the hands of 

 man, its only enemy besides the killer whale and sea lion. Its story is briefly told 

 here and serves as an example of the worst kind of man's abuse of a valuable 

 resource as well as being an example of his sometimes consuming greed and 

 stupidity. 



The sea otter was discovered in 1737. Evidence points to the fact that it was a 

 different animal then than it is now. Early reports indicate that the sea otter 

 much resembled the seal in habits, going to the sea to feed and lying in droves 

 on the land to rest and bear young. Now, through great diminution in numbers 

 and constant persecution, it is principally a beast of the kelp beds near shore, 

 rarely coming onto land. It is probably a much more wary animal than it was, 

 and it is difficult to see and to approach except when it is sleeping on the surface. 





Fig. 11 



Sea otter. 



