PREFACE 



This report is the result of studies conducted from 1955 to 1967 

 by the Division of Wildlife Research of the Bureau of Sport Fish- 

 eries and Wildlife. In addition to field data gathered primarily in 

 the Aleutian Islands, many unpublished reports, letters, and memo- 

 randums in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service files were used. As a 

 biologist working on studies of the Pribilof Islands population of 

 northern fur seals from 1947 to 1955, I developed an interest in 

 the sea otters of the Aleutian Islands. I was therefore pleased to 

 be assigned as project leader of sea otter studies. 



Many people contributed help in the field and laboratory. The 

 following undertook special studies and have kindly permitted me 

 to include their results. Dr. D. G. Chapman (statistical studies of 

 phases of population dynamics) ; Dr. F. H. Fay (parasitism) ; Miss 

 Neva Karrick (nutritional values of foods) ; Dr. J. K. Ling (skin 

 structure) ; Dr. R. L. Rausch (parasitism) ; Dr. E. C. Roosen-Runge 

 (reproduction in the male) ; Dr. R. P. Scapino (jaw muscles and 

 joints) ; Dr. V. B. Scheffer (pelage and dentition) ; and Dr. D. B. 

 Scott (dental attrition). 



J. E. Burdick collected specimens and analyzed stomach contents. 

 It would be impossible to list all those who assisted in other ways, 

 but the following have been notably helpful : J. J. Alles, G. Baines, 

 A. W. F. Banfield, V. D. Bems, A. Bezezekoff, F. Bezezekoff, K. L. 

 Binkley, E. L. Boeker, R. A. Boolootian, J. W. Brooks, C. A. Bros- 

 seau, D. V. Brown, J. J. Burns, J. G. Carlisle, C. E. Carlson, C. H. 

 Conaway, I. McT. Cowan, K. W. Cox, L. W. Croxton, S. V. Dorofeev 

 (deceased), Y. E. Dawson (deceased), M. A. Edwards, C. H. Fiscus, 

 R. M. Gilmore, I. Golodoff, C. J. Guiguet, E. Gunther, W. J. Hamil- 

 ton, Jr., G. D. Hanna, S. J. Harbo, A. C. Hartt, L. G. Hertlein, 



C. L. Hubbs, A. Jensen, A. M. Johnson, E. J. Johnson, M. L. 

 Johnson, R. D. Jones, Jr., M. C. Keyes, J. G. King, C. M. Kirk- 

 patrick, D. R. Klein, E. G. Klinkhart, H. R. Krear, W. S. Laughlin, 



D. L. Leedy, C. J. Lensink, P. T. Macy, E. G. Magee, L. Margolis, 

 V. F. Martin, P. A. McLaughlin, E. D. Mitchell, H. W. Mossman, 

 K. A. Neiland, U. C. Nelson, I. M. Newell, T. P. O^Brien (deceased), 

 R. T. Orr, R. L. Peterson, R. G. Prasil, J. Radovich, J. Rankin, 

 C. A. Repenning, F. Richardson, A. Y. Roppel, L. V. Sagen, E. 

 Sczuck, A. H. Seymour, A. A. Sinha, A. G. Smith, T. A. Smith, 



iii 



