GENERAL BEHAVIOR 



Observations of the habits and characteristic behavior of sea 

 otters were obtained in their natural habitat and in captivity. 

 Quantitative studies of behavior and experimental studies were 

 undertaken in only a limited way (Gentry and Peterson, 1967; 

 and in section "In Captivity"). Certain characteristic habits and 

 behavioral traits are discussed in context as they relate to various 

 subjects in other sections of this report. 



Daily Cycle of Activity 



It was shown in the section **In Captivity" that when an abun- 

 dant food supply was available a captive animal spent relatively 

 little time feeding as compared to a wild otter. It appears that the 

 abundance of food in the wild also strongly influences the daily 

 cycle of activity of otters in different areas of the Aleutian Islands. 



In general, at Amchitka, otters begin to dive for food within 

 the first hour after sunrise. Feeding, interspersed with short 

 periods of grooming and rest, then continues until mid- or late- 

 morning. Sometime between 1100 and 1300 the otters sleep or 

 doze, usually while floating on their backs in a kelp bed. The dura- 

 tion of this rest period usually varies from about one-half to three- 

 quarters of an hour. One mated pair rested from 1225 to 1302 (37 

 minutes). After this nap, feeding, interspersed with short rest 

 periods for preening and grooming the fur, continues until mid- 

 afternoon when the otters may sleep soundly, usually while float- 

 ing, but in male areas a number of animals may haul out for the 

 afternoon nap. This nap usually continues for about an hour. The 

 same pair mentioned above rested from 1446 to 1548 (62 minutes). 



After this rest period, feeding again occurs and may continue 

 until sunset or after. At dark or shortly before, some animals haul 

 out to sleep, usually within a meter or two of the water but on 

 rare occasions as far as 75 m. up on the beach. Others spend part 

 or all of the night sleeping in a kelp bed while floating on the 

 back. 



In areas where populations are less crowded than at Amchitka, 

 and presumably food is more abundant, general observations in- 



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