100 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 68 



A 



Figure 57. — A — The mother sea otter has just emerged from a feeding dive. 

 While she eats, her pup (about 2 to 3 months old) crawls onto her belly. 

 5— The pup tries to take food from the mother's paw. C — The mother 

 reaches forward, placing food (a sea urchin) in the pup's mouth and paws. 

 D — After finishing her food the mother rises vertically in the water while 

 inhaling before rolling forward in another food dive. The pup continues 

 to eat the food obtained from its mother. (KWK 65-24-13, 14, 15, and 16; 

 31 October 1965) 



GROOMING 



Shortly after birth the sea otter pup makes uncoordinated at- 

 tempts to rub and groom its fur. Young animals are, however, 

 dependent upon their mothers to keep their fur fluffy and dry. 

 After a feeding period and before resting, the mother otter first 

 grooms and washes her own pelage thoroughly while her pup 

 floats nearby (figs. 41 and 48). When she has finished, she either 

 takes her pup on her chest to preen and dry its pelage or drags it 

 ashore. She licks the pup's fur thoroughly, then fluffs it and rubs it 



