THE SEA OTTER IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN 113 



Figure 61. — A wild sea otter accepts a fish head from Innokenty Golodoff. 

 This otter frequented the area where we discarded fish scraps. He soon be- 

 came tame and emerged from the water to follow us as far as 25 meters 

 from the water to beg for food. He never consumed food on shore but 

 carried it in his mouth or under the left foreleg to the water where he ate 

 while floating on his back. (KWK 57-34-31) 



over (fig. 63). This action washes food scraps from the chest 

 where they were either purposely discarded or accidentally 

 dropped. 



Stomach Analyses 



The best information available on food habits of the sea otter 

 was derived from the examination of 475 stomachs from otters 

 most of which were shot at Amchitka Island (table 12). Previously 

 Wilke (1957) studied stomachs from five otters taken there. Also, 

 we examined a number of stomachs of otters found dead or dying 

 on beaches. 



Stomachs were removed from sea otters as soon as practicable, 

 usually within 2 to 3 hours after death. They were then injected 

 with a 10 percent formalin solution and immersed in a large con- 

 tainer of formalin solution, where they soaked for several days. 



