The Smallest Marine Mammal

Rhett A. Butler / mongabay.com
The Smallest Marine Mammal: Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)

Weighing between 30 and 100 pounds, the sea otter is the world's smallest species of marine mammal. Unique from most other marine mammals, the sea otter uses a thick coat of fur to insulate itself, in fact, it is the animal kingdom's densest coat. An interesting fact about sea otters is that when sleeping, they may hold paws to keep from drifting apart. The greatest threats to sea otters today are oil spills and commercial fishing. The IUCN Red List categorized them as Endangered.

Mammal / Marine Mammal

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