Lastly, seals use blubber under their thick skin to keep them warm when they spend time in the water, but otters have dense, two-layered fur that keeps them insulated. In the U.S. the dwarf seahorse, one-inch-long seahorse, found in seagrass beds in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida and the Caribbean, is threatened with extinction due to decline of seagrass and lingering pollution from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. While both animals are classified as otters, river otters are members of the Lontra genus, and sea otters are members of the Enhydra genus. Algae vs Seaweed: What is the Difference? Our mission at Wildlife Informer is to share free information and pictures of wildlife with our readers. Still, these mammals are very different from one another, and were going to show you the differences between a seal vs otter. We know it can get otterly confusing to differentiate the species, so here are five ways to tell them apart! In what promises to be two close matches, Sea Otter will face off against Penguin, and ThinkProgress office-favorite Sea Horse will battle the severely endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. Southern sea otters are considered an endangered species, while Asian small-clawed otters are vulnerable. Since southern sea otters are found in cooler waters, its important for their fur to be able to insulate them from the weather. The elephant seal can weigh up to 6,000lbs and grows 20ft long. North American River Otter Sea otters have an average lifespan of 12-15 years in the wild while river otters live an average of 9-12 years. Watch Five Giant River Otters Face-Off Against a Huge Jaguar, Watch a Group of Massive River Otters Defeat a Crocodile in Vicious Battle, River Otter vs Sea Otter: 5 Key Differences. The largest river otters weigh in at around thirty pounds. Additionally, sea otters spend the vast majority of their lives in the water, while river otters spend most of theirs on land, venturing into the water for tasks like hunting for food and traveling. These aquatic mammals split their time between the land and the water. Sea otters, conversely, are found only in salt water and rarely go on land. Enter your email and never miss an update. For males, the difference is also significant a southern male grows up to 70 pounds while a northern male can reach up to 100 pounds! They spend their lives in water, and have many adaptations to their entirely aquatic lifestyle. At Rocky Shores you can explore a far Northwest world where land and ocean meet; where sea lions dive, seals splash and otters play. At Georgia Aquarium, we are home to two species of otter Asian small-clawed ottersandsouthern sea otters. asia deep blue crete menu . The sea otter does, however, have a shorter tail than the river otter. All of this is only the barest catalog of common and widespread phenomena in nature that we often shy away from examining, as we have great difficulty divorcing our own sense of morality from a wilderness that does not and cannot share our values. Lets talk more about all of these differences in more detail now. Female otters in the California region can weigh up to 60 pounds, while males can weigh up to 90 pounds. The pups learn their mothers voice to avoid confusion of the mother feeding another seals pups. This is an important distinction to make, as sea otters are especially clumsy when they get on land! However, there some traits and features that make them different from each other. They average a length of 5 feet and weigh about 150 pounds. Im going to ruin sea otters for you. Young cattle egrets will peck and harass weaker siblings, going so far to push them out of the nest and to their doom. SeaQuest is committed to protecting our worlds oceans and endangered animals. The most notable physical difference between this subspecies and its northern cousins is size. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. If you look closely at river otters, youll notice that they have short, coarse fur made up of two layers: one for keeping them warm, and another waterproof one outside of that. In what promises to be two close matches, Sea Otter will face off against Penguin, and ThinkProgress office-favorite Sea Horse will battle the severely endangered North Atlantic Right. Please try The sea otter we know is quite a bit larger in stature than the average river otter, the largest adults weighing up to 100lbs, heavier even than the largest river otter, the Giant otter (Pteroneura brasiliensis). The most famous in the United States, the California seal lion can be found all along the West coast of North America. Not only do these two creatures have different habitats, but they have both evolved fur to best suit those habitats. While the females are similarly much smaller than the males at 10-20 pounds, male river otters only reach a maximum size of around 30 pounds. Otters have webbed paws instead of flippers, visible external ears, and a long, thin tail that is easy to spot. While sea otters and river otters share many differences, they do share a major similarity - the threats they face in the wild. Together, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. SeaQuest Blog Otters belong to the Mustelidae family while seals belong to the Phocidae family. Thank you for visiting! All pinnipeds (seals, sea lions and walruses) are protected in U.S. waters under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to NOAA. The Northern fur seal and Nooded seal are vulnerable. Many people don't know the difference between sea otters and river otters but, with a little info, you'll be able to tell right away. Who will win? (Major seas are known as oceans.) SeaQuest is committed to protecting our worlds oceans and endangered animals. There are nearly 2,000 different species! The Northern fur seal and Nooded seal are vulnerable. The notion that sea otters fall in love and hold hands in the ocean so that they dont drift away from one another is a foreign concept to a river otter! Elsewhere in Slate, read Jessica Winters essay about her dying cat, an excerpt from Jon Katzs new book about a Rottweiler in need of rescuing, and Jason Bittels thorough investigation into bat sex. Sea otters spend the majority of their time in the ocean, while river otters spend their lives on land unless they need to hunt or travel elsewhere. The other two clawless otters are similar in size to river otters. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Most immediately noticeable is the difference in fur types river otters have short, sleek fur, while sea otters are distinctly fluffy, with long, fuzzy fur thats extremely dense and warm. Rather than being deviant, the behaviors were a regular part of penguin life, triggered by males associating a rather flexible interpretation of a females mating posture with receptiveness. difference between sea otter and penguinups insurance cost calculator. Dolphins kill other marine mammals and fish just for fun and commit infanticide. Many people may not know this, but sea otters are much larger than river otters. The marine otter simply lives near the ocean, diving in only to feed. Sea otters also have longer bodies than river otters. These animals use both fur and blubber to keep warm, and that is one of many ways to differentiate between true seals and others. They have flippers and do not have visible ears. They weigh between 45kg to 3,200kg . Conversely, river otters mate with multiple partners during the course of their lives. Plus, visit our Arctic fox and see how his coat changes throughout the year. Please try They feed on fish and shellfish. They are both weasel family members, as evident by their long, slender bodies. This is likely due to their respective sizes and predators in their environments, as sea otters grow much larger than river otters do. They are also captured for the exotic pet trade in some countries and several species are still trapped and killed for their fur. First, sea otters are two to three times the size of river otters and, when at the water's surface, they float on their backs, while river otters swim belly down like most animals. The gestation period for otters lasts between 60 to 86 days while the gestation period for seals lasts between 9 months to 12 months. Sea otters are mainly native to the northeastern seaboards of the Pacific Ocean, so they aren't spotted in areas like the East Coast or the Gulf of Mexico. I've written in a variety of niches such as video games, animals, and managed service providers. Otters spend the vast majority of their time in the water, and they even sleep in the water. Now, however, its differentthere is too little sea ice, which is impacting the food supply. While sea otters and river otters share many differences, they do share a major similarity the threats they face in the wild. Although both seals and otters come in various sizes due to their many species, seals are almost always larger than otters. Inside pregnant sand tiger sharks, for example, the first embryo to grow large enough rapidly devours all the other unborn sharks in its shared womb. When comparing the sea otter vs river otter, you may wonder if they the same animal. and weighing just 1 to 5 kg (2.2-11 lbs.). North American River Otters weigh between 10 pounds to 25 pounds and grow up to 3 feet in length. With 13 species around the world, you can find an otter species located on almost every continent! All rights reserved. Why are these male sea otters killing seals? Vote in the embedded tweets below, on Twitter with the hashtag #CPMarchSadness, or on our Facebook page. They have blubber that is deposited below the skin. According to the IUCN, this can make it hard for otters to meet their high metabolic needs, leading to malnutrition or starvation.. Sea Otters have an average lifespan of 15-20 years but in captivity, some live over 25 years. The victims that were necropsied by veterinarians had lesions around the nose, eyes, flippers, and genitals, including perforations in the vaginal and rectal tracts. Both types of otters need their coats to form a layer of insulation that traps air to keep them warm, and they certainly need it when areas like the Pacific dip to chilly temperatures that are often between 35 and 60 (and even lower than that as you move up the coast toward Alaska and Canada)! However, river otters prefer to eat fish, frogs, crayfish, birds, and reptiles, while sea otters enjoy sea urchins, clams, crabs, and seaweed. The main feature that makes otters appear different from seals is the body size. (In the concluding paragraphs of On the Origin of Species, he observed that this view of life contains grandeur and horror alike.) I graduated from Rowan University in 2014 with degrees in English and Education. There are only 450 left in the world. Levick wrote an entire book about the seagoing birds on his return, describing the impression of the elegant avians like so: When seen for the first time, the Adlie penguin gives you the impression of a very smart little man in an evening dress suit, so absolutely immaculate is he, with his shimmering white front and black back and shoulders. But the species shocked and horrified Levick so much so that his four-page report Sexual Habits of the Adlie Penguin was purposefully omitted from the official expedition findings and distributed only to a small group of researchers considered learned and discreet enough to handle the graphic content. To meet the wonderful sloths that call SeaQuest home, book your visit today at any of the following locations: Utah, Las Vegas, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Sacramento, Minneapolis, Connecticut, Lynchburg, New Jersey, and Atlanta. The sea otters legs arent made for walking, like river otters are, but for constant swimming. For if such awful displays occurred in nature, what might that say about our own actions? Did you know that sea otters mate for life? 8 Fun Date Night Ideas in Salt Lake City. Have a question? However, when you add seals that arent true seals to the mix, the presence of ears can be a confounding factor. The Caribbean monk seal was declared. Otter belongs to the Mustelidae family while the seal belongs to the Phocidae family. Their diets are reminiscent of their environments. The Mustelidae family is very unique and encompasses about 70 different species of animals including otters, wolverines, badgers, and more. River otter mothers care for their pups until they are between six and twelve months old. * {{quote-news, year=2013, date=April 9, author=Andrei Lankov, title=Stay Cool. Do you think you can tell the difference if you saw them side-by-side? These are the major differences between seals and otters, and their unique qualities become even more prominent when you look closer at these two creatures. Otters and seals have many things in common. While both species enjoy the company of many otters, sea otters form powerful partnerships with their chosen mate. Who will make it to the next round for a chance at a feature story? There seems to be no crime too low for these penguins, he confided to his journal. California Sea Lions live an average of 15 to 25 years, however some have lived to 30 years or more in captivity with proper diet and healthcare. The main difference between otter and seal is that Otters are comparatively smaller in body size while seals are comparatively larger in body size. They include; walrus, eared seals, sea lions, fur seals, and earless seals. If they cant keep them on their stomachs for some reason like if they are hunting, scientists have witnessed sea otters wrapping their young in kelp to keep them afloat while the mothers seek food. River otters also eat a different diet when compared to sea otters. Males are larger compared to their female counterparts. Noun; A large body of salty water. Giant Otters have a smaller lifespan in the wild at about 10 years. Both otters have their own adorable way of caring for their young and making them feel at home, too. Whether youre sailing the coast of the Pacific Northwest or hiking the riverbanks of West Virginia, you now have the tools to tell the difference between river otters and sea otters. Taxonomically speaking, river otters and sea otters are different genera. Asian small-clawed otters are just the opposite. The guard hairs can be brown to black to silver. Sea otters also have thicker fur, often with white markings, while river otters have sleeker fur to match their streamlined bodies. Otters have dense fur that keeps them warm while seals have blubber that is deposited under the skin that keeps them warm. Their bodies and feet are also shaped very differently as well. Georgia Aquarium, along with other zoos and aquariums, work tirelessly to educate and inspire guests, while providing our otters the best veterinary and nutritional care. And delphine sexual aggression isnt limited to members of their own kind. Charming, outgoing, and intelligent, otters are part of the Mustelids family and in the Lutrinae subfamily. If you see a vast creature, then its probably a seal and not an otter. Otters are mammals in the Mustelidae family. A painful and confusing end for the poor pups. True seals use blubber deposits under their skin to keep themselves warm when theyre in the water, which is quite often. While sea otters are found in the sea, Asian small-clawed otters are found in freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps. Receive email updates to learn how you can help make a difference for the future of our ocean. The Asian small-clawed otter is "slimmer" and smaller, with smooth fur and a face that looks like it is smiling. Its as easy as that! There are 33 species of pinnipeds alive today and, they too can be found on every continent on Earth! Our work is focused on solving some of the greatest threats facing our ocean today. Scientists believe this difference is due to the size difference between the two creatures. The Caribbean monk seal was declared extinct in 2008. Asian small-clawed otters spend more of their time on land than in water, which helps keep a stable body temperature. The largest sea otters can weigh up to one hundred pounds, but river otters are much smaller. ), while females average 22 to 26 kg (49-57 lbs.). They are agile and flexible due to their four limbs and streamlined bodies. In other species, post-hatching battles begin almost immediately. Otters are one of the most fascinating and charismatic marine mammal species. A sea otter can grow to be up to 4 feet long, while a river otter only grows to be about 2.5 feet long. What sea otters, dolphins, and penguins sometimes do to one another in their attempts to mate can make us feel queasy, but this is just one sort of animal behaviors that have been unsettling us since the Victorian era. Still, these two mammals are very different from one another. Youll have a very simple time determining if you are looking at an otter from a true seal with one or two of those factors. Sea otters often float at the water's surface in forests of kelp, or giant seaweed, and entangle themselves to keep from moving in the rolling sea. They display sexual dimorphism. Seals spend less time in the water than otters. Whereas a female southern sea otter grows up to 50 pounds, a female northern sea otter can weigh up to 70 pounds. For whichever animal wins, ClimateProgress will write a feature-length article exploring the story behind whats ailing your chosen critter, and who is working to save them. When I'm not writing personally or professionally, you can find me camping along the Oregon coast with my high school sweetheart and Chihuahua mix, or in my home kitchen, perfecting recipes in a gleaming cast iron skillet. Both are marine mammals and have lungs that they use to breathe. union county latest news Sea otters also notably have two very large back feet, webbed and streamlined for paddling and swift swimming in unpredictable ocean waters. Asian small-clawed otters have relatively short hair that consists of two layers a coarse, waterproof outer coat and a softer, finer layer that is used for warmth. If you find these critters as otterly . Asian Small-Clawed Otters have a classification of Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List while Sea and Giant Otters are listed as Endangered as of today. Male bottlenose dolphins will sometimes team up to target a single female and harass her persistently, forcing her to mate with them despite her attempts to escape. 2022 Georgia Aquarium 225 Baker Street Northwest, Atlanta, GA. Georgia Aquarium is a nonprofit committed to inspiring awareness and preservation of our ocean and aquatic animals worldwide. The salty crew of Deep Sea News has been trying to counteract the cuddly image of dolphins for years. Sea otters carry their young on their stomachs to keep them safe until they are ready to swim by themselves. difference between sea otter and penguinhazbin hotel cherri bomb removed. The identity of a pair of repeat offenders held a clue. Southern sea otters are considered an endangered species, while Asian small-clawed otters are vulnerable. However, we noticed a conundrum that many readers seem to get themselves into. : Feed on frogs, crabs, crayfish, and shellfish. Male river otters are extremely territorial, while sea otters form more friendships and bonds with one another overall. While they are both otters, river otters belong to the Lontra genus, while sea otters belong to the Enhydra genus. Such behavior led ornithologist Douglas Mock and colleagues to write Occasionally, the pen of natural selection writes a murder mystery on the pages of evolution. 2. Delivered in the scientific deadpan required of such papers, the Aquatic Mammals report attributes the incidents to three male sea otters observed harassing, dragging, guarding, and copulating with harbor seals, persisting for up to seven days after the otters killed the objects of their misguided advances. Otters fur has guard hairs on the outside layer that are used to keep them protected from moisture and to maintain body temperature. African penguins are declining in part due to fluctuations in water temperature and increased storms on their breeding grounds. Conversely, sea otters only give birth to one pup and care for them until they are between eight and twelve months old. The dietary preferences and lifespans of river otters and sea otters differ as well. Asian small-clawed otters have a body length of 30-45 cm (12-18 inches) and a tail length of 15-25 cm (6-10 inches). Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. They weigh between 45kg to 3,200kg. Ocean Conservancy, International Coastal Cleanup, Trash Free Seas, Trash Free Seas Alliance, Global Ghost Gear Initiative, Urban Ocean and Clean Swell are registered trademarks of Ocean Conservancy. Get Out Your Green & Gold! With no power for the electric lights, the house was a sea of darkness. For as cute as they are while intertwining paws at an aquarium, frolicking among the wafting fronds of California kelp forests, or smashing sea urchins open with stones, some sea otters have developed the disturbing habit of humping and drowning baby seals. River otters also can often be found on the banks of the river. On average, seals are larger than otters. The sea otter is the "fluffiest" among these three animals. But no, the strange sea otter attacks on baby seals are a reality and have even made their way into the technical literature. They average around 2 feet in length and weigh around 10 pounds. Sea otters have back feet that are larger than their front feet, and much larger than the feet of a river otter. There is no animal that is made of rainbows and kisses and goodness all the way through. Their tails alone can grow to 24 inches!. They are also known as fin-footed mammals. But how do we tell the difference between river otters and sea otters? Yet, if the two creatures are closer in size, then you will need to rely on other methods of differentiating them. Habitat loss, water pollution, deforestation, and hunting threaten their survival. For example, sea otters are much larger than river otters in both length and weight. And baby Magellanic penguins in Argentina are dying at an unprecedented rate due to heavy rains, strong storms and heat. We also share helpful tips and guides on a variety of topics related to animals and nature. At Arctic Tundra we've created a habitat just like the grassy tundra near Point Hope, Alaska - and filled it with massive muskoxen. We shouldnt draw the curtains over the aspects of animal behavior that make us cringe, as Levick did when he coded some of his Adlie penguin notes in Greek and ultimately decided not to publish his findings. Seals belong to the Phocidae family, and otters belong to the Mustelidae family. But the general idea is the same: if the otter isnt floating in the ocean, its most likely a river otter, and vice versa! Some seals have fur, but they are not considered true seals. It has "toes" on its feet. They have dense fur that enables them to keep warm. River otters tend to eat frogs, fish, crayfish, reptiles, and birds. We can find beauty and poetry in nature, but we can also find terror and savagery, all essential parts of the entire picture. Their unique bodies make it easy to tell the creatures apart. The webbed feet of a sea otter. They have a body length of about 3 to 4 feet and weigh between 40 to 60 pounds. But if theres any marine vertebrate that wins the title of the squickiest, its dolphins. Heres a quick snapshot of just some of the otter and seal species size ranges: Asian Small Clawed Otters are the smallest species of otter.