Description

Sea otter in Prince William Sound, Alaska. These marine mammals are quite common after once being hunted to near extinction for their luxurious, thick fur. Otter skins were once made into robes for European nobility. Alaska Natives put the furs to use as blankets and garments. Sea otters subsist on mollusks and crabs, often using rocks to pound open the shells, one of the few marine mammals that use tools. Otters can weight up to 100 pounds, their fur protecting them from the icy waters.