COLDWATERS C I E N C EA journal of marine life
& ocean exploration
COLDWATER SCIENCE / ANIMAL FIELD GUIDES
Read about sea-otter fur, diets and tool use, compare river and sea otters, and explore seals, walruses and dugongs through specific biological evidence.
60 animal articles · Scientific references · Credited cover images
7 articles
Watercolor and gouacheOtters and coastal mammals
Sea otters stay warm through a groomed, air-trapping coat rather than a thick blubber layer. That insulation depends on clean fur and frequent care, while a high metabolic rate drives substantial food needs and makes undisturbed rest energetically useful.
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Wildlife photographOtters and coastal mammals
For North American sea and river otters, combine body shape, tail, swimming posture, and habitat history. Coastal location alone is weak evidence: both may use salt water, while repeated behavior and several visible features provide a stronger, though still imperfect, identification.
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Wildlife photographOtters and coastal mammals
Sea otters eat a varied menu of seafloor animals and, in some places, fish. Their forepaws, loose skin pouch and occasional rock tools help handle prey, while long-term studies show that individuals can develop different diets.
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Wildlife photographOtters and coastal mammals
Pacific walruses use sensitive whiskers to locate seafloor prey and suction to draw soft animals into the mouth. Their tusks are elongated upper canines, while sea ice and coastal haulouts provide places to rest.
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Wildlife photographOtters and coastal mammals
Harbor seals rest, molt and raise pups at haulouts, and their whiskers can detect underwater wakes. A lone pup is not automatically abandoned: keep away, do not handle it, and contact authorized responders about apparent injury.
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Wildlife photographOtters and coastal mammals
Northern elephant seals divide their lives between long offshore journeys and brief, demanding periods on land. Their repeated dives, breeding fasts and seasonal molt reflect linked adaptations, while a seal resting on a beach may be behaving normally.
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Wildlife photographOtters and coastal mammals
Dugongs are marine sirenians adapted to coastal seagrass meadows. Their fluked tails and feeding ecology help distinguish them from manatees, while shared ancestry and a distant surface view can make identification less certain than a simple nickname suggests.
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