The Sea Otter

Among the waving eelgrass and shifting waters of Elkhorn Slough in California floats one very happy sea otter named Mixy.

Mixy has the perfect collection of treasures tucked into her pocket: a just-right rock, a smiling shell, even an extra snack. But when another otter swims close and asks to borrow something, Mixy isn’t so sure. After all, it’s her perfect tool. 

Soon, she discovers that the perfect tool isn’t just for helping yourself; it might be even more powerful when it’s shared.

Join Carie, Lincoln, and Eliza as they dive into the playful, splashy world of sea otters, where tools, teamwork, and tiny pockets make a big difference.

Kids will discover:

• How sea otters use tools (yes—real tools!)
• What makes sea otter fur the thickest in the animal kingdom
• How sea otters are made for a life in the water
• Why sea otters are a keystone species in their ecosystem

Keep exploring:

• Download a sea otter coloring sheet 
• Follow us on Instagram @wildandkindkidspod
• Show us your coloring sheet or request an animal: wildandkindkidspod@gmail.com
• Sign up for email updates

Learn along with us and explore some of the resources we consulted:

• The Sea Otter (National Geographic Kids) 
• Sea Otter (Monterey Bay Aquarium) 
• 10 facts you otter know about sea otters (WWF) 
• Watch: Sea otters have pockets (Oceana)

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome to Wild and Kind Kids, everyone. We're going to literally warm up our arms today by fluffing our fur. So if you have sleeves, roll them up. Okay, y'all. I want you to take your hands and rub the hair on your arms. You ready? Back and forth. Back and forth. Nice and steady. Now let's do it a little faster. Fluff. Fluff. Now stop. Okay. How did that make your arm feel? Warm. Very good. All right. Now I want you to look at the hairs on your arm. What do they look like now that we fluffed them? They look like they're standing up. Yes. Now imagine your arms were super wet. Rubbing like that might help your hair dry out or fluff up, and it might help you feel warmer. And today's animal does this move all the time. It might look a little silly, but it's actually one of the most important tools it has to survive in very cold water. Let's get learning. I'm Carrie, and I grew up on a zoo.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

I'm Lincoln. I'm Eliza. And we're the world about animals.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

Welcome to the Wild and Kind Kids Podcast. Hi, Lincoln and Eliza.

SPEAKER_02 1:33

Hi, Mom.

SPEAKER_03 1:35

Can you believe it? Today we get to cover mom's favorite animal in the world. Like the whole world.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

The sea otter!

SPEAKER_03 1:45

Yes! And even better, today's episode is a listener request. Isabella, who is eight and also lives in North Carolina, asked us to cover the sea otter.

SPEAKER_02 1:57

Hi, Isabella! Isabella, you made my mom so happy.

SPEAKER_03 2:03

It's true. Okay, so let's get started with this. What is a sea otter?

SPEAKER_02 2:09

It's a water weasel.

SPEAKER_03 2:11

All right, well, let's talk about that. Because Lincoln, you are kind of right. Sea otters are mammals, and they are part of the weasel family, just like ferrets and river otters. And here's something wild: they are the largest members of the weasel family, but also one of the smallest marine mammals in the world, and definitely the smallest in North America. So when I say marine mammals, that means they are mammals, but they live in the ocean. And they don't live just anywhere. Sea otters stick close to the shore, in cold ocean water, along rocky coasts, and amongst giant underwater forests made of kelp. Those places are called kelp forests, and they're kind of like floating jungles in the sea. Sea otters live all along the northern Pacific Ocean, which is a huge ocean. You can find them all the way over near Russia, up through Alaska, and all the way down to California in the United States. Okay, this is gonna be the cutest moment of your day. We're gonna picture one in our minds. As we said, sea otters are part of the weasel family. They have round heads, small ears, long bodies, and whiskers. But unlike many of their relatives, their tails are shorter and flatter, and their bodies are super fluffy to help them stay warm in cold ocean water. They usually have thick brown fur with lighter, almost white fur around their faces. They have long whiskers that stick out from their cheeks, which sometimes make them look like they have a little mustache. And they are not tiny. Sea otters can grow to be four or five feet long and weigh around 90 pounds. So if you're listening to this and you're in third grade or so, a sea otter from nose to tail tip might be as long as you are tall. All right, Lincoln and Eliza, what else can you tell me about the world's greatest animal?

SPEAKER_02 4:13

Mom.

SPEAKER_03 4:15

Okay, okay. I'll stop. What else can you tell me about sea otters?

SPEAKER_02 4:20

They have the thickest fur of any animal on the planet.

SPEAKER_03 4:25

Yes. Scientists say that sea otters can have up to a million hairs in just one square inch of their skin. That is way more than the hair on our arms or even our heads. And it's actually more than any other animal. And here's why that hair matters. Sea otters don't have blubber, like whales or the leopard seal we talked about last week, but they do live in cold water. So instead of fat to keep them warm, they rely on all that super thick fur to trap tiny bubbles of air and hold in heat. And you all remember that move we did at the beginning where we rubbed and fluffed our arms? Sea otters do that all the time. They clean and fluff their fur to keep those tiny air bubbles trapped inside so they can stay warm in the cold ocean. Okay, give me another fact, y'all.

SPEAKER_02 5:17

They are made for life in the water. They don't ever have to come out if they don't want to.

SPEAKER_03 5:23

Yes! Sea otters spend almost their entire lives in the water. They eat in the water, sleep in the water, or even groom their fur in the water. Groom is just a fancy word for cleaning and taking care of yourself. Now you might occasionally see an otter resting on shore, but most of the time they are floating right on the surface of the ocean. That fur that we mentioned helps, but so do their feet. Their back feet are big and flat with webbing between their toes, which helps them push through the water like paddles. Their thick tail acts like the rudder of a boat, and they can float on their backs non-stop. That is because their bodies are naturally buoyant, which means they bob right up to the surface without much effort. In fact, baby sea otters are so buoyant they can't swim underwater initially. They just kind of bob around. Oh my gosh. Now, when older sea otters do dive underwater, they can actually close their ears and their nostrils to keep water out. That helps them hunt and explore without getting water where it doesn't belong. And finally, those long whiskers help them feel vibrations in the water, which can help them find food even if they can't see well. Those are some awesome adaptations for sea life. Okay, give me another fact, y'all.

SPEAKER_02 6:45

Sometimes they flow in big groups, and scientists call it a raft.

SPEAKER_03 6:51

Yes, a group of sea otters floating together is called a raft. Now, some rafts have just a few otters, while others can have dozens or even hundreds of otters all just bobbing together on the water. Imagine a whole floating crowd rising and falling with the waves. Scientists have also seen them holding paws while they float, especially when resting. And it might, you know, help them stay together. Okay, I love it. What else?

SPEAKER_02 7:19

They use kelp so they don't float away.

SPEAKER_03 7:23

Yes. So we mentioned those kelp forests that sea otters like to live in. Well, sea otters will often wrap themselves in that kelp, which is a kind of giant sea plant that grows underwater. They'll twist it around their bodies like a little anchor so they can stay in place while they rest or sleep. Otherwise, the ocean currents might carry them far away when they're, you know, just trying to relax. Okay, amazing. Now let's meet one up close in our story of the day. Okay, friends, let's close our eyes. Now imagine the sun is pouring down on your face. You're floating on your back in the ocean. The waves gently rock you. Back and forth, back and forth. The sun feels warm on your cheeks. The water moves softly beneath you. This is the life of Mixie, a sea otter. Mixie spends her days in a place called Elkhorn Slough in California. There, she hunts, she swims, she rests, and she lives with other otters, curious seals, and gently floating jellyfish. Today, as the sun rises higher in the sky above, Mixie is organizing her pocket. Now, if you didn't know this, sea otters have a loose fold of skin under their arms, kind of like a little pocket where they store things. Mixie is obsessed with her pocket. Today, her pocket contains her favorite smooth gray rock, perfect for cracking clams, a shell she found that looked like it was smiling, a clam from yesterday's dinner, just in case she needs a snack, and one mysterious pebble she was still thinking about. Mixie carefully pulled out her favorite rock. She bounced it between her paws. She remembered the day she found it, sitting in the middle of a bunch of eelgrass, as if it had been waiting for her, the light streaming through the water like a spotlight.

SPEAKER_02 9:46

Ah yes, she said today.

SPEAKER_03 9:50

Still perfect. Satisfied that all was in order, Mixie started to put her rock away. But just then a head popped up next to her. Hi, Mixie, said another otter, bobbing in the water.

SPEAKER_02 10:06

Oh hi, Bella.

SPEAKER_03 10:07

Bella paddled a little closer. I was wondering, could I borrow your rock? Mixie froze. Her rock? Her favorite rock? She slowly pulled it closer to her chest. Uh this lock? Bella nodded. I found a clam, but I can't get it open. Mixie looked at Bella. Then at her rock. Then back at Bella. Her mind started racing.

SPEAKER_02 10:38

But this is my lock. I found it all by myself. It's the perfect size. The perfect weight. What if she drops it? What if it sinks? What if I never find another one?

SPEAKER_03 10:55

Mixie held it tighter. Bella waited quietly, bobbing in the water. The waves moved them both. Up and down. Up and down. Mixie took a slow breath. Then another. She looked back at Bella. Bella's eyes were hopeful and a little tired. Mixie swallowed. Okay. Very carefully she held out her paws. Bella's face lit up. Really? Thank you. Mixie watched closely as Bella took the rock. Bella placed the clam on her chest. She lifted the rock. Tap, tap, tap. Crack! The shell popped open. Bella gasped. I did it, she said. I did it. She looked at Mixie, her whole face glowing. Thank you, Mixie. Mixie blinked. A strange feeling fluttered in her belly. It felt warm and kinda good. Bella held the rock out. Here, she said, your rock. Mixie took it back. Still smooth, still perfect. She turned it over in her paws. But now it felt a little different. Mixie glanced at Bella, who was happily now munching a clam. She looked around. A crab nearby was tapping helplessly at a shell.

SPEAKER_02 12:38

Why is lunch so difficult?

SPEAKER_03 12:41

Mixie blinked. She slipped her rock out of her pocket.

SPEAKER_02 12:45

Would you like to try this?

SPEAKER_03 12:48

The crab's eyes widened. Oh he took the rock. The shell poppen.

SPEAKER_02 13:01

Yes. Teamwork makes the dream work.

SPEAKER_03 13:05

Mixie grinned.

SPEAKER_02 13:08

Still perfect.

SPEAKER_03 13:10

She whispered as she tucked the rock back into her pocket. A moment later she spotted a snail. The snail was stretched out as far as possible, reaching and reaching. Almost all most almost. Mixie followed his gaze. A tasty little shell sat just outside of his reach. Mixie paddled over, pulled out her rock, and gave the shell a gentle nudge. Plop right into the snail's reach. The snail blinked.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

I've been trying to get that for twenty minutes.

SPEAKER_03 13:59

You're welcome, Mixie said, trying to sound casual. Inside, she felt that same warm flutter again. Soon it seemed like everyone needed something. Another crab with a stubborn snack, another shell that just needed a nudge. Even a very confused fish, who swam up, sized up her rock, and said, Hmm, is that for eating? Mixie blinked. No, it's for helping. The fish nodded very seriously. Right, got it, he said. Then it swam away. Mixie floated on her back, beaming. Her rock had never been busier, or more useful, or more amazing. Still perfect, she said again. But then Mixie's tummy made a sound. Grumble, grumble. She paused. She reached into her pocket. Her rock was still there. Her smiling shell, right where she left it. Her mysterious pebble was still there. But her snack? Mixie frowned. She checked again. Nothing.

SPEAKER_02 15:23

Oh, it must have fallen out when I was helping someone.

SPEAKER_03 15:27

Her tummy rumbled again, louder this time.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

I was so busy helping. I didn't get any food.

SPEAKER_03 15:36

Grumble grumble. Mixie sank a little lower into the water. Just then. Mixie! Bella paddled up, a little splashy with excitement. I've been looking for you. Mixie perked up.

unknown 15:52

Hi Bella.

SPEAKER_03 15:54

Bella held something out. I found this, she said, and I remembered how you helped me. In her paws was a shiny, fresh clam. Mixie blinked. For me? Bella nodded.

SPEAKER_02 16:10

For you.

SPEAKER_03 16:11

Mixie's whiskers lifted.

SPEAKER_02 16:15

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 16:16

Bella grinned.

SPEAKER_02 16:18

Use your rock, she said.

SPEAKER_03 16:21

Mixie laughed. Oh I will. She placed the clam on her chest. Tap, tap, crack. And this time, when she took a bite Delicious. The next day, Mixie floated in the sunshine once again. Back and forth, back and forth. She reached into her pocket. Her favorite rock, her smiling shell, her mysterious pebble. All right where they should be. Still perfect. Then she paused and looked around. She saw the crab, the snail, Bella floating nearby. Mixie smiled. Her pocket wasn't just for keeping things safe anymore. It was now for helping too, for sharing, for making someone else's day a little easier. And with that, she floated on. All right, friends. Like always, our story has a real science connection. Sea otters really do have a loose fold of skin under their arms that works like a built-in pocket. Scientists have observed them using it to store things. And what do they keep in there? Tools! Sea otters are one of the few animals on Earth that use tools. They are part of the super paws squad. Yes, they are animals with super dexterous paws. That means they can use their paws in really skillful ways, kind of like how we use our hands to hold, move, or work with things. And rocks are a sea otter's favorite tool. So they'll often carry rocks in their pockets and use them to crack open hard shells, like clams, mussels, and sea urchins. They'll float on their backs, place the shell on their chest, and then use the rock to tap, tap, tap until it cracks open. Just like Bella and Mixie did in our story. And here's something even cooler. Some sea otters have a favorite rock that they keep and use again and again. So while Mixie's big day of helping all her neighbors might have been story magic, a sea otter with a favorite rock tucked safely in its pocket and then using it as a tool to open its food, that part is real animal science. Before we go, it's time for your wild cognition. So, as I've probably mentioned before, I think sea otters are super cute.

SPEAKER_02 19:12

Not also super important in the wild.

SPEAKER_03 19:16

That's right. Sea otters are what scientists call a keystone species. That's a really big phrase.

SPEAKER_02 19:25

A keystone species is like glue that holds an ecosystem together.

SPEAKER_03 19:31

And for sea otters, that has a lot to do with what they eat. Sea otters love to eat sea urchins. And sea urchins love to eat kelp. So remember those kelp forests we've talked about? They're like big underwater jungles, and they are home to tons of ocean animals. They even help fight climate change by capturing and storing carbon dioxide. But if there are too many sea urchins, they can gobble up all the kelp and leave behind a bare, empty ocean floor. And that's where sea otters come in. By eating sea urchins, they help protect the kelp forests, which helps protect the whole ocean neighborhood. And here's something else to know. A long time ago, sea otters were hunted so much that there were almost none left. In some places, they disappeared completely. But people worked hard to protect them. And slowly, sea otters started coming back. Today, they are still protected and they are still helping to rebuild those underwater forests. And just like sea otters help kelp forests, we can all be a helper of habitats. That means helping protect the places where animals live. There are a few things you can do to protect ocean habitats, and we've heard them here before. You can use less plastic, like single-use things like straws or plastic wrappers. Or with your grown-up's help, you can pick up trash before it makes its way to waterways. Because even though sea otters might live far away in the ocean, the choices that we make on land can still help protect their home.

SPEAKER_02 21:18

So that's your mission, be a helper of habitats.

SPEAKER_03 21:23

As for us, we hope to see you next week. This podcast is produced by John, also known as Lincoln and Eliza's Dad. If you're enjoying these adventures, please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Leave us a review and tell your friends. Check out the show notes to find a coloring sheet for today's creature. And explore more episodes at wildandkindkids.com. To show us your coloring sheet or request an animal for a future story. Contact us at wild and kindkidspod at gmail.com. You can also find us on Instagram at Wild and Kind Kids Pod. Thanks for exploring with us, friends. Until next time.

SPEAKER_02 22:16

Keep your hearts kind and your curiosity wild.