AnimalID

Name

5414

Southern Sea Otter

LocationName:

Pacific Coast

Origin:

Marine Mania expansion

PurchaseCost:

$800

RequiresResearch:

No

IsClimber:

No

IsJumper:

No

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

Description:

The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is the salt water member of the otter family. The largest member of the family Mustelidae, the sea otter is closely related to weasels, skunks, and badgers.

An adult sea otter can grow to over four feet long and weigh over 80 pounds. Some sea otters live over 20 years. The coat of the sea otter is two-layered. The bottom layer is of thick fur, denser than the fur of any other mammal. This undercoat has approximately one-half million hairs per square inch of coat. The undercoat protects the otter against hypothermia and is vital for survival. The upper layer of fur is made up of sparser, longer guard hairs. Guard hairs are usually silver or white, standing out in stark contrast to the light brown or black undercoat. As sea otters age, their coats become whiter in small patches. This is known as grizzling.

Sea otters are well designed for their aquatic life. Instead of rear paws, they have wide webbed flippers. Their small forepaws have retractable claws. Beneath each foreleg is a small flap of skin that serves as a pouch for food. The Otter’s ears and nostrils close when it dives underwater.

During the Miocene and Pliocene ages of history, ancestors of the sea otter lived throughout the world’s oceans. Today, sea otters can only be found in the North Pacific, in coastal regions from California through Alaska and from Russia to Japan. Sea otters are most comfortable in the water. They even sleep floating on their backs, anchored in kelp beds. However, they do often "haul out" on land. Slow and clumsy on the shore, they choose haul-out sites far from human habitation. Sea otters are often seen sharing rocks with harbor seals. Their brown coats blend in with the algae-covered rocks they sun on.

Sea otters are carnivores, feeding on crustaceans (like crabs), bivalves (like clams, mussels, and abalone), mollusks (like octopi and squid), echinoderms (like sea urchins), and fish. Although their teeth are designed for eating hard foods, sea otters will also use rocks and shells as tools to pry their prey open. Sea otters are often at risk of predation in the water by sharks and other large carnivores, and while hauled out by bears, coyotes, and birds. The remains of young sea otters have been found in the nests of bald eagles.

Sea otter pups are at a very high risk of predation their first few weeks of life, since they don’t learn to swim until four to five weeks of age. Until that time, they often ride on their mother’s chests while in the water. Even after learning to swim on their own, pups stay near their mothers for another six months to a year. During this time they learn to hunt and to open hard-shelled foods, and they slowly gain their independence.

Humans may still be the sea otter’s greatest enemy. Although the sea otter’s status as a protected species protects against over-hunting, humans still threaten the lives of these animals. As human activities remove more of the habitats used for haul outs, the sea otter becomes more at risk. An oil spill can kill huge numbers of sea otters, since a sea otter with an oily coat will quickly die of hypothermia. Fortunately, sea otters have both mated and given birth in captivity. Humans may yet be able to make up for what they have taken from these animals.

 

Attractiveness Adult:

Attractiveness Young:

Initial Happiness:

Habitat Preference:

80
120
70
70

Captivity:

Crowd:

CrowdHappiness Change:

ClimbsCliffs:

5
100
-5
No

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

To build a good animal exhibit you need to ask a few questions: (click them for the answers)

Which tank wall is suitable for this animal?     Remember that all tanks need a tank filter!

How big should the exhibit be and what Depth should the tank be?

What foliage should be used?

What rocks should be used?

What shelter does the animal need?

What toy does the animal like?

Does this animal perform in a show?

Yes

 

TankWallName

Purchase Cost

See Through

Height

Strength

Life

Cost Effective

Low Chain-link Fence
$45
Yes
1
200
10
22.2
Low Stick Pole Fence
$55
Yes
1
225
11
20.0
Stick Pole Window Fence
$75
Yes
2
225
12
16.0
Stick Pole Fence
$75
No
2
225
12
16.0
Low Post and Rail Fence
$70
Yes
1
250
11
15.7
Chain-link Fence
$70
Yes
2
200
10
14.3
Post and Rail Fence
$90
Yes
2
250
12
13.3
Low Wooden Slat Fence
$85
Yes
1
240
11
12.9
Wood Slat Window Fence
$110
Yes
2
240
12
10.9
Wooden Slat Fence
$110
No
2
240
12
10.9
Atlantean Tank Wall
$125
Yes
3
500
13
10.4
Concrete Edge and Glass
$125
Yes
3
500
13
10.4
Solid Concrete
$125
No
3
500
13
10.4
Black Bar and Glass
$130
Yes
3
500
13
10.0
Low Iron Bar Fence
$125
Yes
1
290
12
9.6
Low Concrete Chain Fence
$125
Yes
1
275
12
9.6
Low Rock Wall Fence
$125
Yes
1
280
12
9.6
Low Plexiglas Fence
$125
Yes
1
270
12
9.6
Low Concrete Fence
$125
Yes
1
300
12
9.6
Rock Wall Fence
$150
No
2
280
14
9.3
Rock Window Fence
$150
Yes
2
280
14
9.3
Concrete Chain Fence
$150
Yes
2
275
14
9.3
Plexiglas Fence
$150
Yes
2
270
13
8.7
Iron Bar Fence
$180
Yes
2
290
14
7.8
Concrete Fence
$200
No
2
300
15
7.5
Angled Railing and Glass
$175
Yes
3
500
13
7.4
Reinforced Concrete Fence
$225
No
3
460
16
7.1
Reinforced Concrete and Glass Fence
$225
Yes
3
420
15
6.7
Concrete and Iron Bar Fence
$240
Yes
3
440
15
6.3
Electrified Chain-link Fence
$300
Yes
3
480
18
6.0
Electrified Iron Bar Fence
$350
Yes
3
400
18
5.1

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

Animal Density

Min

Number of Animals/Exhibit

Max

20

1

 

3

TankDepth
1
 
28

Terrain Name

Value

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Gray stone
90
18
36
54
72
90
108
126
144
162
180
Saltwater
10
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20

Rocks

8
6
13
19
26
32
38
45
51
58
64

Foliage

12
2
5
7
10
12
14
17
19
22
24

Exhibit Size

100
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

ID

Value

TreeName

Foliage Effect

Cost/ Square

Cost Effective

7402
8
Beach Grass
32
$320
10.0
7088
3
Horsetail
12
$500
2.4
7098
13
Arctic Bush
12
$600
2.0
7097
13
Arctic Grass
12
$400
3.0
7096
13
Arctic Birch Tree
3
$200
1.5

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

ID

Value

RockName

Size X

Size Y

Rock

Rock Effect

Purchase Cost

Cost Effective

9235
6
Small Ocean Floor Rock
1
1
Yes
24
$100
24.0
9237
6
Large Ocean Floor Rock
4
4
Yes
6
$165
3.6
9241
6
Isle Rock
8
8
Yes
6
$150
4.0
9238
6
Medium Ocean Floor Rock
2
2
Yes
6
$150
4.0
9236
6
Medium Coral Formation
4
4
Yes
6
$150
4.0
9239
6
Large Coral Formation
4
6
Yes
6
$175
3.4

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

Shelter ID

Shelter Name

Shelter Value

Shelter Effect

Purchase Cost

Capacity

Requires Research

 

none

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

ToyID

ToyName

ToyValue

PurchaseCost

6471
Tank Filter
100
$200
6500
Advanced Trick Area
10
$650
6501
Dolphin Ball (4x1)
10
$450
6502
Orca Ball (4x1)
10
$525
6503
Dolphin Hoop (4x1)
10
$475
6504
Orca Stage ((9x2)
10
$575
6506
Sea Lion Beach Ball (4x1)
10
$600
6507
Sea Lion Squeeze Horn
10
$600
6508
Sea Lion Raft (4x1)
10
$600
6510
Sea Otter Ball (4x1)
17
$600
6511
Sea Otter Hoop (4x1)
16
$600

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

ReproductionChance:

High

SickChance:

5

ReproductionInterval(months):

9

SickChange:

-12

HappyReproduceThreshold:

96

DeathChance:

10

Offspring:

1

TimeDeath(months):

36

BabyToAdult(months):

4

 

 

SkipTrickHappiness:

50

SkipTrickChance:

10

 

SalinityChange:

-10

SalinityHealthChange:

-20

PooWaterImpact:

5

MurkyWaterThreshold:

60

MurkyWaterChange:

-5

MurkyWaterHealthChange:

-5

VeryMurkyWaterThreshold:

20

ExtremelyMurkyWaterThreshold

1

VeryMurkyWaterChange:

-10

ExtremelyMurkyWaterChange

-15

VeryMurkyWaterHealthChange:

-10

ExtremelyMurkyWaterHealthChange:

-15

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

Compatible Animals

Prey Animals

mermaid

10

KeeperFoodType:

Fish

 

pacific octopus

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?