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Animalblog, Otter Postings

Raft of Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
(1 of 9) (331637 views)

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For an unforgettable wildlife experience, I highly recommend the Elkhorn Slough Safari external link in Moss Landing. We saw over one hundred sea otters, almost eighty harbor seals and dozens of sea lions very up close and personal.

This photo shows a raft of about eighty sea otters. Raft is the official label for a bunch of otters hanging out together, looking like a raft. external link

In addition to sea mammals, I also photographed sixteen species of birds. The trip was two hours of wildlife bliss. There were a few other bird species I got to see, but they were too distant for me to get a good photo of them.


Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California   •  (Photo posted Thursday 18 March, 2010)   •  (Photo taken 09:58:33 Friday 12 March, 2010)   •  © 2010 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #Sea_Otter
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Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
(2 of 9) (323846 views)

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Here is an older otter, recognized by the light colored fur on its face. It is grooming itself after eating. Otters must have one of the cutest faces in the animal kingdom


Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California   •  (Photo posted Friday 19 March, 2010)   •  (Photo taken 10:01:57 Friday 12 March, 2010)   •  © 2010 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #Otter_Groomed
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Raft of Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
(3 of 9) (322478 views)

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This photo shows just part of a very large raft of otters we saw in the Elkhorn Slough. internal link The older individuals had light faces, and such cute faces they were.


Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 20 March, 2010)   •  (Photo taken 09:58:04 Friday 12 March, 2010)   •  © 2010 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #Sea_Otter
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Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
(4 of 9) (321047 views)

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A lone individual popped up out of the water after a dive for food. We suspected he has a clam grasped in his paws. Otters love shellfish.


Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California   •  (Photo posted Friday 26 March, 2010)   •  (Photo taken 10:47:58 Friday 12 March, 2010)   •  © 2010 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #With_Shell
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Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
(5 of 9) (321643 views)

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This is one otter trying to persuade another otter to share its meal. It wasn't very successful.


Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California   •  (Photo posted Tuesday 13 April, 2010)   •  (Photo taken 10:43:46 Friday 12 March, 2010)   •  © 2010 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #Otter_Persuade
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Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
(6 of 9) (321587 views)

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Sea Otters appeared to spend a great deal of their time grooming themselves. They use their bodies as tables, so have to keep food scraps washed off. While they clean, they also push and sometimes blow air bubbles into their fur. The extra air trapped in their fur contributes to their buoyancy and increases insulation. external link


Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California   •  (Photo posted Tuesday 11 May, 2010)   •  (Photo taken 10:04:37 Friday 12 March, 2010)   •  © 2010 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #Traps_Air
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Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
(7 of 9) (321521 views)

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Here is another otter grooming or maybe he is thinking "oh, not another boatload of paparazzi!"


Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California   •  (Photo posted Monday 17 May, 2010)   •  (Photo taken 10:03:19 Friday 12 March, 2010)   •  © 2010 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #Otter_Paparazzi
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Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
(8 of 9) (320987 views)

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The otter balanced his "plate" on his stomach while enjoying that last little morsel.


Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 26 May, 2010)   •  (Photo taken 11:21:01 Friday 12 March, 2010)   •  © 2010 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #On_Stomach
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Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
(9 of 9) (320535 views)

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A shell was almost the size of the otter's head, but was no match for its appetite.


Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 26 May, 2010)   •  (Photo taken 10:47:58 Friday 12 March, 2010)   •  © 2010 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #Large_Shell
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