Swimming Lessons for Sea Otter Babies!
The sea otter can live its entire life without leaving the water but their babies cannot swim when they are born. So the baby has to learn to swim and the learning starts shortly after birth when the mother otter introduces the pup up to the water. From the beginning, the sea otter mother keeps her pup afloat by putting the pup on her chest. Then gradually, the mother encourages the pup to swim on its own.
A sea otter baby might be born without the ability to swim but their body is adapted to swimming. Sea otters have a streamlined body shape and webbed feet. Their thick fur also helps them gracefully swim through the waves.
Sea otters’ thick fur traps air, providing both insulation from the cold water and buoyancy. They have dense bones something that also helps them stay buoyant in the water. The fur is like a life jacket, it helps sea otters afloat without having to use a lot of energy. Often the mother sea otter wraps the pup in kelp to protect the baby. But pups can also be seen in the open water circling round and round.
Biomimicry for Young Children 