Sea otters are social creatures and congregate in groups known as rafts or pods, though females tend to avoid males except when mating because males steal their food.
Sea otters are social creatures and congregate in groups known as bevies, families, lodges, rafts, romps, or pods, when resting. Romp is descriptive of their playful nature, while raft is descriptive of their water-floating habits. Sea otters commonly feed in small groups.
Because males steal food from females if they get a chance, females tend to avoid males except when mating and forage in separate areas.
Although many males actively defend their territories with splashing and vocal displays, fighting is rare.
• Image | ©️ Andrew Reding, Some Rights Reserved(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
• Sources | (Allegra & Gunderson 2012; Cohn, 1998; Estes, 1980; Estes, Underwood, & Karmann, 1986; Fisher, 1939; Limbaugh, 1961; McShane, Estes, Riedman, & Staedler, 1995; Nowak, 1999; Paine, 1993; Riedman, Estes, Staedler, Giles, & Carlson, 1994; The Wikimedia Foundation, 2020a)
Learn More About the Sea Otter
