Sea Otters' Hand-Holding Sleep Habit: Survival Strategy Explained

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Sea otters float together in groups of 10 to 100, holding hands while sleeping on their backs in the ocean.

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These playful animals grab each other's paws to stay together and avoid drifting away from their group while resting.

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Most sea otters are northern sea otters living off the coast of Alaska, with others found near California, Japan, and Russia.

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Sea otters use rocks like tools, storing them in skin pockets under their arms to break open mollusks shells for food.

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Sometimes, huge groups of over 200 sea otters, and up to 1,000, float together while holding paws.

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In the 1700s, around 150,000 to 300,000 sea otters lived in the ocean until hunters nearly killed them all for their fur.

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Today, only 3,000 sea otters swim near California's coast, putting them on the endangered species list.

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Sea otters help keep the ocean healthy by eating sea urchins, which would destroy underwater kelp forests if left unchecked.

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Out of all 13 types of otters in the world, only sea otters hold paws while sleeping in the water.

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Sea otters rescued by Vancouver Aquarium still hold paws while floating, just like their wild relatives.

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