Northern Sea Otter
Northern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) as seen in our Sea Otters exhibit.
As their name suggests, this otter subspecies can be found at more northern latitudes, which in North America includes the coast of Alaska and the nearby islands. Although they may look similar to their southern cousins, there are some distinct differences between the two groups in terms of behavior and adaptation. The most notable difference is in diet. Like their Southern cousins, Northern Sea Otters feed mostly on invertebrates such as clams, sea urchins and abalone. Generally, the Northern Otter is also larger and heavier, which may be an adaptation to a more challenging environment. At the Aquarium, we have one Northern Otter: Mojoe. Mojoe is the newest member of our otter raft and had a rough beginning in life. He was struck by a boat’s propeller and suffered severe injuries to his head and face. Although he made a full recovery, he could not be returned to the wild and joined the Aquarium as a permanent resident in October 2010.
