After the otters capture a prey item, they bring it to the surface, place it on their belly while floating on their back, and crack it open with their powerful teeth. Sea Otter Resting in Kelp Otters have very dense fur, with up to a million hairs per square inch. This keeps them warm along with the insulating air bubbles they blow into their fur. Therefore, otters could easily be threatened by any type of oil spill which could foul their fur. Besides spending a portion of the day grooming, otters divide their time into feeding and resting.
Otters usually rest by rolling within the surface kelp until their bodies are wrapped in it.
The kelp is anchored to the rocky bottom and by staying with the kelp, the otters will not drift to sea while sleeping. During mating or courting bouts, a male and female otter will pair up and remain together for several days. During mating, the male grabs onto the female's nose to stabilize himself. The result leaves female otters with red wounds or scars on their noses. This is really the only way to distinguish males from females.