The smallest of marine mammals, the sea otter is found living by the Aleutian Islands, the Gulf of Alaska, and the California coast. It is one of two mammals in the order Carnivora to be classified as marine mammals. Sea otters are considered by many people to be particularly cute animals. Part of what makes them adorable is their especially thick coat of fur.
Sea otters have over one millions hairs per square inch on their body.
These thick coats are necessary for them to keep them warm in the cold ocean water because they lack blubber, a thick layer of fat other marine mammals possess. The sea otter's coat was at one time considered an extremely valuable pelt for clothing, and the little guys were almost hunted to extinction because of high demands for it. Because of their thick fur, they are also seriously effected by oil spills. The oil can prevent the otters from blowing air into their fur, which works like insulation to help them keep warm, and so sea otters covered in oil will often freeze to death. Sea otters are also incredibly cool because of they way they feed.