The southern sea otter is a carnivore. Sea otters grow to approximately four feet in length, with the male weighing approximately 65 pounds and females about 45 pounds. The sea otter is one of the few animals to use tools.
Sea otters use rocks, other shellfish, or man-made objects to pry prey from rocks.
They also use tools as hammer or anvil. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a thick layer of blubber and rely upon their dense fur for insulation. The fur is sensitive to soiling from oil or other contaminants. Soiling of the fur by oil generally results in death. Sea otters feed on a wide variety of marine invertebrates including clams, mussels, urchins, snails, crabs, and abalone and use a variety of strategies for finding their food.