9781422283486

You might not guess that just offshore in some parts of the ocean, forests of kelp grow as tall or taller than most trees on land. Other types of seaweed grow there too. These plants provide food for some sea creatures and hiding places for others. Sea otters gather up mussels and other shellfish that live around the kelp. They use stones they’ve carried up from the seabed to crack open the mussels on their chests. Otters also twist into strands of weed so that they can take a nap without being washed out to sea!

Sea otters live in the North Pacific. They do not have blubber to keep their bodies warm; instead, they have denser fur than any other mammal— with 1 million hairs per square inch.

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