The rare and beautiful sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is one of the few mammals to use tools. Floating on its back, it breaks open its favourite mussels and sea urchins by clasping a rock to its chest and smashing the shells onto it.
It seldom comes ashore. Even the pup is born at sea although it cannot swim until taught by its mother. Until then its fur is constantly groomed to keep it buoyant enough to float while the mother dives for food. To escape predators she clasps the pup to her and dives for as long as its breath holds out. The sea otter was hunted almost to extinction for its pelt, said to be the most valuable in the world - warmer than sable, more durable than mink. It has been protected since 1911 but more than 5000 died in the 1998 Exxon Valdez oil spill in the Gulf of Alaska.
