Tool Users of the Ocean
Sea otters use stones as anvils and hammers to open hard-shelled prey. They may carry food and tools in loose skin beneath their forearms. Tool use can expand the foods available to an otter and reduce some mechanical wear on its teeth.
Why Sea Otters Matter
Sea otters are keystone predators. By controlling some prey populations, they can contribute to healthier kelp forests and estuary ecosystems.
Favorite Rock: Fact and Folklore
Otters can retain and reuse rocks during a foraging bout. The popular claim that every otter keeps one rock for its entire life is charming but stronger than the current scientific evidence. HODL.ROCKS treats it as imaginative lore, not a literal scientific statement.
Suggested Sources
- Monterey Bay Aquarium sea otter resources
- U.S. Geological Survey sea otter research
- Peer-reviewed studies on sea otter tool use and dental health