Episode guide
Sea Otters: Held by the Water
Sea otters sleep floating on their backs, sometimes holding hands so no one drifts away. This episode is about fur, kelp, and being held by something bigger than you.
The science, gently
- Sea otters have the densest fur of any animal, up to a million hairs per square inch.
- They wrap themselves in kelp at night so the current cannot carry them off.
- Otters rest together in floating groups called rafts, sometimes holding paws.
Wonder together
- Who would be in your raft?
- What would it feel like to sleep on water?
- Why do you think the otter trusts the kelp?
Tonight's calm-down
Your bed is your kelp. Wiggle down into it, let it hold your whole weight, and imagine the slow rise and fall of a raft of otters breathing together under the stars.