Ocean field note
Floating together
Otters Holding Hands
Sea otters often hold paws while they sleep, so ocean currents don't drift them apart from each other.
Let's look closer
Why do otters hold hands to nap?
ea otters float on their backs to rest, using their extremely dense, water-repellent fur to trap a layer of warm air and stay buoyant even while sound asleep. When kelp forests are nearby, otters often wrap themselves in the swaying fronds for extra anchoring, so they don't drift away while they nap. When kelp isn't close by, holding paws with a family member keeps everyone drifting together as one small, floating raft, so no one wakes up alone and far from home.
Look for this
Explorer clue
Look for otters resting on their backs near kelp forests, sometimes with a pup resting peacefully on their belly.
Your turn to wonder
Curiosity question
Who is someone you'd want to hold onto so you never drift apart?
Keep wandering
