Calendar Medals

Sea Otter 1993 Calendar Medal When man first discovered the sea otter in the 1700's, nearly one million otters ranged from Baja California in Mexico along the western coast of the United States into Alaska and around the Pacific to the eastern coast of Russia and Japan. However, the sea otter became a highly prized commodity in the early 1800's because of its luxurious fur. Fur traders killed hundreds of thousands of sea otters until not a single one was visible along the entire California coast line. In the early 1900's, the sea otter was thought to be extinct, but in 1938, a colony of 300 sea otters were discovered off the coast of Big Sur, California. Today with human assistance, this group has spread along the California coastline and has grown to over 2,000 otters. The sea otter lives in waters with tempatures ranging from 30-50° F. Because otters do not have blubber to keep them warm like other marine mammals, they must relay on their dense fur. In fact sea otter fur is the thickest fur of any animal and has 600,000 to 1 milion hairs per square inch. Because the fur is so dense, the otter must spend a large portion of the day grooming and clening, in order to force air bubbles down next to the skin. These bubbles act as insulation for warmth and also help to provide buoyancy. In addition to grooming the sea otter generates a high level of internal heat production by constantly eating. The average otter will actually eat 20-25% of its body weight everday. Although the sea otter is now protected from hunting under the Endangered Species Act, humans still pose the most serious threat to otters because of oil spills. When sea otters come into contact with a spill, the oil mats their fur, making grooming extremely difficult. Because the otters are unable to clean their fur and insulate their bodies, hupothermia and death can result. However through human education and pollution control, the sea otter population should continue to flourish for years to come. These medals are perfect for gifts, customer or employee appreciation or special events. RARE - There are less than 100 available. This 3" solid bronze medallic work of art is available for only $49.95! Contact a sales associate by phone or print out our faxable order form today!