There is so much more to sea otters than being ridiculously cute. They are regarded as keystone species in their ecosystem – ecosystem engineers. Sea otters eat sea urchins, which help the underwater kelp forests to flourish.
They look almost comical when their faces are bobbing up and down in the waters. They love lying on their back with their hind feet pointing toward the sky.
Their fur is the densest of any animal. In contrast to other marine mammals, such as seals, whales, and walruses, they lack blubber to keep them warm. Blubber is a thick layer of fat; instead, sea otters have to keep their thick fur in perfect condition and also eat a lot to keep warm. When they are not eating or sleeping, sea otters groom themselves more or less all the time. Oil spills can seriously affect sea otters since the oil coating their fur can lead to them freezing to death.
Sea otters use tools! They keep a rock in a “secret” pocket in their armpit. They use the stone to crack open mussels and sea urchins. Some amazing research into sea otters’ use of tools has shown that most sea otters studied were right-handed!
In this video, you can learn more about their eyesight. It seems like sea otters have “swim goggles” to help them see clearly underwater! You can also learn about what colours they can see!
Inspired by Carla Sonheim we used watercolours to do some note-taking about sea otters; see the featured picture. We used the video below to help us draw a sea otter. This video was rather detailed, and below is another video about how to draw sea otters. Sea otters can often be seen holding hands! Sea otters are famous for many charming behaviours, including floating on their backs and waving their paws and holding hands while sleeping!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.