Sea otter in Monterey harbor
Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) The smallest marine mammal in North America, it has the densest fur of any animal — up to a million hairs per square inch — since it has no blubber to keep warm. Year-round resident along the central California coast; Monterey Bay is one of the most reliable places to spot them, often rafting up in kelp beds like this one. Modeled range · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 Wikipedia | iNaturalist | Range map