Sea otters face many energetic and physiological challenges, such as high metabolic rates, heat loss, foraging demands and surface swimming behaviors, which they must overcome in order to survive. Although representing a challenge for adult sea otters, these problems are exacerbated in the youngest members of the population. Immature marine mammals display higher metabolic rates, have limited foraging abilities, and experience greater thermal energetic challenges when compared with adults. No study has measured the metabolic rate or tracked physiological changes in immature sea otters even though these are crucial developmental factors that strongly impact the survival of a sea otter to independence. Furthermore, while the youngest members of a population are just beginning to develop physiologically and increase their diving abilities, the oldest members of the population may be experiencing a notable compromise in diving ability due to increasing age. By studying the physiological abilities of the southern sea otter from birth through senescence we can identify not only physiological milestones during development, but also track how the physiological limits of sea otters change over the course of a lifetime. These factors have marked implications on the ability of these animals to adapt and survive in a changing environment.

This work is being accomplished in collaboration with the Monterey Bay Aquarium - Sea Otter Research and Conservation (SORAC) Program.