Question 1: This Alaskan sea otter is floating in …
- Prince William Sound
- Cross Sound
- Kotzebue Sound
Correct Answer: Prince William Sound
Fact: Prince William Sound is near the Gulf of Alaska, on the southeastern side of the Kenai Peninsula. Dotted with numerous small islands, the sound includes the settlements of Cordova and Whittier, as well as the Alaska Native villages of Chenega and Tatitlek. The area around Prince William Sound is mainly within the Chugach National Forest, the second-largest national forest in the US.
Question 2: What is a group of sea otters called?
- Pack
- Raft
- Pod
Correct Answer: Raft
Fact: Sea otters drift on ocean waves in groups called rafts, which are typically organized by gender—males stick together, and females form their own groups. Female sea otters care for their pups independently. Occasionally, sea otters in rafts hold hands, a cozy way to stay connected and to keep their sensitive paw pads warm.
Question 3: Which state no longer has a sea otter population?
- California
- Washington
- Oregon
Correct Answer: Oregon
Fact: In the mid-1960s to early 1970s, sea otters were translocated from Alaska to regions on the West Coast like Washington and British Columbia, where they had been wiped out by the fur trade. However, an attempt to reintroduce sea otters to southern Oregon failed for unknown reasons, although they persisted in the area for 10 years and even had pups. Consequently, Oregon became the only state where sea otters once lived but no longer do.