AnAge entry for Enhydra lutris

Classification (HAGRID: 02171)

Taxonomy: Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Chordata
        Class: Mammalia (Taxon entry)
            Order: Carnivora
                Family: Mustelidae
                    Genus: Enhydra
Species: Enhydra lutris
Common name: Sea otter
Synonyms: Mustela lutris

Maximum longevity: 27 years (captivity)
Source: ref. 671
Sample size: Medium
Data quality: Acceptable
Observations: There is a delayed implantation and the total gestation time varies from 4 to 12 months. The actual embryonic development takes about 4-5.5 months [0443]. It has been suggested that longevity in the wild may be as high as 30 years [0542], which is dubious. One wild born female was about 27 years old when she died in captivity [0671].

[1143] Nussey et al. (2013), Senescence in natural populations of animals: widespread evidence and its implications for bio-gerontology (PubMed)
[0671] Richard Weigl (2005), Longevity of Mammals in Captivity; from the Living Collections of the World
[0036] Savage et al. (2004), The predominance of quarter-power scaling in biology
[0443] Ronald Nowak (2003), Walker's Marine Mammals of the World
[0610] Ernest (2003), Life history characteristics of placental non-volant mammals
[1007] Monson et al. (2001), Chemical anesthesia of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris): results of past field studies (PubMed)
[0434] Ronald Nowak (1999), Walker's Mammals of the World
[0538] Don Wilson and Sue Ruff (1999), The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals
[0441] William Burt et al. (1998), A Field Guide to Mammals
[0455] Virginia Hayssen et al. (1993), Asdell's Patterns of Mammalian Reproduction: A Compendium of Species-Specific Data
[0542] Bernhard Grzimek (1990), Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals
[0680] Wootton (1987), The effects of body mass, phylogeny, habitat, and trophic level on mammalian age at first reproduction