[MR] otter/sea otter (fwd)

[Signora Sveva Lucciola]

The lands and areas where otters, both sea and river, has been
shrinking as man has taken over, polutes or drained their environment. 
Although the most well know and currently best surviving sea otters are
North American, they once ranged along the rim of the Northern Pacific,
from Japan across the Arctic and down to Baja California. The
population numbered between 150,000 to 300,000 animals. But fur traders
seeking their lush pelts hunted the otters nearly to extinction in the
1700s and 1800s. Today, there are small populations of sea otters along
the coasts of Russia, Alaska and central California.

Of the current surviving varieties of otter, there are three subspecies
of the Sea otter: the Russian, Alaskan and California sea otters. The
California subspecies is also called the Southern sea otter. They're
all sea otters (Enhydra lutris), but each subspecies differs slightly
in size and body shape. 
California sea otter: Enhydra lutris nereis
Alaskan sea otter: Enhydra lutris kenyoni
Russian sea otter: Enhydra lutris lutris
 
I know nothing about their heraldic images, but they were known in
Russia, so they are not only a New World creature. The Russians called
them sea beavers (bobri morski), and they were also confused with seals
by some cultures, so maybe some other information could be found under
their alternate names.

=====
"If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. 
If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. 
But I arise in the morning torn between the desire to improve the world, 
and a desire to enjoy the world. 
This makes it hard to plan the day."
---e.b. white

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