Sound production and reception in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis).

Abstract

Because of their dependence on a highly restricted coastal habitat, Enhydra lutris is especially vulnerable to a variety of different environmental and anthropogenic threats. This species is presently listed as threatened and is protected throughout the northern and southern portions of its range.Resource managers are presently faced with uncertainty when responding to and prioritizing potential threats to these animals due to insufficient understanding of the factors that may disturb or disrupt normal behavior patterns both above and below the water's surface. The objective of these studies was to obtain direct measurements of the source characteristics of vocalizations and the limits of auditory reception in Enhydra lutris. These data are necessary to form a basic but essential under-standing of bioacoustics in this species. To further develop this knowledge base, psychoacoustic profiles of aerial and underwater hearing sensitivity as a function of sound frequency are imperative to adequately consider sea otters alongside other marine mammals within the issue of anthropogenic impacts. These studies are presently ongoing i n our laboratory. A s these coastal-living carnivores have only recently transitioned to a marine lifestyle, an improved understanding of their acoustic communication and auditory adaptations will also provide insight into their evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology as well as the evolutionary pressures shaping underwater perception in marine mammals.