Sea otters have a diverse diet, mainly consisting of marine invertebrates like sea urchins, crabs, clams, snails, and various shellfish. They are one of the few marine mammals known to use tools, such as rocks, to crack open hard shells. Sea otters often dive to the ocean floor to collect food and return to the surface to eat while floating on their backs. Their impressive foraging skills allow them to consume up to 25% of their body weight in food each day! This high metabolism is necessary because they need to generate enough body heat to survive in cold waters. By keeping sea urchin populations in check, sea otters help maintain the balance of kelp forests, which are important habitats for many marine species.