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How do sea otters use rocks to open shellfish?
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otter
A sea otter (Enhydra lutris) eating a crab.
Sea otters are well-known for their use of tools to access food. When feeding at sea, a sea otter floats on its back and balances a stone on its chest. It then smashes mollusks, crabs, and other shellfish against the rock to break them open. This behavior is a notable example of tool use in animals. In contrast, sea urchins are typically crushed using the otter's forefeet and teeth rather than by using rocks.12