Sea otters sows are very protective of their pups. When she dives for food, the mother often wraps her pup in strands of kelp to keep it from drifting. If she senses danger, she grabs the pup by the loose skin of the neck with her teeth and dives until they reach safety. This curious pup kept trying to swim over and explore the stranger visiting in his kayak. Although never in danger, this mom was doing all she could to hold him back and pull him safely away from me.
Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.