Can you tell the age of a sea otter by the size of its tail?

While the size of a sea otter's tail can vary based on a variety of factors, including gender and geographic location, it is not considered a reliable indicator of age.

Unlike other animals, such as rodents, whose teeth continue to grow throughout their lives, sea otters do not have any body parts that grow at a consistent rate throughout their lives. This means that there is no specific body part that can be used to accurately determine a sea otter's age.

Instead, researchers typically rely on a combination of factors, such as body size, tooth wear, and other physical characteristics, to estimate the age of a sea otter. These estimates are typically made by trained professionals who have experience working with sea otters and are familiar with the various factors that can affect an otter's appearance.

Overall, while the size of a sea otter's tail may provide some general information about the animal, it is not a reliable indicator of age. Researchers instead rely on a combination of factors to estimate the age of sea otters, taking into account the various factors that can affect an otter's appearance.