The sea otter is well adapted to its aquatic environment and seldom comes ashore to rest or to groom. It feeds mainly on sea urchins and shellfish and will dive as deep as 80 meters to catch its food. Upon surfacing, the sea otter will float on its back, holding its food on its stomach while using its front paws to eat. It often uses a stone to break open a heard-shelled conch.

The Design:
The designs on the reverse of the coins by Canadian wildlife artist, Ron Parker, depict the sea otter in four different scenes: two otters on a bed of kelp, a mother carrying her pup on her chest; a sea otter feeding on an urchin; and the profile of a sea otter.

The coins bear a face value of $300, $150, $75, and $30 respectively, with weights of one ounce, half ounce, quarter ounce, and tenth ounce. GST/HST exempt.