Why do sea otters hold hands?

Answer: Prevents drift while sleeping

Sharing body warmth together — Wrong. Otters have dense fur for warmth, but hand-holding primarily prevents drifting apart during sleep, not heat sharing.

Cleaning each other's fur — Wrong. Sea otters don't groom each other while holding hands—they groom themselves. Hand-holding is specifically to prevent drifting apart while sleeping.

Prevents drift while sleeping ✓ — Correct! Sea otters hold hands (paws) to stay together while sleeping or resting on the water's surface. Ocean currents can separate individuals, so they form 'rafts'—groups that interlock paws or wrap in kelp. This keeps them with their social group, provides safety in numbers against predators, and helps them find each other when waking. They also wrap in kelp as an anchor, and mothers hold pups. Rafts can range from a few to hundreds of otters. They float on their backs, and air trapped in their dense fur provides buoyancy.