Here is another sweet odd couple right out of nature. In Jacksonville, Florida, a young dog named Rio plays whole-heartedly with a wild river otter. Otters enjoy playing — as do dogs — so I suppose this should be no surprise.
"Every evening a river otter comes to play with our daughter's dog Rio. What was once an acquaintance on the other side of the fence has now become a friend who comes to play through the fence.It has been interesting to watch as their trust of each other has developed over the past several months." says Youtube user.
The playful North American river otter is equally at home in the water and on land. It makes its home in a burrow near the water's edge, and can thrive in river, lake, swamp, or estuary ecosystems. Otter abodes feature numerous tunnels—one of which usually allows them to come and go from the water.
These otters swim by propelling themselves with their powerful tails and flexing their long bodies. They also have webbed feet, water repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water. They remain active in winter, using ice holes to surface and breathe. They can hold their breath underwater for some eight minutes.
River otters, members of the weasel family, hunt at night and feed on whatever might be available. Fish are a favorite food, but they also eat amphibians, turtles, and crayfish.
On land, river otters can bound and run quite well, if not quite as effectively as they swim. They love to playfully slide down snow-covered, icy, or muddy hills—often ending with a splash in the water. Otter families of mother and children can be seen enjoying such fun, which also teaches survival skills. (Source)
Watch them enjoy each other’s company! Apparently, the friendship lasted for several months and then the otter got bored because he never returned.(Via Care 2)
VIDEO Rio and the River Otter
~Love how animal's love unconditional, who are we, with? conditions~O~