Cute baby otter plays like a dog. He rolls over and plays tag.
At least the particularly adorable and quirky baby otter in the video posted by Jack Holmes does. For those who are curious, one helpful commenter on the video, Jessica Pitsch, identifies some of the behavior exhibited in the video with the following:
Granted there are dangers in petting wild animals... Otters tend to act just like pet ferrets - This one isn't doing a "territorial display", ferrets do this same exact thing. Granted when ferrets do it, it's called "weasel war dance" it's how they play - so in fact it IS playing with her. Another thing - the feet nipping, ferrets do that too, half the time I end up having to go out and buy "Apple Bitter" to keep my ferrets from going for my feet - since it gets REALLY annoying.
Now before everyone goes out and tries to find an otter to become their best friend in the whole entire world, you should know that this is a rare scenario that could have easily gone a different and worse way. In short, it's best to ooh and awwww over the adorable overload that is a playful baby otter from the safety of your computer.(Source)
Note: Otters are playful animals and appear to engage in various behaviors for sheer enjoyment, such as making waterslides and then sliding on them into the water. Different species vary in their social structure, with some being largely solitary, while others live in groups – in a few species these groups may be fairly large.
At least the particularly adorable and quirky baby otter in the video posted by Jack Holmes does. For those who are curious, one helpful commenter on the video, Jessica Pitsch, identifies some of the behavior exhibited in the video with the following:
Granted there are dangers in petting wild animals... Otters tend to act just like pet ferrets - This one isn't doing a "territorial display", ferrets do this same exact thing. Granted when ferrets do it, it's called "weasel war dance" it's how they play - so in fact it IS playing with her. Another thing - the feet nipping, ferrets do that too, half the time I end up having to go out and buy "Apple Bitter" to keep my ferrets from going for my feet - since it gets REALLY annoying.
Now before everyone goes out and tries to find an otter to become their best friend in the whole entire world, you should know that this is a rare scenario that could have easily gone a different and worse way. In short, it's best to ooh and awwww over the adorable overload that is a playful baby otter from the safety of your computer.(Source)
Note: Otters are playful animals and appear to engage in various behaviors for sheer enjoyment, such as making waterslides and then sliding on them into the water. Different species vary in their social structure, with some being largely solitary, while others live in groups – in a few species these groups may be fairly large.
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Just wait til he bites your azz...then he wont be so cute anymore.
To make matters worse, these people are playing with the otter by the road. The otter has no reference as to what CARS are. Wildlife rescuers do because they routinely have to take care of them once they are hit by a car or euthanize them because they didn't survive their injuries.
I agree... He is adorable, but like the other two responses said, wait till he bites!!! You will then have to go for rabies shots!!!! Second....THEY ARE BY THE ROAD!!!!!! REALLY, you are going to get this beautiful animal killed because of your stupidity!!!!!
too close to the road, he should not be played with as cute as he is he is a wild animal and needs to be with "his" kind. He is going to run into the road and be killed by none other than his worse predator.....Man
He's curious and up for some fun. And otters are very playful. We have otters that live on our cabin's property. They are wonderful to watch as they swim by our dock. But they really don't like my brother-in-law for some reason, though he's one of the kindest gentlest people I know. When he takes a kayak off the end of our dock the otters will snap at him and make strange aggressive noises at him. They strangely don't do that at any of the rest of us!
Stupidity!!! I agree with Anonymous.
That is adorable! I do, however, wish they hadn't decided to do this so close to the roadway.
He is most likely not playing at all, but trying to get them to move on. He makes it quite obvious by herding her AWAY from the creek. But, like most humans, they are enthralled by the thought of such a playful animal that they do not think that way. If it were a coyote, cougar, or wolf doing the same thing, I guarantee they would not be as enamored.
Why is it that when videos like this are posted, the know-it-all scolds line up to preach at us? Just relax. Even wild animals can be playful. We have a lot in common with them.