Just when you thought sea otters were the undisputed champs in overall otter cuteness, here come Asian small-clawed otters throwing their tiny hats in the ring. And they’re contenders. They really are.
In the video above, a group of small-clawed otters—known as a lodge—currently living at the Bronx Zoo can be see frolicking about in their habitats. They’re not doing much, per se, except being adorable. The otters normally inhabit various types of aquatic habitats in the wild, and can be found all over southern and southeast Asia. Also, fun fact: They maintain large family groups, and are thus much more social and vocal than most other otters.
Now, I’m firmly in the pro-sea otter camp on this one. But after watching the baby small-clawed otter romp around with its older relatives, I’ll be damned if I didn’t reconsider the cuteness hierarchy in my brain.
