Watch a Baby Otter Play With a Tiny Basketball and Try Not to Explode

Here, the Shedd Aquarium's rescued baby otter is eating and drinking and playing and squeaking. She has a wind up toy lobster and a tiny otter-sized basketball. Her ball-handling skills are pretty crappy thus far. I would not consider playing Pup 681 as a point guard; maybe a power forward.
Here's New Video of Chicago's Rescued Baby Sea Otter. You're Welcome.
I am not exaggerating when I say that the Shedd Aquarium's new rescued baby otter is so cute that watching videos of her ottering around is an almost emotionally overwhelming experience. I'm near tears. It's too much.
You Otter Be Best Friends With This Man and His Otter
This Finnish man is now best friends with an otter and I'm both in awe and jealous. And also, should he be feeding the wild otter? I am leaning no, but maybe it's slim pickings during the winter months and this keeps the adorable little dude alive. Experts! Please tell me how to feel before my uterus makes me love…
TGIF: Show Us Your Squee!
Congratulations! You made it through another week. We got you… a baby otter! Eh, it actually comes from the Emergency Puppy Twitter account, but you can look at it all you want. Treat yo' self! Below, feel free to post otter videos, puppy gifs, your own pet pix, or whatever you've got that makes you squee. Happy…
You Otter Enjoy Christmas as Much as These Critters Playing with Frozen Ornaments
Otter Christmas fun facts: They have the thickest fur of any mammal, up to a million hairs per square inch. Anotter fun fact is that they are the cutest of all animals while opening presents. I love them so much.
This Thing Looks Like That Thing: Adorable Olympic Swimmers vs. Hand-Holding Otters
Hand-holding otters is currently ranked as the #1 most adorable occurrence in the entire world, but this water cuddle by Olympic swimmers Cameron van der Burgh of South Africa (who won the Men's 100m Breastsroke) and Christian Sprenger of Australia is certainly giving the otters a run for their money.
Baby Otter Is Coerced Into Learning to Swim
This may not be particularly revelatory for you, but I had no idea that otters didn't just know how to swim, considering how slinky and unctuous there are in the water, what with their crafty, sardonic little eyes. I mean, they're just so smug about floating on their backs you'd think swimming was just one of those…
Sir Otter The Brave
Josh Siegel's animal art was such a hit on Labor Day that we're bringing it back as a regular weekly feature. Add your own requests in the comments, and maybe Josh will draw an animal for you.
Rabid Otters Stalking Florida's Ankles
Three people and one dog in West Boca Raton, Florida have been bitten by rabid otters over the course of the last four days. This sounds like the beginning of the weirdest post-apocalyptic zombie movie ever.
This Little Otter Is Asking for a Kiss on Its Head
A picture gallery that includes this little guy(?) declares otters to be "the new cats." Hm, maybe! Their frowny, whiskered faces remind me of portraits of late 19th century industrialists—guys with names like Chester and Cornelius.
Happy Hump Day!
[Images by by Lolls Marshall at UK's Blackpool Zoo via Zooborns]
Baby Otter's First Swimming Lesson
In this video taken at a Tokyo zoo, a baby sea otter ventures into the pool for the first time. He has to ride on his mom's stomach, as the zoo has yet to develop otter-sized swimmies.
Bromantic Elderly Otter Couple Dies Together • Mississippi To Vote On Abortion Ban In 2011
• Two male otters who spent the last 15 years together, living as best pals in a New Zealand zoo, died recently. Both Daz and Chip suffered from heart attacks, which occurred within several hours of the other.
Otter Methods Of Transportation
Spotted off the coast of Alaska: Baby otter catches up on his sleep while using mom as a raft. [The Sun]
