It’s winter time, which, for those of us in the northern hemisphere, means scarves, gloves, and down jackets. Bundling up to play in the snow is one of the most fun winter past times. This adorable river otter couldn’t agree more.
Wildlife photographer Barrett Hedges captured the sweetest, most playful river otter having a blast while sliding down a frozen river.
Hedges was wandering around Yellowstone National Park taking photos of the majestic wildlife. Buffalo, bears, and deer roam freely around the beautiful landscape, and occasionally? You get a glimpse of the more playful, smaller creatures of the park.
During the winter months, low temperatures in Yellowstone average around 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that despite the geysers and geothermic activity in the park many of the lakes and rivers completely freeze over.
Hedges was casually filming in the park when he spotted the otter doing belly flops and sliding down the ice. He was having the time of his life all by himself!
“River otters are some of the most fun wild animals to watch!” Hedges posted on the BearHead Photography Facebook page.
“This guy was having fun running and sliding on the frozen river. I got this with my photo workshop tour in Yellowstone yesterday.”
Once the adorable video hit the internet, everyone completely lost it. They couldn’t handle so much cuteness in just 20 seconds.
And since otters are awesome — how about some fun otter facts?
Did you know?
- The North American River Otter is the only species of otter (out of 13!) that are thriving. Sadly, all other species have a declining population.
- Otters have the thickest fur of any mammal on the entire planet. They can have up to one million hairs per square inch!
- Otters are great at using tools like rocks and stones to open up their shelled food.
- A group of otters on land is generally called a “romp,” while a group in the water is usually called a “raft.”
- Baby otters don’t know how to swim naturally, but they are buoyant. A mama sea otter will often wrap her baby in kelp and let them float while she goes to hunt.
When they’re not eating or sleeping, otters are known for playing and building slides. This precious glimpse into this otter’s playtime is one of the cutest things on the internet.
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Source: The Dodo via Facebook
