An adult otter with dark brown head and lighter body fur in an indoor setting near a window, partially lit by natural light. 6:01

The otter who keeps sharing her toy squid

Hana's morning begins with a long, careful groom. Kotaro's begins in bed beside her, and for a while it stays there. more

Hana works over her fur bit by bit, at one point with her head tucked so far under her chest that she is nearly doing a headstand. Kotaro is in no hurry to do anything at all. It's a calm start, and it doesn't stay calm for long.

A dark-furred otter with white face markings sits on a shaggy rug, looking straight ahead. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
The day opens quietly, with grooming and lounging before the games begin.

Hana has an idea, and the idea is her toy squid. She brings it to Kotaro and sets it on top of him, then fusses with it until it sits just so. He would rather enjoy the soft bed. She tries again anyway, more than once, and that hopeful little offer is the sweetest part of the day.

An adult otter with dark brown head and lighter body fur in an indoor setting near a window, partially lit by natural light. The headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
Hana's morning begins with a long, careful groom.

When the squid finds no taker, Hana switches to a bundle of bright ribbons. She grabs them and hurries off to a corner with her prize while Kotaro follows her with his eyes. One viewer wondered if her ribbon collection was growing by the minute.

Breakfast is downstairs with Dad. Hana curls up in his lap, while Kotaro prefers gentle pats on the head and a few nibbles on Dad's hand. Both of them love the chicken bits, and now and then the pair have a stare-off over a snack.

A person's hand holds the paw of an otter lying belly up on a textured surface. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
Between snacks and head pats, a person holds an otter's paw.

Then it's time for the family pool. Both otters are natural swimmers, and Hana is taken with the pretty stones at the bottom. She juggles them with real skill.

Back on dry land there are more treats and more toys. Dad also styles Hana's fur into a hairdo that fans call punk rock. Somewhere in the day she even ends up wrapped like a baby, a sight one viewer said brought real tears.

A wet otter holds a yellow toy in both front paws and looks at it closely. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
Out of the pool and still wet, an otter gives a yellow toy a very close look.

By evening the two are winding down, half resting and half playing, much the way the morning began. Neither one has quite run out of play.