So I am sure that many of you, like I have, saw the featured video on youtube featuring the otters that were "holding hands." If you haven't seen it, this is the link to show what I am talking about:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno
(it is unbearably precious)
I was curious as to whether otters (or other animals in general) really show affection/intimate social connection that way, or if the gesture serves some other purpose. Thanks!
2007-03-31 15:05:41 · 0 answers · asked by ☆sock☆ 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
most animals don't hold or shake paws normally, but sea otters do (as is shown in the clip).
It's not really a display of personal affection, more of a social connection kind of thing.
Since sea otters sleep at sea, floating around like in the video, holding hands like that keeps the group together, so they don't drift apart in the night. Because of this, the otters feel more comfortable holding hands while asleep than drifting alone. So it serves both social and practical purpose.
2007-03-31 15:12:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 60⤊ 4⤋
Otters Sleep Holding Hands
2016-11-01 07:52:16 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do Otters Hold Hands
2016-12-28 03:51:15 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Aww that is cute but Haysoos beat me to the real answer behind it.. once you understand how Sea Otters live in the wild, what seems to be an affectionate holding of hands is really just a way to stick together on the ocean surface while floating above the kelp beds that otters feed in. They also wrap themselves in the kelp plants to keep themselves stationary and the hand holding keeps bonded mates or family members together while drifting in the ocean swells and currents... its cute but it is more of an aquired behaviour stemming from the otters lifestyle at sea.... it still is affectionate in nature as it is a means of keeping close to those individuals that are most important to each otter.
2007-03-31 16:19:04 · answer #4 · answered by Kelly + Eternal Universal Energy 7 · 14⤊ 1⤋
yeah i saw that, it was really awesomely cute :)
but i do know that Love Birds chose a mate for life and that they kiss(its quite funny) im no animal person but i think they might be showing affection. lol i know it might sound "far out" but seriously animals have done some really crazy stuff. like that one cat that called 911 when somebody in house was in trouble. or those dogs u hear about that do some amazing stuff.
2007-03-31 15:14:39 · answer #5 · answered by kiyomidog 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Hmm, now to ponder the alligators I saw the other year during courtship season... male would swim over to the female, put his arm around her "shoulders", she'd submerge and come up about 20 feet away, he'd follow... this went on for an hour or so.... too early in the season for actual breeding, but still an interesting form of courtship for animals that people don't think of as doing 'cute' things, it's easy for otters to make us go "Awww." not so easy for dinosaurs to do it....
2007-03-31 17:19:19 · answer #6 · answered by gimmenamenow 7 · 7⤊ 2⤋
To say that personal affection is not felt is premature. Anthropomorphizing works both ways. How could we really know!
2007-03-31 15:52:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 5⤋