About

"Otters Holding Hands" is a YouTube video that appeared in 2007. The video itself was shot in 2002 at the Vancouver Aquarium by a vistor by the name of Cynthia Holmes. The video is of two resting otters, Nyac and Milo, that appear to be holding hands while floating in the water (which is actually a natural instinct called "rafting" that keeps otters from floating away from each other in rough waters).

The video soon went viral and within 2 weeks of being posted had over a million views. As of now, the video has reached over 15 million views. Cynthia Holmes described her video as "nothing particularly remarkable, but cute" and appeared surprised by the popularity it gained.

Media Coverage

According to the Vancouver Aquarium, the video has helped raise awareness of the otters, which are a threatened species.

The Vancouver Aquarium site explains the video

The video was listed as #48 in "The 100 Most Iconic Internet Videos" by urlesque.com

The video even gained the attention of the CBC News:

Response Videos & Parodies

The video has sparked many replies, music videos, and parodies. Below are some of the few:

Nyac Tribute Videos

Unfortunately, on September 23, 2008, one of the otters, Nyac, passed away at the age of 20 due to chronic lymphocytic leukemia. She was one of the last remaining survivors of the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.