Animals and humans may not speak the same language or express needs the same way, but we still find ways to understand one another. After a while, pet parents can tell whether their dog is begging for a treat or begging to go outside, so it’s no surprise that people can interpret other species’ actions, too.
At Dark Wings Wildlife, a Florida-based animal education and advocacy nonprofit, the animals are learning to understand one another, too. Cheesecake, the 100-pound capybara, used to be so dramatic whenever her river otter neighbors were nearby, but now she hardly reacts—even when they mess with her! On January 8, the 2-pound otters couldn’t help messing with Cheesecake just like a couple of kids, but they didn’t quite get the reaction they were hoping for.
What cheeky little critters! These tiny otters look minuscule in comparison to their 100-pound capybara friend (and their canine pal), but they couldn’t have bigger personalities. The way they laughed as they ran away after giving Cheesecake a poke is too cute to handle!
Commenters like @animalsoverhumans83 agree that the chaotic otters “definitely dared one another” to mess with their buddy, but the unbothered capybara couldn’t care less. She’s come a long way with her socialization and manners, and it’s paid off beautifully! Dark Wings’ other capybara, Pumpkin, however, would be an entirely different story.
Related: Video of Otters ‘Dancing’ at Wildlife Park Has People Obsessed
The iconic Finding Nemo reference from the animals’ caretaker was the perfect narration for this hilarious prank, even if she thinks she dated herself with that reference. It was the movie of a generation, and most Millennials know the movie’s lines by heart!
I was so enthralled with the otters’ silly antics that I hardly thought twice about the dog in their enclosure. Many zoo animals have dog friends to keep them company and help them socialize, but it’s still unusual to see them chilling so casually.
Troublemaking Otters
This dynamic duo of tiny otters keeps friends like Cheesecake on their toes, but the concept of troublemaking otters is nothing new. Surfers in California have been dealing with an aggressive sea otter for the last two years. She chases them in the water and even steals their surfboards!
Cheesecake should be grateful that her tormentors are keeping their chaos to a minimum. And judging by her sleepy reaction, she is! She knows that many more moments of annoyance are coming, but she has the patience and grace to take them all in stride.
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This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Jan 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.