Otter was heartbroken after the caretaker left. When they reunited, the animal wouldn't let him go

Sometimes, relationships built on mutual trust and companionship outgrow blood relations, proving that love knows no boundaries. At times, people surprisingly form strong bonds with people they hardly even know. And just like humans, animals often fall head over heels for those who genuinely love and care for them. That's what happened to a pair of otters who simply couldn't handle the separation anxiety when their favorite zookeeper left. And finally, when they reunited, the beautiful moment was just pure magic. Interestingly, the exceptional video posted on The Nature Universe (@the.nature.universe on Instagram) gained over 7 million views online.

The zookeeper, aware that the otters would be terrible in his absence, pulled off a clever magic trick before disappearing from their sight. He covered their glass enclosure with a blanket, and the moment it dropped, the man had already left, leaving the otters baffled. However, once these incredible creatures realized that their favorite human had left, they were heartbroken. In fact, one otter, in particular, thought the zookeeper had left forever and was even captured crying every single day. "No matter how its otter friends tried to cheer it up, the sorrow wouldn't fade," the overlay text read. As days passed, the other otter tried its best to make its friend feel better, but nothing seemed to work. Even the visitors occasionally saw the otter in tears, the page admin revealed.

Notably, the otter who was struggling in the absence of the zookeeper had a traumatic past. Once in captivity at a neglected zoo, this otter had nearly died of hunger. But when it was later shifted to another zoo, it was the kind zookeeper's love and care that saved the otter. "That's why it saw the keeper as its whole world, and his absence left it heartbroken," the overlay text read. After two whole weeks, when the otter was reunited with the zookeeper, it leaped into his arms as if its life depended on it. Not only that but after that incident, the otter, which was often captured, clung to the man, afraid that he might disappear again.

Meanwhile, reacting to the wholesome video, @maddie.0520 commented, "So he’s your pet now, and he has to go with you everywhere. And he can be in the enclosure while you’re at work." @britishgirlabroad shared, "Ok well I’m sorry, but clearly he can never go on leave again unless the zoo lets him take his otter soulmate too." Similarly, @kymchapman_4_4 wrote, "You are not allowed to go on leave ever. Ever again. Sorry. That's the way the cookie crumbles." @largewilliamstyles revealed, "More definitive evidence that animals have emotions, feel pain, and deserve better treatment from humans."

@elenasosa2008 said, "If I worked with animals, they would be the only reason I wouldn't miss a day or have a day off." @tiffanylynnchristopher commented, "Don’t leave that baby like that again! Let the otter know you have to leave for a bit. Animals do understand; they are very smart." @scotty_mcfly787 shared, "Oh my gosh, I absolutely love otters; they are probably my favorite animal." On the other hand, @gillian.h9 wrote, "This really got me… Please cancel any future annual leave! Thank you for loving these beautiful animals the way you do, truly beautiful!"

You can follow The Nature Universe (@the.nature.universe) on Instagram for more animal-related content.