Ithink we can all agree that the biggest challenge of 2025 has been trying not to have an existential breakdown pretty much every single day. For some people, safeguarding mental health looks like regular hikes, daily meditation practices or joining a book club. For me, it’s monitoring the habits of local animals for hijinks, middle fingers at humanity and, well, fluffy butts.

Here are just some of the animals that helped me survive 2025.

Opal the Otter: enjoys fish snacks, swimming in pools and leaning all the way into her underbite. (© Monterey Bay Aquarium)

Opal the Otter

In April, 30,000 humans (!) managed to hold it down for one more day by participating in an otter-naming poll held by the Monterey Bay Aquarium . And who could blame them? This nameless sea sausage was found a

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