Otters are arguably the most celebrated wildlife in Singapore.
While Covid-19 has stopped tourists from coming to Singapore, it does not stop these otters from gaining more fans with their cute antics.
Bishan otters appear on Japanese TV show
The Bishan otters made their on-screen appearance on a Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) variety show called "Quiz! the Iwakan" on Oct. 12 evening.
Tan took a video back in 2018 and the video has since gained more than eight million views, Tan said.
The TV show has a segment called "Let's Animal!" and the clip of Bishan otters rolling about under the tree was featured in this segment.
The host as well as a few guest celebrities watched the clip and guessed what the otters were doing.
Some guesses made include neatening their fur coat, having nothing better to do, grooming, preventing sunburns, or cooling themselves by getting sand onto their bodies.
The correct answer was revealed in the end that the otters were actually getting rid of water on their bodies to prevent catching a cold.
The video further elaborated that otters have one million strands of fur per 6cm2 on their bodies. It keeps their body warm by preventing their skin from getting wet.
In addition, the act of rolling on dry surfaces such as grass, sand or soil helps to realign their fur so that it can better trap air when they swim underwater too.
For those who are curious, the Bishan otters still go to this particular tree to do their boogie-woogies once in a while, Tan shared.
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Top image via screenshot of video by Jeff Tan/Facebook