Adorable Seal Can’t Stop Cuddling a Plush Toy That’s His Mini-Me

seal with stuff toy hokkaido

One of the most adorable things we've seen in awhile, this rescued earless seal hugs a plush version of himself. The delighted seal lives at the Okhotsk Tokkari Center in Japan's Hokkaido Prefecture, and was given a stuffed toy in his likeness by the staff.

The staff could never have expected just how much the seal, who is being hand-reared after being rescued due to injury, would take to his new friend. Cuddles abound, as he gleefully hugged his mini-me, even giving him a ride on his back!

The center, which is Japan's only marine conservation facility, specializes in sheltering earless seals. In fact, tokkari is the Ainu word for earless seal.

Knowing that this love story was too cute not to share, the center published photos on Twitter. And the public seemed to agree, sharing the tweet more than 26,000 times.

seal hugging toy

This earless seal even gives his stuffed buddy a piggy-back ride!

adorable earless seal with stuffed toy


Okhotsk Tokkari Center: Website | Twitter
h/t: [Laughing Squid]

All images via Okhotsk Tokkari Center.

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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