Twitch's new hot tub category gives rescued sea otters a new home

After much controversy, upset, and harrassment over 'hot tub streamers' who host Twitch streams in swimwear from paddling pools, the company have come to a solution: split them into their own separate category. So yes, they are allowed, but they need to be in the right place. If someone's streaming Minecraft in their togs, you shouldn't see them unless you're looking for them. Far more importantly than all that, through this category I have learned that an animal rescue centre have a Twitch channel broadcasting sea otters playing, sleeping, eating, and being all-round adorable.

Twitch's blog post from Friday explains the reasons behind all this, the pressures from different types of users and from advertisers. It also points out, hey, stop harrassing people. But what really caught my eye with the new Pools, Hot Tubs, and Beaches category is a pool of sea otters.

The Marine Mammal Rescue Centre in Vancouver have a Twitch channel broadcasting views from their sea otter pool. They've been streaming for ages under the Travel & Outdoors category, declaring themselves "The #1 Cold Tub stream", and now they've cheekily switched to this new category. Not a hot tub, but it still qualifies as a pool. And I adore these critters.

This morning, three were curled up asleep together, with one upside-down in a bucket. Now, they seem to be stretching and reluctantly awakening to the world, cleaning themselves. Having flicked through old streams, I bet they'll soon be drifting around the pool on their backs, wrapping themselves in mats, playing with toys, chasing each other underwater, and oh god one cleaning itself in a bucket has just sprawled out to cuddle up next to another and oh goodness me it's playing with its pal's paws I love them.

I don't believe you can buy a vial of otter pool water, mind.