Two otters who found love online after their partners died have moved in together.
Pumpkin and Harris, a pair of Asian short-clawed otters, were heartbroken when their partners died, but found love at Sea Life in Scarborough.
Harris had been living at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary when his partner Apricot passed away at the age of 16, leaving him alone for the first time in four years.
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In a bid to find him a mate, caretakers at the sanctuary set up a dating profile dubbed 'Fishing for Love'.
And it didn't take long for staff at Sea Life in Scarborough to see the ad and think that Harris, who was described as a 'very good listener' who loves to 'cuddle', was the perfect match for Pumpkin, who was extremely lonely after losing Eric.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Sea Life Scarborough said: "Harris, who was residing at Cornish Seal Sanctuary (OFFICIAL) in Gweek, had also recently lost his partner Apricot who sadly passed away.
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"Whilst it first appeared that Harris may have resigned himself back to the bachelor lifestyle, it soon became clear that he was starting to miss somebody to snuggle up and watch Netflix with so the teams in Gweek and Scarborough managed to match them up and cheeky Harris has since moved up to Scarborough to be with Pumpkin.
"Without wanting to rush into things too soon, the pair first moved into 'rented accommodation' at the centre where they got to know each other in private.
"However as their love has continued to grow, they have now received the keys to their forever home and are now ready to meet you all!
"Harris will, of course, be keeping in touch with his Cornish family in Gweek... he's taken a liking to phones so Watsapp it is!"
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Adding: "These two have certainly proved that you can most definitely find love in lockdown and we are delighted to welcome Harris to the SEA LIFE Scarborough family."
The Cornish Seal Sanctuary recently announced that the pair had matched and that Harris would be making the move north.
A spokesperson said: "Naturally otters live in pairs and he´s such a good partner that the team wanted him to be able to get a second chance of love. The search began to find Harris a new partner.
"The Cornish Seal Sanctuary team created Harris a dating profile, highlighting all he has to offer, sending it out in the hope of finding his new perfect match.
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"The team were delighted to receive some photos back from an otter looking for love at Scarborough SEA LIFE who also recently lost her partner."
In order for the easiest transition, the centre said it was important Harris moved to Pumpkin and not the other way around.
Adding: "The introduction of Asian short-clawed otters can be nerve racking and difficult to get right. To ensure the best chance of a new pairing getting off on the right foot, it´s best to introduce a new male into a female´s territory so that the male more easily submits to the female on first meeting."
Good luck, guys.
Featured Image Credit: Sea Life ScarboroughTopics: cornwall, Inspirational