Cute Animal Tweet Off National Zoo Virginia Aquarium

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U.S. zoos could not have chosen a better time to start their #CuteAnimalTweetOff. Just when we were starting to truly believe there was no good left in the world, our Twitter feeds got bombarded with monkeys, tigers, turtles, and other happy-looking critters.

Smithsonian's National Zoo kicked off the trend with a photo of a seal just born on its premises, as Mashable reports.

We welcomed a gray seal pup Jan. 21. The pup appears to be nursing, moving & bonding well w/ mom. https://t.co/l0Bzu7g8ek #Squee pic.twitter.com/nEhuJe6vBk
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 25, 2017

Someone challenged the Virginia Aquarium to one-up the zoo, so they came up with this.

@SarahJanetHill #challengeaccepted We see @NationalZoo 's seal pup, and raise an otter/osprey combo. pic.twitter.com/D9zDWXxuDb
— Virginia Aquarium (@VAAquarium) January 25, 2017

The two institutions battled it out in an adorable cutest-animal competition.

.@VAAquarium This is Redd, our endangered Bornean orangutan infant. And he is the cutest. Do you fold yet? #challengeaccepted pic.twitter.com/ED6WiZun1R
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 25, 2017

@NationalZoo Don't worry, we're still here. pic.twitter.com/0Qm9dcvMD9
— Virginia Aquarium (@VAAquarium) January 25, 2017

.@VAAquarium Yawn. pic.twitter.com/szDSpmWnud
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 25, 2017

Other zoos insisted that they, in fact, had the cuddliest residents in the nation.

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@VAAquarium @phillyzoo @ZooATL @BronxZoo @SarahJanetHill Ahem, the world's smallest deer checking in for the #cuteanimaltweetoff. #pudu pic.twitter.com/b4sZbQTz56
— Queens Zoo (@thequeenszoo) January 25, 2017

"Excuse me, can I get in on this, too?" #CuteAnimalTweetOff pic.twitter.com/MATHGrJgvI
— Elmwood Park Zoo (@ElmwoodParkZoo) January 25, 2017

Welcome this cozy cheetah cub to the #cuteanimaltweetoff! pic.twitter.com/vdhUKmyRqa
— Cincinnati Zoo (@CincinnatiZoo) January 26, 2017

Can't believe we almost missed the #CuteAnimalTweetOff! Thanks for letting us know @CabernetLvr! pic.twitter.com/9gTgyc5i9A
— Seattle Aquarium (@SeattleAquarium) January 25, 2017

You can tell from these animals' expressions that they're not reading the news or worrying about the state of the world — or worrying about anything, really. They've continued hopping, skipping, or splashing along. This reminds us that maybe, we can, too. And for that, they all win.

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