Twitter beefs have a reputation for getting aggressive, and at times, downright nasty on the Internet, but that wasn’t the case with a friendly (and adorable) online beef between zoos across the country.
It all began when the Smithsonian’s National Zoo tweeted out a picture of a newborn gray seal pup. A Twitter user named Sarah Hill from Virginia challenged the Virginia Aquarium to up the ante by showing their own adorable animals. The VA Aquarium complied, sending the National Zoo a picture of an otter and an osprey, igniting a playful competition that grew to epic proportions when the Bronx Zoo joined in and tagged seven other zoos and added the phrase #cuteanimaltweetoff.
Subsequently, the Internet was flooded with tons of pictures of adorable animals, making this one Twitter beef we heartily endorse. See the best of the tweets from #CuteAnimalTweetOff below.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com