Otters hold hands while they sleep in the water. One reason why otters hold hands is to avoid drifting away in the water. Otters fear losing their family members while they are sleeping or relaxing. Another reason otters hold hands is the fear of losing their female partner to another male. There is high competition between male otters when finding a mate. The third reason they hold hands is to protect themselves from predators and hunters.

Source: North American Nature