Purchased in 1884 by Melbourne Museum's first director Sir Frederick McCoy, ‘Sad Otter’  rocketed to fame at the tender age of 128 when he featured on the popular website Bad Taxidermy.

While it is not absolutely certain how he came to be so sad (it is likely the preparators had never seen a living specimen), he certainly has made his way into the hearts of many of us at Museums Victoria, and numerous fans around the world.

This plush replica was especially made for us, so while the original Sad Otter is delicately tucked away in storage, we can all have one to play with at home or in the office.