Sea otters are fighting back after Anchorman’s Ron Burgundy said otters are “the dumbest animal on planet Earth," on The Conan O’Brien Show last week.

The sea otters at California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium have responded to the claim in a letter posted on the aquarium’s website. “Boo to you, Ron Burgundy! We stick out our tongues at you!” the otters wrote.

The otters also invited Burgundy (or his alter ego, Will Ferrell) to visit the aquarium, an institution famous for its southern sea otter conservation and research efforts. Abby, Gidget, Ivy, Kit, Rosa and the rest of the aquarium's sea otters said:

We’re confident you’ll see the error of your ways, and realize how wrongheaded you’ve been about a species that might, oh, we don’t know, maybe hold the key to saving planet Earth from the perils of climate change. At the very least, we’ll crack open a crab or two for you to snack on.

Burgundy said on O’Brien’s show that “the lowly sea otter” is at the bottom of his Chart of Human Positionality, which is topped by “the Socratic eagle.” The donkey, the parrot and the daddy longlegs ranked just above the otter.

Burgundy said that he wasn’t impressed by otters' ability to swim on their back and crack open clams with rocks. He also cited experiences by his dog and “only friend” Baxter to explain his dislike for the animal. He said Baxter had conversations with otters and believes they are “boring as hell.”

The aquarium also launched a social media campaign to move the involved parties to rescind their harsh comments. It is encouraging people to post comments on Twitter and Facebook accounts belonging to Ferrell, O’Brien and Paramount Pictures, which produces the Anchorman franchise.

Aquarium spokesman Ken Peterson told the Monterey Herald it invited the Burgundy to the aquarium because it thought he would not be able to "look them in the face" and call them dumb.