TOP 25: The cutest animals you didn't even know existed

Every person finds something cute and unusual in animals. These could be kittens, puppies, penguins or more predatory animals. Various representatives of the animal world live everywhere, which evoke tenderness when you look at them. But we can highlight a separate TOP “The cutest animals” that will make even the most stern and serious people smile. Each animal has its own distinctive feature, be it its nose, tail, fur, paws, look and even habits. Their detailed description can be found on TourJournal.

Baby mammals

Puppy
Almost all mammal babies seem incredibly cute, especially puppies and kittens. This is one of the main reasons why they are often taken to live in their homes. If we talk about dogs, then for many years and even centuries they retain the genes that make them attractive.

Most of the representatives have a small head in comparison with the body and large eyes in relation to the head. All mammals adhere to this feature; otherwise, they are classified as pests. For example, rodents have no hair at all and cannot open their eyes when born. This applies to many birds and other species that do not excite others when they see them.

Interesting! The attractiveness of baby animals has been studied scientifically. Sometimes they are considered much cuter than human babies.

Option seven: not only valuable fur...

...but also a great companion for your child. We are, of course, talking about rabbits - cute, active, affectionate, playful and sociable creatures, which, moreover, are quite trainable. A rabbit is an ideal gift for an already grown-up child, because if you do not treat the pet roughly and do not frighten it unnecessarily, then it will demonstrate a calm, kind disposition, become truly attached to your child and become a good and reliable friend for him. Especially considering that on average rabbits live 5-10 years.

To stay healthy, your rabbit must be able to move actively. And since by nature this animal is endowed with a problematic digestive system, it will need special food, which from time to time is recommended to be “diluted” with fresh vegetables and fruits. Some particularly furry animals may require regular brushing. Otherwise, these popular pet rodents are quite unpretentious.

pixabay.com/Anastasia Gepp

Meerkats

Family of meerkats
Representatives of the animal world are attractive with large eyes and an interesting head structure. Sometimes their behavior resembles human behavior, which also looks comical. Their habitat is southern Africa. They are considered among the cutest social animals in the world.

They live in large groups of 20-25 individuals and have an unusual instinct for self-preservation. Its meaning is for a pair of meerkats to be behind the hole, stand on their hind legs and look around the area in order to anticipate danger in advance. They have their own distinctive pose in which they can often be seen in zoos. No matter how cute they look, they are constantly on guard, trying to protect themselves from possible danger and predators.

Their characteristic features are:

• wide top of the head;
• big eyes;
• small protruding ears;
• pointed chin.

If adults seem incredibly cute, then their cubs evoke even more emotions. Parents are very worried and protect each other’s children, which is also rare for many other representatives.

Horse

This peaceful and noble animal is valued by people for its hard work. There are about 300 breeds of horses. They are widely used in agriculture. Horses often take part in races and equestrian competitions. Highly purebred horses can cost more than elite sports cars. The horse is a social animal, so these odd-toed ungulates should not be left alone. They can easily recognize human faces and emotions.

Slow loris

Fat loris
Another animal whose cuteness is initially explained by enlarged eyes, and then by the rest of the body. Seeing toys in the form of similar animals in the store, neither adults nor children can pass by without touching them or expressing a desire to buy one for themselves.

Slow lorises come in several varieties, but the only thing that remains the same is the eyes. Most likely, they need such huge eyes for better adaptation at night, and not for people to be touched by them. Their face and nose are small.

Despite all their attractiveness, it is not recommended to get too close to them. A careless movement that can awaken a sense of danger in an animal leads to an attack.

Important! The honey's bite is very harmful to the human body, which is rare for mammals. A fluid is released from the gonad, which, when licked, combines with saliva and becomes dangerous. They distribute saliva over their skin to prevent predators from attacking them. Therefore, it is better to admire them from a distance.

Wolf tenderness

It may be hard for you to believe that wolves are capable of creating wonderful families, often for life. And at the same time, wolf spouses are very gentle parents. But in the minds of many, wolves are just ferocious predators.

The mother wolf prepares in advance in a remote place a soft and comfortable bed for her future children. Babies are born, like puppies, blind and helpless. Therefore, the she-wolf constantly nurses them and caresses each wolf cub, preventing shocks and falls.

While the wolf cubs are small, the loving mother does not leave them alone for a minute. And then the father becomes the sole breadwinner of a large family. Usually there are up to eight wolf cubs in it. Even if in summer it is possible to successfully hunt near the den, the father wolf goes further away for prey. He knows from birth that there is no need to attract the attention of other animals to his home.

In the absence of a protective father, the she-wolf diligently guards her babies. To do this, her memory stores all the necessary skills and caution. The she-wolf will always notice suspicious tracks in the area in time or smell the dangerous smell of a person. After all, she has a very sensitive sense of smell. Mom knows well that the smell of a hunter can bring trouble to a family. Therefore, she will immediately take the children doggy style by the scruff of the neck and, one by one, drag them to another, safer place. And at the same time, this method of “transportation” does not cause them pain.

When the wolf cubs reach two months of age, their parents begin to teach them hunting techniques. They leave the den with their children and often never return to it.

Koala

Marsupial koala
Its distinctive feature is its round head and funny nose. Despite all the pleasant appearance of these Austrian animals, they should be avoided by any means. This is another one that you should stay away from. This is due to very sharp claws and teeth. They are unlikely to be the first to attack, but if they feel even the slightest threat, they will defend themselves by any means.

Important! Koalas are listed as endangered animals. Their already small numbers have decreased even further after the fires in Australia in recent years. They have lost their usual habitat, but still try to continue the race.

It is their beautiful and touching appearance that awakens in people the desire to help animals. As proof of this, you can compare financial investments in protecting koalas and slugs, and see that the latter’s fund is several times behind.

Character traits:

• large and round head;
• petite features;
• black big nose;
• fluffy ears.

It is also interesting how their lives go. They sleep most of the day, namely 18-20 hours. They are very slow and not efficient.

Pancake octopus and Dumbo octopus

Octopus Dumbo
Their mercy lies in:

• huge eyes;
• tiny features;
• unusual body structure.

While terrestrial animals are attractive to humans due to frequent contact (tactile or visual), some representatives evoke occasional sympathy. These include the pancake octopus.

The variety was discovered only a few years ago. Their image resembles a ghost floating in the air. They have a bright pink color and small tentacles. Deep-sea creatures were able to evolve, which allows them to survive in the sea world among its other representatives. They are charming in themselves, regardless of human evaluation, which is undoubtedly a plus.

There is also another type of this living creature - the Dumbo octopus. Their Latin name “adōrābilis” translated into Russian sounds like “deserving love and adoration.” As you can see, the name speaks for itself. He has almost the same features as Pancake. The only difference is the fins, which are more wing-shaped. This makes them similar to Disney characters.

If we talk about cartoon characters, then it was the octopus named Sparkle from the cartoon “Finding Nemo”, or rather her image, that was made exactly according to the type of this octopus.

Kitten rescue

There are many facts about how dogs help each other or people in trouble. Much less known are stories of dogs rescuing some other helpless animal. But nevertheless, this is also not uncommon.

Listen to the story of an eyewitness. It is about a dog who, out of compassion, brought back to life a kitten that was drowning in a river.

Having pulled the baby out of the water, she brought him to a man standing on the shore. However, he turned out to be the owner of a kitten who came here with the intention of drowning the poor thing in the river.

The cruel man tried again. And the dog saved the kitten again, but no longer dragged the rescued one to him.

She swam with the unfortunate cub in her teeth to the other shore - to her home. The dog was carried away by the fast current, she was choking - after all, clenching her teeth too much could strangle the kitten.

But the fearless animal managed to overcome the dangerous river.

With the baby in its mouth, the dog came into the kitchen of its owner’s house and placed the wet lump near the warm stove. Since then, the animals have become inseparable.

We are learning more and more about the selfless actions of a variety of dogs - both purebred and mongrel. And it hurts to realize how many of these homeless wonderful animals wander the streets in search of our care and love.

Little panda

Small panda
The first detailed description of the panda happened at the beginning of the 19th century. At that time, zoologists believed that there was no creature sweeter than them. Some find in their image similarities with several animals at once. Pandas have incorporated the features of a raccoon, fox, cat, dog and bear. And if you look closely at them, you can understand that this is indeed the case.

The red panda is significantly smaller in size than the big panda. This is due to the fact that there is no direct relationship between them. Their attractiveness is due to:

• large dark eyes;
• round face;
• fluffy tails.

Being so cute and beautiful, this is another animal species that is facing extinction. The main threat is that their usual habitat may disappear due to competition with livestock. Global problems also include deforestation and hunting.

Since 2009, serious measures have been taken to preserve this species. In some places it was possible to achieve restoration of the clan. In addition, the developed programs for their breeding are actively used in different countries.

Grateful seagull

The next story is about the amazing act of a seagull.

One elderly woman loved to walk along the seashore. She happily fed the sea gulls, who were waiting for her in the same place at certain times of her daily walks.

And then one day, while walking, the woman stumbled and fell from a high slope and was badly injured.

Soon the sea gull that always accompanied her to her home sat down next to the victim.

After some time she flew away. It turned out that the seagull headed towards a familiar house, sat down on the windowsill and began desperately beating its beak and wings against the window panes.

This unusual behavior of the seagull attracted the attention of the injured woman’s sister. She realized that the seagull was clearly calling her somewhere. The sister quickly got dressed and followed the bird, which led to the scene of the tragedy. And then the injured woman was saved.

So a grateful seagull responded kindly to a person’s kindness.

Piglets

Piglet
Despite different perceptions of the image and attitude towards these animals, one cannot help but say that little piglets are very cute. But when they grow up to be pigs, their attractiveness comes into question. Their notable features:

• pink enlarged nose;
• big eyes;
• rounded large ears.

But their cuteness is not their salvation. People are happy to buy piglets to do business with them. When they grow and reach large sizes, they are used for lard. A piglet at the age of 2 months reaches a weight of about 15 kg, which is an acceptable size for domestic animals. Some dogs can already weigh more at 6 months, and adult dogs can reach 70 kg or more. The average weight of a pig is 115 kg.

If we compare her with other representatives of this list, then the longer she lives in the same territory with people, the less attractive she is perceived by them. This is a serious problem in the pygmy pig market because everyone who keeps pigs on their property knows what the piglets turn into when they grow up.

fennec

Funny Fenech
The appearance of this animal resembles a miniature copy of a fox. Its homeland is the Sinai Peninsula and the Sahara Desert. They get along well in such climatic conditions, which they owe to their huge ears. The larger they are, the higher the ability to dissipate heat. This explains why the African elephant has the largest ears on the planet. Their fur and buds are also suitable for life in arid and hot environments.

Their attractiveness is explained by:

• small face;
• big eyes;
• big ears;
• pointed muzzle.

They are also distinguished by their low weight, on average 1.2-1.8 kg. They are not pets, but are often traded as exotic pets. To do this, they are torn from their mother almost immediately after birth and accustomed to human hands.

Benefits of keeping animals in a home with young children

Many parents, thinking about what kind of pet to get their child and whether it is worth doing it, have repeatedly replayed in their imagination the most unpleasant “side effects” that are characteristic of living side by side with an animal. Of course, when you get a pet, you may encounter such unpleasant phenomena as a specific smell, damaged wallpaper and furniture, wool on carpets and things. However, the benefits of having a pet in the house are still much greater. After all, he can not only become an excellent friend for a child, but also helps his mental, social and mental development, increases physical activity, fosters independence, kindness, sensitivity and other important human qualities, opens up new opportunities for communication, relieves feelings of loneliness and, Of course, it helps to build harmonious relationships between all family members.

Sea otters

A couple of sea otters
To put it simply, these are sea otters. Also belongs to the list of cute creatures on the planet. This is explained by their traits and habits:

• enlarged eyes and nose;
• round face;
• social behavior.

It is the last point that arouses the greatest interest, which pushes people to visit zoos to watch these wonderful animals. When they sleep, they hold each other's paws. This is their way of survival, allowing them to constantly be together and not separate during a strong current. People find something sweet and sincere in this behavior.

Another notable feature of them is the presence of “pouches”. These are small folds under the front legs. There they keep pebbles that allow them to extract and crack shells of mollusks.

While in captivity, they show interest in toys, and in freedom - in homemade objects, which makes their behavior similar to puppies. Often people find in them something similar to their own habits.

quokka

Quokkas
are small animals belonging to the same family as kangaroos. Their usual habitat is the southwestern region of Australia. They are known everywhere. They are distinguished by an incredibly beautiful face, its expression looks as if the animal is smiling. This is what distinguishes them from other representatives of the animal world.

Their mercy is shown in the following:

• big eyes;
• tiny outlines;
• pointed muzzle;
• "smile".

Having met them in a live environment, people make a big mistake - they try to take a photo with them. These are wild animals that can still be dangerous and bite if they feel something is wrong. But on the Internet you can still see many photos in which a person poses with a quokka.

These cute animals are not afraid of others and can even make contact with them. They are called the “happiest animals” on the planet. If you meet them in the wild, it is better not to try to approach or touch them, since today they are considered the most vulnerable and less protected.

Belek

Seal pup
This is a Caspian seal pup. His mercy lies in:

• snow-white fluffy wool;
• large dark eyes slightly squinted;
• round face.

But unfortunately, his beautiful fur coat keeps him warm for only 3-4 weeks, while he is under the care of his mother, who feeds him milk. Every day you can gain up to 2 kg in weight. The greatest tenderness and even pity are caused by the tears coming out of the eyes of those around you. But this is a natural reaction that moisturizes the mucous membranes on land. When the baby can already exist without its mother, the female leaves him. The active process of molting begins, and soon it becomes similar to all adults.

Question to the expert

What animals pose a danger to humans?

It is best to avoid contact with leopard seals, long-tailed weasels, badgers and koalas.

Sloth

The sloth is resting
As soon as the famous cartoon “Zootopia” came out, which was loved by both children and adults, they began to show active interest and attention to the sloths, which aroused admiration. In the cartoon they are shown almost the same as they are in real life.

Their habitat is South America. They prefer to be in an area where it is always warm (the air temperature should not fall below +24 degrees). Most often they hang on trees. Their movement also occurs in a suspended state, which distinguishes them from other animals. Their long fingers allow them to cling to branches and stay aloft.

Their appeal lies in:

• round enlarged eyes;
• dark rounded nose;
• slowness of action;
• rounded face.

Their diet consists of fruits, leaves and various vegetation. It also doesn't mind eating insects.

Hazel dormouse - a little delicacy

Photo: Clare Pengelly

The tiny hazel dormouse got its name for a reason - it really loves nuts and sleeps a lot. Outwardly, this miniature animal looks quite cute - a cute face, small round ears, beady eyes, red fur and a fluffy tail. Sonya can comfortably sit in the palm of a person, because its length is only about 15 cm, of which about 6 cm is on the tail.

This small animal lives in the forests of Europe, Russia and Turkey, but is not very widespread. The dormouse's favorite habitats are where hazel, mountain ash, rose hips, viburnum and other shrubs and trees grow that produce edible fruits that the animal willingly feasts on. She also diversifies her menu with flowers, tree buds and sweet nectar. But the most favorite food is hazelnuts, in the shells of which the animal gnaws neat round holes to get the nutritious contents.

The hazel dormouse is an excellent climber; it deftly climbs trees and bushes, easily maintaining its balance even on the thinnest branches. And the dormouse builds its nests not on the ground, but on branches, at a height of about 1.5 m above the ground. Each animal usually has at least three of them, and they look like small balls with a diameter of about 15 cm, woven from blades of grass and leaves.

The dormouse sleeps and rests in its cozy nests during the warm season. And when cold weather sets in, it descends to the ground, hides in a small hole, insulated with dry leaves and grass, curls up into a ball and falls into a long hibernation until spring, as befits a dormouse.

Raccoon

Raccoon
Recently, the popularity of these animals has increased greatly. T-shirts, patches, and accessories are made with their image. Distributed in America. Their habits and appearance make raccoons incredibly cute creatures:

• fluffiness;
• dark enlarged eyes;
• round face;
• social behavior.

In some other countries, particularly in Russia, you can only see raccoons, which are a type of raccoon. They fully live up to their name. They wash everything they can get their hands on: from plates to mobile devices. Their behavior is by no means ideal. It's hard for them to get along even with each other. They feed on insects and bird eggs. They may eat fish or other small rodents if they are very hungry.

Pygmy hippopotamus

Pygmy hippopotamus
Its habitat is the environs of West African countries. Although it has a clumsy appearance and small legs, it swims quickly and moves well on land. Their main difference from ordinary large hippos is that they do not pose any threat to others, while its relative can even kill a person. They mainly eat fruits, rarely prefer meat.

It belongs to the endangered representatives of the animal world. Unable to escape and protect themselves from predatory animals and hunters.

Penguin

Penguin friends
It is these animals that appear more often than others in various films and cartoons. For example, they are shown in the famous cartoon “Madagascar”.

Most of them live in Antarctica where ideal conditions for their living have been created. Surrounded by ice on the ocean coast, they feel great. The cubs cause the greatest affection:

• gray soft fur;
• social behavior;
• pointed beak;
• round face.

These cute creatures are predators by nature. They feed on small sea creatures.

Chinchilla

Chinchilla
One of the few animals presented that can be kept at home. It has very soft and pleasant to the touch fur, which can be compared to a plush toy. This explains why they were actively hunted and at one time they found themselves at the stage of extinction.

They are practically never found in the wild; they live in Chile and Argentina. To see them, you don’t have to go to these countries, just go to a pet store where you can see and purchase this cute animal.

FAQ

What animals can you keep at home?

Kittens, dogs, and chinchillas can live at home.

How to choose a pet based on the age and character of the child

A pet is not a toy and it will last a long time. That is why the choice of an animal should not be dictated only by its external attractiveness or the advice of friends. It is important to understand whether a living gift is suitable specifically for your child. For example, if a child is still too small, he may, without fully realizing the responsibility, severely frighten or accidentally injure the pet, or even injure himself. This is why most experts do not recommend having pets for children under six years of age. And, of course, you are unlikely to get conscious, regular assistance in caring for your pet from an undergrown offspring.

In addition, the animal and the child must “get along in character.” Only in this case, true friendship, love and mutual understanding are possible between them. For example, if your child is phlegmatic, a parrot, canary or any other bird is unlikely to suit him: a pet that is too noisy, active and “talkative” can irritate him. Most likely, such a child will prefer hamsters or guinea pigs, and if he is also easily vulnerable, then you can opt for an aquarium with fish.

And, of course, when deciding which animal to give to your child, you need to visit a pediatrician in order to exclude the possibility of allergic reactions even before the animal appears in the house. And only after that you should choose an animal from the abundance of offers.

Long-tailed weasel

Long-tailed weasel
Just one look at this fluffy animal makes you smile and want to pet it. But you shouldn't do this. Despite their small size, they are known to have the strength and grip to kill beasts several times their size. They latch onto their prey and deliver a fatal bite to the scruff of the neck. They have an incredibly fast metabolism, which forces them to eat about half their body weight every day. They are almost always in a state of hunger and aggression.

Traits that make them cute:

• small face;
• dark enlarged eyes;
• rounded ears;
• fluffy long tail.

Sheep

This artiodactyl mammal is known for its calm, non-aggressive nature. Sheep are raised for meat and wool. They are most commonly bred in China, Australia and India. Currently, there are about 200 breeds of sheep. These representatives of the bovid family quickly get used to people. Newborn lambs symbolize tenderness, innocence and meekness.

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Leopard seal

Leopard seal
This representative of marine life is difficult to see in the wild. They live only in Antarctica. As sad as it may sound, they eat penguins. Their notable features:

• round face;
• small nose;
• smile.

Despite their outward harmlessness, they quite often attacked researchers. They are quite strong, active, move quickly and are well oriented in space. They choose a sophisticated method of killing their prey - first they play with it, and then eat it. The only one who can attack him is the killer whale. Therefore, it is best to admire these cute animals from pictures or TV screens.

Badger

Badger
This small animal has a very atypical appearance and is one of the attractive animals:

• large body and small head;
• oblong muzzle;
• beautiful and soft fur.

Being small, it is one of the predators from which it is better to stay away longer. They have a strong and strong jaw, capable of breaking the bones of a victim in an instant. Their thick skin serves as protection from enemy attacks. They are distinguished by their agility and speed of movement, easily evading attackers. The only thing that makes them rather unattractive is their unpleasant smell, which also scares off the enemy.

Option six: fluffy but independent

In terms of fluffiness, the real champions on our list are chinchillas. These miniature animals, with thick and silky fur, are very pleasant to pet. Moreover, this animal is extremely clean and has almost no unpleasant odor. However, the chinchilla does not really like being compulsively squeezed: with much greater pleasure she runs around the apartment.

The chinchilla is unpretentious in keeping, and even the special food that is required to feed it can be easily found in almost any pet store. If you purchased a female chinchilla, then it is unlikely that she will feel the need for the company of her own kind, but it is recommended to have males in pairs.

Adult chinchillas grow up to 30 centimeters or more in length, and females are much larger than males. The lifespan of fluffies is from 10 to 15 years.

pixabay.com/Adam Białasik