Animals are beautiful creatures and some animal habits are just too cute not to explore further, especially if you are a fan of the softer side of the wildlife. If you are tired of the same old feline photos that over saturate social media feeds, then let’s dig deeper, swim in colder waters, and fly higher in order to see some animals’ true beauty. Join us as we travel the world in the search of five cute animal facts that will melt your heart. We will convince you once and for all that our wild co-inhabitants are, at times, more affectionate, altruistic and emotionally attached to their peers than many humans.
1. Gentoo male penguins present their female partner the pebbles for their common nest
You have probably seen the penguin bringing his mate a pebble as a form of a “mating” proposal, which is and it’s not true at the same time. Indeed the Gentoo live in rocky nests and pebbles found around are the foundation of their future home, but the Gentoo male doesn’t go hunting for the perfect rock to propose. It is mating season, however, so you might think some kind of proposal takes place.
2. Sea otters hold hands during sleep
Among all the cute animal facts that will melt your heart, this one is coupled with cuteness overload courtesy of the sea otter, one of the most adorable sea creatures ever. The “sleeping together holding hands” part is true, as this is a security mechanism that prevents them from drifting apart during sleep. Taking an afternoon nap never as good as it looks on these beautiful creatures.
3. Cows make best friends and suffer when separated
The animal kingdom is full of surprises and cows are no different. Similar to humans, cows can also make best friends, get attached to a peer, and suffer separation anxiety. Even if such facts have been reported by various media sources, which cannot all be trusted, it seems that some truth lies beneath the rumor, as research has begun to get conducted on cows’ befriending behaviors. How do they exactly choose their best friend? How does the whole process develop? How can one tell when two cows are best friends? These are all serious questions science will try to explain.
4. Did you ever wonder whether rats laugh?
While not all of us would wake up one morning and think about essential scientific issues, at least one person did. And apparently, rats laugh, even if people are more inclined to exterminate them when they spot them around their houses. The question in the title was borrowed from an article on Scientific American which tells the story of scientist Jaak Panksepp from Washington State University who accidentally discovered that rats laugh. The videos are amazing, even if you hate rats with a passion.
5. Dolphins call each other by names and respond when being called
This is among those cute animal facts that will melt your heart without a doubt, but will also make you raise your eye brow. How can you determine if dolphins call each other by name? How can you tell? And where is the evidence for this statement? This article on National Geographic might clear the waters for you and give you a whole new perspective on dolphins – some of the cutest, brightest and amazing animals that blessed our world with their presence.
If you have other cute facts on animals that you know will trigger the “awww” effect on us or on our readers, don’t be shy in sharing them. We are suckers for cute animals, even if wild and untamed! And now even rats seem to be not that bad, either…