Everywhere you look, there are adorable animals to brighten your day! From playful pets at home to charming creatures on the farm, in the forest, and at the zoo, these lovable animals surround us. Come along and explore the world of these cute animals as we learn more about them!
01. Hippopotamus
Who said the fat guys often finish last? Hippopotamus originated from Africa. They are considered to be the third largest mammals living on land. The name “hippopotamus” means “river horse” and it is often shortened to “hippo”. A baby hippo is called a calf. They are healthy and strong because they eat mostly grass. Although these adorable animals look chubby, hippos can outrun any human being! Interesting, isn’t it?
02. Chameleon
Do you know that the chameleon has eyes that are unique? They can operate independently from each other. This is the reason why they can see two different objects at the same time. Chameleon can change their color to either pink, black, green, brown, purple, red, orange, yellow or turquoise. They change colors not only for the purpose of sending social signals but also as a means to camouflage from potential predators.
03. Koala Bear
Koala bears are not really bears. They are natives of Australia and members of the marsupial family, which means they are mammals carry their young in a pouch. Baby koalas stay with their mothers for at least a year. Although they look so cute and lovable, it is illegal to keep baby koalas as pets.
04. Red Panda
Red pandas are classified as members either from the raccoon family or the bear family. They are born in a hole inside a tree. The mother would make her den high up in a tree where she would bear her cub after 134 days. Red pandas eat bamboo, berries, blossoms, and bird eggs. These adorable animals spend at least 13 hours a day eating! They are nocturnal meaning they sleep during the day and stay awake at night. Red pandas are considered endangered because their habitat is being destroyed.
05. Bottlenose Dolphin
Dolphins are so cute and intelligent! No wonder there are many movies with dolphins as the heroes. Dolphins are very sociable and often display a playful attitude. You mostly see them jumping out of the water, riding waves, and swimming with humans. They eat meat. The female dolphins are called cows, while the male are called bulls. Their babies are called calves. They communicate with each other through clicking, whistling, screeching, and many other sounds.
06. Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds on earth. They have an average life span of 5 years. They have very weak feet, so they cannot walk or hop – they prefer to fly or perch. Hummingbirds have to eat at least 7 times in an hour. They are the only birds in the kingdom that can fly forward, backward, sideways, hover in mid -air and even upside down. They may be the tiniest, but they are so pretty! Their favorite color is red.
07. Polar Bear
You see them in the Arctic region. They may have white furs, but underneath them are black furs. They hunt for seals and would wait silently by the hole where the seals will come up for air. When the seal does, they will spring upon it and catch it before it escapes. They are quite intelligent, aren’t they? They are the largest carnivores who live on land. Polar bears have excellent sense of smell, and these adorable animals can easily detect their prey miles afar.
08. Sea Otter
They are furry mammals who eat, sleep, hunt, mate, and give birth in water. They love swimming on their backs, and they can even balance their snacks on their tummies. They have webbed-feet and water repellent fur to keep them dry and warm despite the time they spend in the water. Mother otters who give birth to their young take care of their babies while floating on their backs. Unlike other creatures, otters are very clean. They usually wash themselves after eating.
09. Pandas
Panda bears are also known as the bamboo bears because bamboo is their favorite food. They also eat grass, bulbs, insects, and fruits. They seem pretty quiet, but giant panda bears can bleat, roar, growl, and honk. Baby pandas are born as big as a size of a stick of butter, and their mommy never leaves their side.
10. Fennec Fox
These cute creatures are the smallest types of fox in the world, weighing only 2.2 pounds! They have a very small face but have large ears. Amazing! These adorable animals are also called desert foxes because they live in the desert. Fennec foxes are nocturnal, staying out of the heat from the sun and the desert environment.
11. Kittens
Kittens are one of the most popular pets in the world. Do you know that the association between humans and cats dates for nearly 10,000 years back? There are so many different cat breeds and all of them are said to have nine lives. Most cats have excellent sense of hearing and sight. They can see clearly in the dark, and they move stealthily making them lethal hunters. Cats like to stay clean. Thus, they spend a lot of their time licking and cleaning their paws.
12. Pig
Who said pigs are dumb? They are actually quite smart! They have excellent sense of smell. They use their snout to find food on the ground and to sense the world around them. Humans farm pigs and use them for food. Everyone loves ham and bacon! Some people like to keep pigs as pets.
13. Beaver
Being the second largest rodents in the world, the beavers are considered one of the cutest animals in the world. They are nocturnal semiaquatic animals who live in freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and streams near the woods. Beavers are great builders of dams. In fact, the dams these adorable animals build are very useful. Do you know that beavers can close their ears and nose at the same time? Beavers are not only cute but they are interesting too!
14. Monkey
Who loves to eat bananas? Monkeys, of course! Monkeys are very smart and cunning. They can move from tree to tree, swinging and hurling themselves up high. They look adorable, but they can be very tricky! Monkeys are different from apes.
15. Ducks
Do you know that ducks have highly waterproof feathers due to their intricate feather structure and wax coating? In fact, the feathers are so waterproof that even if they dive underwater, they do not get wet. Most are monogamous (have only one partner) during mating season, but they do not mate for life. They are cute little creatures but noisy with all their quack-quacks!
16. Meerkat
Interesting looks, guys! Meerkats are interesting animals who live together in groups of 40. They care for each other and look out for each other’s safety all the time. Their faces are so cute, and they are very sociable too. They live in burrows, which they dig with their own long, sharp claws. These adorable animals have a great sense of smell, which helps them look for food.
17. Wombat
Wombats are pudgy animals found in Australia. They are also from the marsupial family. They give birth to underdeveloped babies who crawl into their mother’s pouch and stay there for about 5 months before they emerge. Even if they are already developed, the young wombats still crawl back into their mother’s pouch especially when there is danger or if they are hungry. They are nocturnal and come out at night to feed on grass and roots.
18. Elephant
Such cute creatures, but once they grown into adults, the baby elephants can be huge! In fact, they are considered one of the biggest mammals to live on land. Elephants are interesting creatures. They have long trunks to lift food to their mouths or to shower themselves with water. They have huge and wide ears. They are herbivores, eating only leaves, twigs, bamboo, and roots.
19. Chicken
Chicks, or baby chickens, are adorable. They may look cute when young, but when they become adults, they become omnivores. They eat seeds and insects but also prey on mice and lizards. Ever wonder why the rooster is the one who wakes everybody up with his crow? It’s his nature to crow early in the morning. Chicks hatch after 21 days of incubation period.
20. Sloth
Sloths are not really that slothful. Contrary to what other people think, sloths may be still for most of the day, but this is not because they are too lazy to move, but it is more for self-defense. They move – if they do move, they do it very slowly in such a way that they are thought to be vegetation rather than animals. This is to avoid being seen by eagles. You may think they are slow, but these adorable animals can actually move fast (if they want to) and are quite smart too!
21. Deer
Baby deer take their first steps within an hour after being born. They are actually called amphibious antelope – meaning they are comfortable both in water and on land. They have 6 to 8 vertical stripes on their coats and hooves. Their hooves cause them to be clumsy on firm terrain but very comfortable in muddy swampland. They live up to at least 22 years. They jump very high and are great swimmers too!
22. Seal
Seals are wonderful creatures! They are smart and beautiful. They live in water, but they usually come up to breathe in air. They are carnivorous and dive underwater to hunt for fish. They can stay as long as 2 hours underwater before they come up for air. They sleep underwater and can even surface to breathe while sleeping. Their whiskers help them identify their prey.
23. Gorilla
Have you watched the movie King Kong? King Kong is a famous gorilla from Hollywood. Gorillas are the biggest primates. They can be as tall as 6 feet and weigh as heavy as 300 – 500 pounds. They are almost like humans, with 2 arms, 2 legs. and 10 fingers and 10 toes. However, their arms are longer than their legs. Gorillas are very smart – just like humans. These adorable animals also feel a full range of emotions, like anger, happiness, jealousy, grief, joy, love and a lot more.
24. Anteater
Do you have a lot of ants in your home? You may want to ask the anteater to help you clean them up! They eat ants and termites. These animals lack teeth; instead, they use their tongue to reach for their food. Their tongue is coated with a thick layer of saliva. They can eat up to almost 30,000 of insects per day.
25. Gecko
Geckos are lizards, and they can scamper across any sheer surface except Teflon. They have huge eyes without eyelids and they use their tongue to clean off their eyeball membrane. They can stick to any surface upside down with only one foot. In fact, their foot pads are self-cleaning.
26. Turtle
Turtles are reptiles and have shells called carapace to protect them. Even wonder why they move so slowly? It is because they have to carry their shell wherever they go. When danger is near, they can just easily hide inside their shells. Quite convenient, isn’t it? Another interesting fact is that these adorable animals have special glands that take out the salt from the water they drink.
27. Leafy Sea Dragon
They are sometimes referred to as the leafies. They are found in southern and western coasts of Australia. They look interesting. They have no known predators and despite the fact that they eat a lot, they do not have tummies. Where do their food go?
28. Dog
What a cute and adorable puppy! Puppies, or baby dogs, are almost everyone’s favorite pets. They grow up to be man’s best friends. Dogs are smart and can be trained easily. Among the many different breeds, the number one favorite is the golden retrievers because of their kind and sociable personality. They are friendly, so it is better not to use them as protectors of your house.
29. Porcupines
They are prickly creatures with more than 30,000 needle-like quills on their backs, sides, and tails. They are active at night searching for food. The name “porcupine” means “the one who rises up in anger.” Obviously when facing threats and danger, expect to see his prickly quills up!
30. Snowy Owl
They are diurnal, meaning they are active and awake during day, but they rest at night. Their food consists of lemmings and they would wait for their prey even if it takes a long time to spot one! They love lemmings so much that they can eat as much as four lemmings a day! These adorable animals are also called the arctic owls or the great white owls.
31. Squirrel Monkey
They are South American animals living in countries like Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, and a lot more. You will find them in rain forests, wetland (like marshes), savannahs, and mangrove settings. Just like other monkey species, they are quite nimble tree dwellers. Squirrel monkeys bathe in their urine for the purpose of cooling off and as a way for others in the pack to track them.
32. Coyote
They are often thought to be foxes. They have adapted well to the growing human population that they can live anywhere near us. They are called the American jackals and are members of the canine family. They are intelligent animals and great swimmers. Often times, these adorable animals breed with domestic dogs.
33. Zebras
Zebras are members of the horse family with black and white stripes. They have excellent eyesight and hearing and can run from side to side! They sleep while standing. Do you want to know what the zebra’s mood is at the moment? Check its ears!
34. Hare
Hare may be similar to rabbits, but there are also a lot of differences between the two. Hare are certainly bigger and have longer ears compared to rabbits. If rabbits give birth to their babies in burrows, hare give birth to their babies in an open field. Young hare are called leverets.
35. Canadian Geese
They are considered majestic birds – big and heavy! They can weigh as much as 24 pounds and as big as 48 inches tall. Because these adorable animals have great wing span, they can fly very fast. They eat plants and fruits. Canadian geese are handsome birds!
36. Bearcat
Asian bearcats are also called binturong. They are neither cats nor bears, but we will never find out why they were given this name because the people who gave them this name are already gone. When you look at these creatures, they do walk like cats and act like bears. They climb on trees and they communicate very well with different sounds. They even chuckle when they are happy.
37. Moose
Moose are called gentle giants. They are known to be very respectful toward its environment and other animals. They can be as tall as 7 feet and weigh 90 pounds. The male moose have antlers and become aggressive during mating season. Moose have bad eyesight. Hmmm, these adorable animals might need eyeglasses to see! They don’t have upper teeth, too! A trip to the dentist, perhaps?
38. Mexican Axolotls
These cute looking guys are known to be the Peter Pan of animals. The Mexican axolotl is a unique type of salamander that spends its entire life in its larval form. They can only be found in Mexico’s Lake Xochimilco. It lives underwater. Because of their odd appearance and ability to regenerate their body parts, they have become popular animals kept in labs and schools.
39. Hyrax
You would be surprised to know that the nearest relative of these animals are the elephants. Hyraxes are also known to be the “rock rabbits”. It is a small, furry mammal – chubby with rounded ears and with no tail! There are rock hyraxes and there are also tree hyraxes. Don’t they look adorable?
40. Black-Footed Ferret
Don’t they look familiar? These black-footed ferrets are now considered one of America’s top conservation success stories even though they are still endangered. They declined throughout the 20th century, primarily as result of a decrease in prairie dogs – the ferrets’ main prey – which were exterminated as agricultural pests. Here are some interesting facts about the black-footed ferrets: In 1979, black-footed ferrets were declared extinct, but in 1981, Lucille Hogg’s dog brought a dead one back to their Wyoming home. Scientists hurried to scramble to find more, eventually locating a colony of 61 ferrets. As of today, there are about 1,000 ferrets thought to live across the USA.