Scientists had a Twitter battle for the cutest creature, and everybody wins
What would you say is the cutest animal? What would you say is the cutest baby animal? Well, a group of scientists decided to use Twitter to decide what animals should be crowned the winner. Much adorableness ensued, all tagged #CuteOff.
There are a number of reasons why this is an excellent idea. First, it’s a great way to show off how squee-worthy some of the less charismatic creatures can be, from bugs to fish. "I don't generally think of fish as cute,” Anne Hilborn, a doctoral student who helped launch the hashtag, told LiveScience. “But there were some alarmingly cute fish.” Generally speaking, proving the cuteness of less-obvious critters is a good way to bring attention to them, and demonstrate their merit for conservation and study. Herpetologists were particularly active participants, sharing everything from lizards and frogs posed on pennies, to tiny tiny turtles that fit in the palm of your hand.
#CuteOff Baby Panamanian Golden Frog from El Cope before die-off. @NatGeo @FieldEcology #TeamHerpetology pic.twitter.com/NCbF9go0tb
— Mason Ryan (@mjryan42frogs) September 3, 2015
Super cute baby horned lizard. #CuteOff #TeamHerpetology pic.twitter.com/CcaOjMLDuz
— Christopher E. Smith (@FieldEcology) September 3, 2015
Secondly, it’s a great opportunity to think about what makes something adorable. Small scale? Fuzziness? Being young? Big ears? Clearly, some combination of these things are good start, and it does seem that mammals have something of an advantage. Little pygmy possum in the mallee #CuteOff pic.twitter.com/040Lw3rWyf
— Dale Nimmo (@BiodiversityGuy) August 31, 2015
Tussling cheetah brothers
#cuteoff pic.twitter.com/lfp4yxUWXm
— Anne Hilborn (@AnneWHilborn) August 31, 2015
Big eyes can be a particularly big factor in making a creature cute. A recent study showed that both dogs and their owner experience a notable boost in oxytocin (the “cuddle hormone”) from gazing into each other eyes.
Thirdly, it was a super fun way to find out about animals you might not even know existed, like mouse lemurs. How freakin’ cute are mouse lemurs!?
Mouse lemurs are glad just to be part of #cuteoff.
They're so happy!
They're so happy that they are mouse lemurs. pic.twitter.com/ZP4XBhEHJe
— James Pitt (@Sahelanth) September 1, 2015
And finally, the whole thing is brilliant because the internet loves all things adorable. So, really we all win the battle of the #CuteOff. Here’s a whole bunch more really cute things:
Here's a baby red panda who doesn't want to come out of the nest box #cuteoff pic.twitter.com/DRFxyZQxLA
— Thomas Cogley (@JohnnyPixels) September 3, 2015
Leopard gecko smile #TeamHerpetology #cuteoff pic.twitter.com/XcyIVMJZKF
— Somantha KC (@SomanthaK) September 1, 2015
You think that is cute? #CuteOff (from http://t.co/c3CCVCMOsP) #beeflies pic.twitter.com/kU0STCFki0
— Erica McAlister (@flygirlNHM) September 1, 2015
#CuteOff @AnneWHilborn smooth butterfly ray pup! (Also pictures: crazed @whysharksmatter ) pic.twitter.com/XgM7vhq5bI
— David Shiffman (@WhySharksMatter) September 1, 2015
This #CuteOff needs moar inverts: The #SQUEEE is strong in this freshly-hatched little #cuttlefish, Sepiola atlantica pic.twitter.com/gA3QwC1hVW
— Carina M. Gsottbauer (@CarinaDSLR) August 31, 2015
There is NOTHING cuter than a Breviceps! #cuteoff (photo by my OTS SA classmate Laura Bedson). pic.twitter.com/8uOanyxoBq
— Ambika Kamath (@ambikamath) August 31, 2015
Someone (@AnneWHilborn) mentioned a #CuteOff? Good luck facing off against infant sooty mangabeys! pic.twitter.com/DpPRiiCa52
— Erin Kane (@Diana_monkey) August 31, 2015
Because what's cuter than four piping plover chicks? (hint: the answer is nothing) #CuteOff pic.twitter.com/cs8acQprNK
— Kelsi Hunt (@hunt0382) August 31, 2015
Endangered baby Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit enters the #CuteOff pic.twitter.com/oh6SSbIKlZ
— Oregon Zoo (@OregonZoo) September 4, 2015
@JackDAshby @TerraThea Ok, we'll give you this one but we'll raise you #teambird #cuteoff pic.twitter.com/Xl5lgtcI7B
— Audubon California (@AudubonCA) September 1, 2015