The World's Most Adorable Cutest Animals You Should See

The answer has evolutionary roots. It is thought that animals that in some way resemble animal babies can grab our attention in the same way, as a spill over of attention and affection from our own children. The key attributes seem to be big eyes, large heads compared to bodies, a small mouth, chubby cheeks, and a round body. These universally appealing attributes are known as the baby schema, and animals that have these trigger our nurturing instincts . Many baby animals share these features, which is why we so often find baby animals adorable, even if their adult versions are less so. There are however some animals that retain their cuteness even as adults, like those on this list.

Owls certainly age like a good cheese, reaching adulthood with silky-smooth feathers and a general air of having it all figured out. This baby barn owl may have misplaced the hairbrush, but just look at those big eyes and the adorable fluff. Owlets are both blind and deaf when fresh out of the egg, and will stay with their parents for around six months before flying the nest. They also sleep a lot up to 18 hours a day which sounds like heaven.

We can sympathize with the parents of this cute little duo, who have mischief written all over their faces. Baby meerkats, also referred to as pups, are born in underground dens to keep them safe and stay there with their mum for the first three to four weeks of life. Newborns, roughly the size of a matchbox, have closed ears and eyes at first, which typically open around 10 days after birth. If their mum has to leave the den to forage for food, they’ll be cared for by a babysitter.

Commonly found in the Andean highlands of South America, llamas are vital in mountain communities for their fleeces and their ability to carry significant weights over rocky terrain. After carrying a pregnancy for almost a whole year (350 days), a llama will usually give birth to just one youngster at a time, a cria (meaning baby in Spanish). Crias can stand within about 90 minutes of being born and are welcomed into the world with a humming sound from their mamas. This little furball is around two weeks old.

You’d be ‘quackers’ to not want to get in on this huddle of fuzzy goodness. With their soft downy feathers, adorable tiny bills and little slappy feet, ducklings have got to be some of the cutest babies in the entire animal kingdom. They’re smart cookies too, able to swim and feed themselves almost straight after hatching, following their mum to the water after just a day in the nest. However their down isn’t waterproof, so Mama Duck preens them with a light oily coating to keep them buoyant. As for flying, that fun starts at around five months old.

Fawns, like this newborn fallow deer, are born with just four teeth while they enjoy a diet of their mother’s milk. After a fortnight, they’ll start experimenting with snacks of grass, leaves and twigs. A baby deer can be one of one, two or three offspring born at the same time, though twins don’t always have the same father. Around 25% of fawn twins can come from two different stags. Like the stripes on a tapir calf, a baby deer’s white spots help them blend into leafy backgrounds very helpful when they lie down for about 95% of their first 10 days of life.

Possessing the same spirit that makes them grow up into notoriously naughty trash thieves, baby raccoons are born with an inherent sense of adventure. Their inquisitive nature drives them on nocturnal explorations with their mum, once they’re old enough to leave the den, as they go out into the night in search of food. This little bandit appears to have begun her life of crime early the eyes, the paws and the stance are saying ‘guilty as charged’.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. What is considered the most adorable animal in the world?
   There is no single answer, as adorableness is subjective. However, baby animals like pandas, fawns, penguin chicks, and raccoon kits are often considered the most adorable due to their small size, innocent expressions, and playful behavior.
2. Why do baby animals look so cute to humans?
   Baby animals have features such as big eyes, round faces, and tiny noses, which trigger a natural nurturing response in humans. This is known as the “baby schema” effect, making them appear irresistibly cute.
3. Are baby animals cuter than adult animals?
   Many people find baby animals cuter because of their soft fur, clumsy movements, and curious nature. These traits signal vulnerability and innocence, which naturally attract human attention and affection.