What is it about baby animals that we love so much? Their tiny size and clumsy movements that makes them seem vulnerable? Their playful and inquisitive nature?
When it comes to choosing the cutest full-grown animals in the world, it’s thought that we are programmed to pay attention to ones that resemble our own babies.
We love neotenic features – large eyes, big heads and round faces. They are features found in domesticated animals, such as cats and rabbits, which have rounded foreheads and shortened muzzles.
But when it comes to baby animals, they really are all adorable. Check out the cutest below.
The cutest baby animals in the world
Giant panda
The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is one of the most recognisable animals in the world. The big furry animal with black-patched eyes was chosen to be the logo of the world's leading conservation organisation, WWF, because of its mass appeal.
The fluffy cubs are even more adorable, with a playful nature. The fact that it's so challenging to get pandas to mate and breed, and because the species is listed as vulnerable, makes the sight of a cub even more mesmerising.
Elephant
When elephant calves are born they are surprisingly small for their species. The difference in height and weight between calf and adult is so extreme, it can take the collaborative effort of the herd to protect them.
Despite their gangly legs, calves are strong willed – sometimes able to stand within 20 minutes of being born. After just two days they are able to keep up with the herd, which will migrate to find food and water.
Grey seal
Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) give birth to their pups in autumn. The pups have fluffy white coats, which keep them warm on land ,until they've trebled their body weight and are ready to go into the ocean. By that time a smooth grey coat has appeared.
Grey seals are residents of the North Atlantic Ocean. As are common seals (Phoca vitulina), but unlike grey seal pups, common seal young can swim and dive only a few hours after birth.
Green turtle
Baby green turtles (Chelonia mydas), known as hatchlings, are tiny reptiles, probably considered the cutest of the reptile world because of their smooth shells and rounded flippers.
Their delicate nature is highlighted in their plight to reach the great ocean from the sandy beach where they hatch from eggs. Nature lovers across the world are familiar with their struggle to lift their bodies using clumsy flippers to drag themselves across the sand.
It is estimated that only one in 1,000 to one in 10,000 survive to adulthood.
Emperor penguin
From the moment they hatch from the egg nestled on the father's feet, the emperor penguin chick (Aptenodytes forsteri) is adorable. It's covered in downy feathers with a tiny head and inquisitive nature, making soft chirping noises to call to its parents.
It's heartwarming to see the father keep the dinky chick warm under his huge body. As the chicks grow, they become even fluffier. They form strong bonds with other chicks, huddling together for warmth.
Lion
Of all the big cats, is the lion cub (Panthera leo) the cutest? Its rounded ears, rounded body and oversized paws hold huge appeal for photographers. As does its playful nature.
Lion cubs are actually born with blue eyes, which change to amber at the age of three months. Cubs learn to hunt by watching their mothers and play-fighting with siblings.
At eleven months old cubs will start to hunt and go on to become ferocious apex predators.
White-headed langur
The rare white-headed langur (Trachypithecus leucocephalus) is found only in Guangxi, China and is listed as critically endangered.
Its offspring are small and playful, as with all primate infants. However, there's one thing that makes these infants stand out: their flame-coloured hair. It's thought that they are born with this bright orange covering so their mothers can easily spot them. In time it fades to black.
- The world's most endangered primates
- 11 of the rarest animals in the world, and at high risk of going extinct
White-tailed deer
There's a reason the white-tailed fawn was chosen as the cutest-ever character in animated film history – Bambi. It has huge eyes and comically large ears with fluffy insides.
It's small stature and unsteady gait on wobbly legs make it seem heartbreakingly vulnerable, which it is.
It's a medium-sized species of deer native to North America, Central America and South America, and preyed on by coyotes, mountain lions and bears.
Hedgehog
With tiny, rotund bodies, dinky faces and rounded snouts, European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are one of the cutest animals on the planet. The babies – hoglets – are born with white spines and make little squeaky chirps to call for food.
They will use slow, timid movements as they start to explore their new world, and they'll curl up in a tiny ball if they feel threatened.
Eagle owl
The eagle owl (Bubo bubo) – found across Europe, Asia and northern Africa – is the largest species of owl in the world and a mighty carnivore. It has strong, sharp talons that can take down prey, such as rabbits and even small deer.
You wouldn't have thought it going by these owlets, though. They are fluffy and downy with huge eyes and very uncoordinated.
It takes just seven weeks after hatching for the owlets to grow to adult size, produce their trademark feathery tufts on the top of their heads, and fly off.
Main image: Getty Images