Intro
The cutest thing to see is adorable animal babies. From the tiny, unsteady steps of a newborn panda to the fuzzy curiosity of a baby fox, the small animals captivate us with their innocence and charm. Whether they are cuddling with their parents or experiencing the world for the first time, animal babies have a wonderful way of making us smile. We’ve put together a list of ten adorable animal babies that will make your day.
Nothing makes a day happier than seeing a cute baby animal. Their large eyes, small features, and playful clumsiness set off a powerful “nurture” instinct in our brains, which are hardwired to react to their cuteness. These tiny animals, which range from fluffy bundles of fur to wobbly-legged calves, have an allure that is universal. As we list ten of the world’s most priceless animal babies, get ready to have your heart melt.
Baby Panda
Pandas are among the tiniest and most defenseless newborns in the animal kingdom. A newborn cub, which is about the size of a stick of butter, is a tiny, pink, blind, and hairless creature that stands in sharp contrast to its iconic adult form. Their mothers must constantly care for them, carrying the delicate cub and encouraging it to expel waste because they are so immature.
Their distinctive black-and-white markings and fluffy, soft fur start to show over a few months. Although they won’t be completely weaned for another year, they will start to mouth at bamboo and take their first shaky steps around three or four months of age. The sight of a small, squealing panda cub quickly developing into a lively, fuzzy child is an incredibly touching example of the allure of nature.
Puppies
Puppies are charmingly helpless from the moment they are born—deaf, blind, and toothless. They use their sense of touch to navigate and soft squeaks to communicate their needs; they are completely dependent on their mother for warmth and nourishment. Because of their vulnerability, large eyes, large heads, and shaky movements, people have a strong “cute response” to them. Their eyes and ears open in a matter of weeks, and their clumsy, playful personalities start to show. They alternate between playing raucously with their siblings and sleeping for up to twenty hours during the day. The transition from tiny dependent to mischievous furball is a continual source of happiness and heartwarming moments, whether they are jumping excitedly on a toy or dozing off in a hilarious, tangled heap.
Ducklings
Ducklings are small, cute, and fluffy. Their soft yellow feathers and tiny webbed feet allow them to waddle around in the most hilarious way. They like to explore their environment, swim in the water, and line up behind their mother. Their tiny chirps and playful splashes make everyone smile. It’s hard not to love watching ducklings paddle around or cuddle.
Koala Joey
One of the cutest creatures in the wild is the baby koala, also known as a joey. When joeys are very young, they grow and drink milk while staying safe in their mother’s pouch. As they grow larger, they begin to cling to their mother’s back, peek out, and investigate the nearby trees. Their large round eyes, small noses, and fluffy ears give them an especially cute appearance. Koala joeys enjoy sleeping, cuddling with their mothers, and eating eucalyptus leaves. We are reminded of the tender charm of nature’s tiniest creatures when we watch a joey cling tenaciously and slowly explore the world.
A baby joey, koala, or marsupial has one of the most adorable and amazing early developments of any animal. Like a jellybean, they are born pink, blind, hairless, and minuscule in size—less than a gram in weight. Using its strong front legs and sense of smell to guide it, the tiny newborn makes an incredible, instinctive journey from the birth canal up to its mother’s backward-facing pouch.
Kittens
With their fluffy bodies, button noses, and tiny paws, kittens are a sight that almost everyone finds endearing. Newborn kittens are totally defenseless for the first two weeks of their lives, with their eyes and ears closed and their only source of warmth and nourishment being their mother. They use touch and smell to navigate the environment, and they make high-pitched, soft cries to express their needs.
Penguin Chick
Penguin chicks are tiny, fluffy, and very cute. Waddling behind their parents, they resemble tiny balls of fluff, covered in soft down feathers. To stay warm and secure, these tiny birds enjoy huddling together with other chicks. A huddled group of fluffy chicks waiting for their parents to return with a meal of regurgitated fish is a heartwarming example of survival. The emperor penguin’s months-long fast to incubate a single egg on his feet during the bitterly cold Antarctic winter is just one example of the parents’ extraordinary dedication to raising the next generation. These cute, fluffy dependents will eventually grow up to be the agile, confident swimmers we know today, but their journey from a helpless fluffball is a powerful lesson in perseverance.
Tiger Cub
Small, fluffy, and brimming with playful energy are tiger cubs. They are curious and adorable with their soft fur, small paws, and subtle stripes. As they learn to be as strong as their parents, cubs enjoy exploring their environment, climbing, and tumbling around.
About two weeks later, their eyes open, and they are able to see their environment for the first time in a blurry, focused manner. Every pounce, swat, and stalk they make as they mature prepares them for a life in the wild, and their silly, clumsy antics help them practice the hunting skills they will need as adults. The transformation of a small, striped ball of fur into a strong, majestic predator is an incredible experience that starts with some of the cutest moments in the animal kingdom. Learn more about baby animals and their behaviors at National Geographic Kids.
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Conclusion
Beyond their adorable appearance, newborn animals evoke strong biological and psychological responses in us. According to Austrian ethologist Konrad Lorenz, the “baby schema,” or Kindchenschema, which is characterized by a large head, big eyes, and chubby features, evokes a universal caregiving instinct in humans. This response, which floods our brains with dopamine and other feel-good chemicals, evolved to ensure that our own vulnerable newborns receive the protection and care they need to survive.
