If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.
Have you ever seen a picture of a kitten or puppy and just melted? Some animals do that to us the moment we see them. Welcome to the world of the cutest animals on Earth! Not all cute animals are small or tiny, some of them are actually huge. But their faces have a wide-eyed, innocent look that makes you go "awww" every time.
The animals below will either leave you staring in amazement or make you want to give them a giant hug.
5 Cutest Animals Ever
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals and close relatives of whales and porpoises. There are about forty species found all over the world, mostly in shallower sea waters. Dolphins are carnivorous, they feed on fish and squid. They are famous for being incredibly intelligent and playful. Dolphins have sharp eyesight and amazing hearing. They can detect sounds at frequencies that are ten times beyond the upper limit of human hearing.
Giant Panda
The giant panda is a large bear found mostly in China. You can spot one instantly, it has large black patches around its eyes, ears, and across its body. Bamboo is the main food it eats, but it also enjoys honey, fish, yams, and bananas. Giant pandas are classified as endangered. Just about 3,000 live in the wild, and around 250 more live in captivity as zoo animals.
Take the Cutest Animals Quiz!
5 quick questions about dolphins, pandas, polar bears, red pandas, and sea otters.
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a white-furred bear native to the Arctic. It is at its absolute cutest as a cub, a tiny fluffy ball in a world of ice and snow. Polar bears are the largest land mammals. They weigh between 700 and 1,500 pounds and are primarily carnivorous. Their thick fur protects them from extreme cold temperatures. They are sometimes called maritime bears because, even though they are born on land, they love spending time in the water.
Polar bears are classified as vulnerable. Poaching in the past reduced their numbers, and today global warming is the biggest threat. According to the IUCN, "If climatic trends continue, polar bears may become extirpated from most of their range within 100 years."
Red Panda
The red panda is an arboreal mammal, that means it spends most of its life in trees. It is just a little bigger than a domestic cat, with reddish brown fur and a fluffy shaggy tail. Its main food is bamboo, but it also eats eggs, birds, insects, and smaller mammals. Red pandas live in the temperate forests of the Himalayas, in countries including Nepal, India, Myanmar, Bhutan, and China.
Official counts put the wild population at around 2,500, though more optimistic estimates reach as high as 20,000. About 800 more live in captivity. The red panda is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, one step below endangered. Scientists recognize two sub-species.
If you love cute animals from around the world, you might also enjoy reading about baby animal names and the surprisingly funny things baby creatures are called.
Sea Otter
Sea otters live near the northern and eastern shores of the North Pacific Ocean. They belong to the weasel family and are among the heaviest weasels, yet they are also one of the smallest marine mammals. While sea otters can live on land, they are mainly aquatic. Their super-thick coat of fur acts as natural insulation and protection. They eat sea urchins, mollusks, fish, and crustaceans.
Sea otters were heavily hunted for their fur between 1741 and 1911. By the end of that period, the population had fallen to about 2,000. Numbers have recovered since then, but sea otters are still classified as an endangered animal.
Explore More Animals
A List of Endangered Animals From Every ContinentFrom the Bengal tiger and giant panda to the mountain gorilla and polar bear: a continent-by-continent list of the world's endangered animals, with photos.
Giant Panda Facts: The Complete Kids' GuideThe complete giant panda guide for kids: where pandas live, what they eat, their secret extra thumb, mating habits, the full baby panda growth cycle, sub-specie
Jungle Animals ListAn A-to-Z list of jungle animals for kids: mammals, birds, insects, arthropods and reptiles that live in the world's jungles, each with a photo and fun facts.
101 Funny and Cute Pictures of Baby Animals That are Pin-worthyWho doesn't love those huge, innocent eyes? Buzzle brings you a truckload of adorable cute and funny pictures of baby animals. Kittens, puppies, ducklings, bunn
The Cutest of the Rest
Which animal is the cutest in the world will always be a matter of opinion. But the animals above are some of the most universally loved creatures on the planet, the kind that make you want to cuddle them on the spot. Just remember: even the cutest animals can be ferocious in the wild. So as tempting as it is to pet a polar bear cub or hug a giant panda, admire them from a safe distance!
Many of these lovable species (including the red panda and sea otter) are classified as endangered or vulnerable. Appreciating their cuteness is one thing; protecting their habitats is the real challenge.
Fun fact for today!Some of the world's cutest animals are also endangered, the giant panda and sea otter both need our help!