Cute. What does it mean and why are we attracted to the small and young of the animals we know? There’s a good chance one is going to rather want to find and view six lion cubs opposed to six adult lions. But why is this the case?
It’s believed to be related to the word beauty. Beauty is the adjective given to the things which please our eyes, which bring about elevated levels of dopamine (the hormone of happiness) and thus soothe us, yet beauty can be found in most things and stem from the eye of the beholder.
Cute things are sometimes beautiful and sometimes admirable. Sometimes cuteness is induced through what one has been told and sometimes it’s the thing you truly feel. Our psyche is a biased one; biased by the definitions given to us by our older generations and the information we get told or see on a daily basis.
But how does our brain decide if something is cute or not?
We can only feel. It is an emotion. We cannot define feelings in words, yet we try. So, there are words made to describe some particular feeling or emotion. And there is this feed in our mind which actually categorise cuteness. Your level of feeling may differ but once you hear the word “cute”, you will understand what others want to convey.
Cuteness may help to facilitate well-being and complex social relationships by activating brain networks associated with emotion and pleasure, triggering empathy and compassion. When we encounter something cute, it ignites fast brain activity in regions such as the orbitofrontal cortex or frontal lobe, which are linked to emotion and pleasure.
So what makes something cute or cuter than others?
Cute things are usually small: While this is not a general rule, the small size of an animal makes it seem more helpless and therefore cuter.
They resemble infants: Cute things usually resemble babies indirectly by having small faces, large eyes, small noses and round facial features.
They are usually harmless and helpless: This is why we feel safe when we see them and this is also why we might empathize with them.
They appear innocent: This makes the desire to protect them even stronger for most people.
They seem clumsy and energized: Young animals haven’t perfected the traits of adults and often stumble as they learn and master their own skills. They have sporadic bursts of energy as they play and learn.
So will we always marvel at the young and cute? Well, yes because they will always ignite feelings of emotion and pleasure but ultimately those that are young and cute will grow into the iconic animals we view today, which serve a vital purpose and what make this interconnected environment what it is. If successful, these animals will birth new generations of the young and cute.
For now though, let’s simply enjoy some images of a few of the cute inhabitants of Londolozi:
A warthog piglet. Extremely vulnerable at this age, it is most likely this utter helplessness that makes them endearing.
Most people don’t associate the word “cute” with hyenas, yet one only needs to spend time at a den viewing cubs like this one to realise that the word most certainly applies.
Young rhinos are very awkward little creatures. “Stumpy” would describe them well, and when placed next to their behemoth mothers, their diminutive size is emphasized.
Affection between wild animals – or at least what is perceived as affection – is an appealing quality to humans.
The rarity of a sighting like this, and the sheer perfect form of the miniature versions of the adults, make leopard cubs particularly cute.
This young elephant was rushing around chasing starlings, not quite in control of his trunk…
Two young hyenas peer out from the safety of their den.
The slight fuzz on this elephant calf’s head identifies it as an extremely young individual.
Little and large.
Goslings like these Egyptian geese will often cluster together for safety.
Two lion cubs from the Tsalala pride look up as another female from the pride approaches.
Warthogs this small have only just left the den for the first time. They are born underground and only venture out with their mother after a couple of weeks.
Wrapped up by its mother…
The contrast between what these small cubs are now and what they will eventually grow up to become adds significantly to their appeal.
Awwh. This is such a lovely blog Alex. A “cuteness” overload. Stunning pictures.
Awesome Alex! And the best place to enjoy these delicious, gorgeous little beings is in the bush ?
Whatever the reason, I’m guilty on all counts. Regardless of the specie, these young ones melt my heart.
Alex all these captures are spectacular!!
Thank you Alex, it’s hard to pick a favourite as they’re all adorable! Whatever the reason, we just can’t get enough of them. I agree with you about hyenas, and I’ve managed to win a few hyena-haters over by showing them pictures I’ve taken at their dens. I don’t think anyone could resist your one wrapped up by its mother.
Loved this post and the photos. When we see baby ‘anythings’ the vehicle becomes full of camera clicks and ‘oohs and aahs’! Thanks for sharing these cute shots!
Wonderful photographs Alex, and you have nailed the response they evoke. The harsh fact of nature though, and the world that Londodolzi strives to protect, is that very few of the young pictured here will survive to adulthood. Thank you for sharing these.
Cute = “babies/toddlers” of any species
When viewing animal babies, I’m in awe of their ability to survive given the nature of life. I know that many young prey species succumb to the need of predators to kill in order to sustain their lives and that of their young.
I’m looking forward to viewing some cuteness in Londolozi in three weeks. – hope those cubs will be camera ready. ???
Hi Alex. What a very appealing bunch of babies! Have taken a few (of course!) as screensavers! When our friends come to visit US, they end up by staring on and on at my screensavers which are nearly all from Londolozi! Thank you for this collection …..Wendy M
Thanks Alex. What a wonderful blog. I love the pictures of the cute little animals. Yes we all find young ones cute!
All the photos are great ‘but Little and Large’ grabs my heart!
Alex, the photos you have posted have certainly brought on cuteness overload. Great explanation. I’m smiling and giving thanks not only for the cuteness of little critters but the wonder and beauty all around us in nature. Thank you.
So adorable – every one of them! There are few creatures in this world that don’t produce cute offspring. Even the ugliest of baby birds are still cute in a sense.
CUTENESS Overload!! Everything we look at CAN be beautiful, even those ‘labelled’ as ugly 🙂
Very interesting post Alex!!
I love this blog of babies Alex. Not only are they cute but it’s so nice to see them as babies and hopefully we will be able to see them full grown in the years to come.
Alex I do believe we would not be human & lovers of all that Nature & the Wild offers, so I shed happy tears looking at all your wonderful pictures of these little beings & hope that they all grow to be big like the parents, but we all know the perils they face, from the smallest piglet to a newborn baby Rhino or Elephant! So Thank you sincerely 🙂
The baby faces stimulate an urge to care for and protect. We were on a ride and it was all I could do not to climb down from the Land Rover and touch the baby elephant. I still look at the photos I took of that young one all the time. Great article. Keep ‘em coming!
Thank you. Good explanations as to why we always love to see baby animals. Even the baby hyenas have a certain charm. But the other reason I think is the reason so many of them look at us with those big wondering eyes. Wonderful pictures!!