Another awwgasm. There’s no mammal cuter than a baby tiger — except, perhaps, for a baby panda.
Caturday felid
June 27, 2009 • 5:45 am
Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
Baby tigers are uber-cute. Awwwwwww
My browser’s not showing me anything. 🙁
Does the panda have thumbs? (runs for the bomb shelter)
Meh. I don’t get what the deal is with pandas (pandae?).
Give me felids!
Why would we find baby tigers “cute”? Not doubting the cuteness, just trying to understand it in an evolutionary context.
It’s probably useful that we’re attracted to small, big-eyed, helpless things with high head-to-body size ratios. Adults who were repulsed or scared of critters with baby features might not be great at taking care of their own babies. Being swayed by that squeaky cry could also be a good way to, probabilistically, take care of cute little vessels that contain our own genes.
Though there are many non-evolutionary reasons to be repulsed or scared by babies….
Because they arrrrr!!
Well, I would say my little sister is as cute, but I do admit it’s a close call.