Top 10 Most Underrated Yet Adorable Animals
Although a list of Top Ten Most Underrated Animals exists, this list mainly focuses on the cute factor on animals that are either overlooked, obscure, or underappreciated for their looks.
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its closest living relatives are the wombats. Before you call this animal a "cute little bear," it is actually a marsupial. An interesting fact about them is that they rarely drink any water. Hence, their name means "no drink."
Despite being symbolic in Australia, they are pretty much underrated in the rest of the world. I could also argue that baby koalas are cuter than some of the most popular animals.
Sloths are mammals classified in the families Megalonychidae and Bradypodidae, including six extant species. Noted for their slowness of movement, they spend most of their lives hanging upside down in the trees of the tropical rainforests of South America and Central America. Very overlooked with unique characteristics. Don't let its "laziness" deceive you. Despite having less muscle mass than humans, its strength surpasses the average person several times and it can move quickly. It can lift itself with just one arm.
I could argue that baby sloths are cuter than some of the most popular animals. Did I also mention that sloths have an adorable high-pitched scream?
Ah yes, I do believe that this is deserving of #1.
Rather an obscure animal, but one of the cutest in the mustelidae family. You'd be lucky to encounter this animal during a hike in parts of Canada, Alaska, or any other land that has martens. Sadly, they are killed for their fur.
While it's tempting to have one as a pet, they are often finicky and live a solitary life. Additionally, their scent resembles that of skunks.
It makes sense why it's underrated since they are portrayed as villains by chicken farmers. They are almost snake-like creatures that fearlessly kill almost anything in their path, while managing to stay adorable at the same time.
Much like the marten, they cannot be kept as pets, and it's also illegal if you live in the U.S.
One of the exotic animals that reside in Southeast Asian countries. Its big eyes are a defining characteristic of what makes something cute. What's interesting is that they can also turn their heads like owls (180 degrees).
Sadly, they are considered an endangered species.
Its happy and sociable demeanor makes it an ideal pet, but it's mostly nocturnal, which is a downside for early birds. Unlike many animals, they aren't shy about approaching people.
Unfortunately, you can't touch or feed quokkas as they can transmit diseases. Feeding or touching them can lead to fines or even prison sentences. They can also bite. Nonetheless, they're very cute to see.
A small, carnivorous mammal found mainly in Africa and parts of Asia, the mongoose is known for its agility and speed. It feeds primarily on insects, small animals, and is famous for its ability to combat venomous snakes. One of the more interesting animals. They are exceptional snake fighters (including the king cobra) and as agile as cats. Though it's not a weasel, it's a highly skilled hunter and smaller than cats.
It's also one of the few animals capable of using tools.
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus. Rats are seen as disease-spreading creatures, but they are actually very clean and happen to be clean freaks. Consider this an underrated pet - they're sociable, curious, smart, and pretty easy to get along with. They are basically a miniature version of a dog.
Sadly, they live short lives, leaving little time for long-term relationships.
So cute! How did they know about the Plague anyway? They shouldn't be hated.
What's surprising about them is that they are the only mammal known to be covered with scales and are closely related to cats and dogs instead of the similar-looking armadillo.
Its behavior when threatened is pretty adorable. Like armadillos, they curl up into a ball when threatened. Unfortunately, they are one of the most hunted animals due to their scales.
They're cute, but people seem to tend to forget they exist.
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera. With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out digits covered with a thin membrane or patagium. The smallest bat, and... read more They are the perfect blend of cute and scary. They also function as mosquito "vacuum cleaners," eating over a thousand mosquitoes an hour, which is ideal if you live in a tropical country where mosquitoes are common.
Unfortunately, they can carry rabies, so it's really not worth having a flying companion by your side.
They are very cute, though it varies between species. They make up a quarter of all mammals, providing a wide variety of creatures to find cute.
The Newcomers
You rarely hear of this animal, but it is clearly quite cute.
Rabbits are invasive in Australia. If only we had some other cute, long-eared animal that lived in a burrow... hold on, we do! Bilbies!
You can donate to help save these adorable creatures here: https://wwwsavethebilbyfund.org.au/
Do people not care about these adorable porpoises? This is the worst thing to happen in nature! Let alone, God said to take care of the earth.
Super cute but super rare. Sadly, the world only has under 10 of these animals as of 2022.
It looks very cute, and I just learned it's a thing.
While cats are universally liked, this wild cat is slightly obscure. They are much like house cats, although a bit larger than the average house cat.
The capybara is the largest rodent in the world. It is a member of the genus Hydrochoerus, of which the only other extant member is the lesser capybara.
The sugar glider is a small, omnivorous, arboreal, and nocturnal gliding possum belonging to the marsupial infraclass. They are often overlooked. As adorable as they are, they cannot be kept as pets, especially when kept alone. Either way, they are high maintenance and not meant to be domesticated.
Also known as the bearcat. If you like popcorn, prepare to be surprised. As we are tempted by the smell, we usually assume that popcorn is cooking nearby. Strangely, the binturong smells much like buttered popcorn.
A felid, but not a feline. Most of the time, you hear about it smelling of popcorn when it's brought up, but not about its cuteness.
A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. Their face is really similar to a weasel's. Perhaps you can call this a spiked weasel, though that's incorrect since they belong to a different family.
Porcupines are rodentian mammals with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that protect against predators. Not only do they look cute, but did you know that their quills have antibiotic properties?
They are pretty small "owlets," which is a defining trait of what we find cute. Not as underrated but more obscure.
If you didn't think octopuses can be cute, look no further. It's also called "adorabilis," which is the Latin word for "adorable," so of course, it should be on this list. Sarcasm or not, it really fits considering how small it is.
Also known as the Dumbo octopus, and it is quite cute.
Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha (or Selachii) and are the sister group to the rays. However,... read more I should've added this way sooner. Their wide eyes and partly open mouths give them this "clueless" expression, which I find oddly cute (speaking for most species).
It really depends on the species. Whale sharks and nurse sharks are pretty cute. Some smaller species like the silvertip and the dogfish are also cute. Hammerheads are more goofy.
Great whites and similarly shaped sharks aren't cute, but they are cool. Rays, which are relatives of sharks, are both cute and cool.
The raccoon, sometimes spelled racoon, also known as the common raccoon, North American raccoon, northern raccoon and colloquially as coon, is a medium-sized mammal native to North America. Getting more popular these days alongside the opossum, but not necessarily the first animal to come to mind when discussing cute things.
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. The word "lemur" derives from the word lemures (ghosts or spirits) from Roman mythology and was first used to describe a slender loris due to its nocturnal habits and slow pace, but was later applied to the primates on... read more Obviously, when you think of Madagascar, this animal may be the first to come to mind. They also play a large role in regenerating forests due to seeds that stick to their fur. Additionally, the seeds they eat turn into plants.
Usually described as cool. Toxic, but very pretty.
Am I the only one who finds this cute and exotic?
The red panda (Ailurus fulgens), or also known as the red bear-cat or the red cat-bear, is a mammal native to the Eastern Himalayas and Southwestern China. It's the only animal that belongs to the Aliuridae family. Despite having the word "panda" in its name, it's not a panda. It's closely related to... read more Super adorable, although not as underrated as other animals here on the list. Unfortunately, they are labeled as endangered.
Penguins (order Sphenisciforme, family Spheniscid) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white... read more
Coqui are small tree frogs that are very common in Puerto Rico.
Aside from being small and having relatively big eyes, the only issue is that they tend to be loud.