Come on in animal lovers: Poll for favorite domestic and wild animals

[Anonymous]

Seals and sea lions
Meerkats

[Anonymous]

Sea slugs/nudibranches. They're so crazy beautiful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My love for animals is not limited to pets (although we have both cats and dogs). I am also fascinated by wild animals: prefer eco tourism where you get to see/ interact with wildlife in safe ways that do not harm their habitats and support local communities to help reduce poaching/ environmental degradation.

Scientists have apparently concluded that love for animals is largely genetic: animal lovers seem to have a gene mutation, which makes them produce more of the neurotransmitter oxytocin, which is responsible for bonding and affection.

So if animals give you warm fuzzies, what are your favorite domesticated and wild animals?

For me:
Domesticated - rag doll cats (so chill and smart) and poodle mix dogs (intelligent in playful ways and low allergy)

Wild: black squirrels and cardinals in North America, impala (smallest kind of their many deers) and storks in Africa, pandas and orangutans in Asia, kookaburras and wombats in Australia, quetzals and monarch butterflies in Central America, hedge hogs and puffins in Europe.

How about other animal lovers?

We have a ragdoll and she is not chill OR smart- but gosh we love her.

Wild animals - any wild cats- especially snow leopards.

OP - is your rag doll super floppy? Ours is (I think that is where the name may come from). Ours does not get phased and plays endlessly.

Yes wild cats are so majestic. Will have to look up snow leopards (have heard of them but never seen them in wild or at a zoo).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sea slugs/nudibranchese. They're so crazy beautiful.

OP - have not heard if this critter and will look up. Marine life can be so weird and wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Capybaras
Sloths
Red pandas
Wombats

My spirit animal!

OP - a lot to be said for conserving energy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Otters
Beavers
Red pandas
Seals & sea lions
Chipmunks

OP - so many adorable animals here …

we must have a lot of beavers in DMV as I frequently see beaver dams on the canal and in creeks here. Wonder why I never see them at work?

[Anonymous]

I find horseshoe crabs fascinating! I grew up in Massachusetts and we'd see them out in the wild along the bay in my town (Duxbury.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find horseshoe crabs fascinating! I grew up in Massachusetts and we'd see them out in the wild along the bay in my town (Duxbury.)

OP - I did not know as far north as Mass. has them as well - I was amazed when we first saw them all over beaches in South Carolina (Edisto Island). I had not seen them before and looked them up. They are prehistoric … Incredible how many changes their ancestors have lived through!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find horseshoe crabs fascinating! I grew up in Massachusetts and we'd see them out in the wild along the bay in my town (Duxbury.)

OP - I did not know as far north as Mass. has them as well - I was amazed when we first saw them all over beaches in South Carolina (Edisto Island). I had not seen them before and looked them up. They are prehistoric … Incredible how many changes their ancestors have lived through!

Horseshoe crabs are “living fossils” meaning they have existed nearly unchanged for at least 445 million years, well before even dinosaurs existed. Mind blown!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Otters
Beavers
Red pandas
Seals & sea lions
Chipmunks

OP - so many adorable animals here …

we must have a lot of beavers in DMV as I frequently see beaver dams on the canal and in creeks here. Wonder why I never see them at work?

These nocturnal rodents are active in the Potomac River all year long, with many living in Rock Creek Park or Anacostia Park. But since they prefer to stick to the water, beavers are rarely seen by humans around the District.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Otters
Beavers
Red pandas
Seals & sea lions
Chipmunks

OP - so many adorable animals here …

we must have a lot of beavers in DMV as I frequently see beaver dams on the canal and in creeks here. Wonder why I never see them at work?

Stand very still at the bank near and open spot adjacent to trees and down a ways from a dam or lodge just before sunset, watch for rippling water. That’s my beaver sighting trick!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My love for animals is not limited to pets (although we have both cats and dogs). I am also fascinated by wild animals: prefer eco tourism where you get to see/ interact with wildlife in safe ways that do not harm their habitats and support local communities to help reduce poaching/ environmental degradation.

Scientists have apparently concluded that love for animals is largely genetic: animal lovers seem to have a gene mutation, which makes them produce more of the neurotransmitter oxytocin, which is responsible for bonding and affection.

So if animals give you warm fuzzies, what are your favorite domesticated and wild animals?

For me:
Domesticated - rag doll cats (so chill and smart) and poodle mix dogs (intelligent in playful ways and low allergy)

Wild: black squirrels and cardinals in North America, impala (smallest kind of their many deers) and storks in Africa, pandas and orangutans in Asia, kookaburras and wombats in Australia, quetzals and monarch butterflies in Central America, hedge hogs and puffins in Europe.

How about other animal lovers?

We have a ragdoll and she is not chill OR smart- but gosh we love her.

Wild animals - any wild cats- especially snow leopards.

OP - is your rag doll super floppy? Ours is (I think that is where the name may come from). Ours does not get phased and plays endlessly.

Yes wild cats are so majestic. Will have to look up snow leopards (have heard of them but never seen them in wild or at a zoo).

Ok so snow leopards sound like my kind of apex predator - They typically hunt at dawn and dusk and can kill prey up to three times their own weight. However, they are not aggressive towards humans, and there has never been a verified snow leopard attack on a person. ….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Otters
Beavers
Red pandas
Seals & sea lions
Chipmunks

OP - so many adorable animals here …

we must have a lot of beavers in DMV as I frequently see beaver dams on the canal and in creeks here. Wonder why I never see them at work?

Stand very still at the bank near and open spot adjacent to trees and down a ways from a dam or lodge just before sunset, watch for rippling water. That’s my beaver sighting trick!

OP - oooh what a great tip. Thanks! Gonna ask a friend or hubby to accompany me as don’t like being on trails alone at night and would have to walk back quite a ways ….

And with a bit of animal lovers’ luck may see a lot more nature on the Canal at that time of day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Otters
Beavers
Red pandas
Seals & sea lions
Chipmunks

PP back and I forgot giraffes. They are so incredibly graceful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Otters
Beavers
Red pandas
Seals & sea lions
Chipmunks

PP back and I forgot giraffes. They are so incredibly graceful.

OP - yes I love giraffes also and wanted to add them to Africa but was trying to show restraint 😀. Giraffes can be scary though when on horseback and they chase you. As long as we are far enough away, I love to watch them.