The Meerkat, I love these little guys, they're so funny when they pop their heads out of a tunnel and dart their head around looking for potential threats or curiosity. And also cos of the Meerkat adverts.
The Jaguar, this big danger kitty has got the strongest jaws of the big cats and is the unofficial mascot of Brazil. I just like the design of this animal and sheer power that it brings to the food chain below it. An absolutely deadly and beautiful creature.
What about you guys? Got any favourites from the animal kingdom and why?
I hecking love frogs so much. I wish i wasn't scared of them. Well not really scared, but everything that can jump away in a millisecond kinda spooks me.
The hippo is the true king of beasts! So cute and plump, yet so deadly and fiercely protective. Also much faster than you would ever believe something that big can run on land, yet is almost stealth in the water until you've angered it. It also has one of the most powerful bites and skin 2 inches/ 6 cm thick.
I've become the go-to owl person of Lemmy, but I'm a long time hippo fan.
Cheetahs have always been my favorite. It's not that they're the fastest land animal that fascinates me, but how. Dogs are so funny to watch run because they're so goofy, but even the fastest dogs get going maybe 40 miles an hour. They spend a lot of time off the ground in their stride. And if you're not in contact with the ground, you're slowing down. Cheetahs keep their strides very low to the ground and spend little time in the air. Additionally, their long, muscular, flexible spine allows them to treat it kind of like a leaf spring. And the long tails are gorgeous.
The nest of blue tits we have every year. Some of them keep hanging around and we feed them on the balcony. My wife works from home and it is nice to watch them play and eat. We also have woodpeckers every year. I love birds.
Elephants!!! They have a beautiful family structure that looks out for one another. They grieve for their dead. Genuinely able to feel and relay emotions through actions and vocal intonations. Their trunk is such a neat and unique appendage. Generally are gentle giants as long as they aren't being threatened.
I saw a video on youtube about an ant supercolony maybe 20 years ago now and ants have been super fascinating ever since. They farm fungi! They ranch aphids! They have designated trash dumps! They go to war and take slaves! They build ventilation chimneys (whatever they're called) so air can move around in the colony tunnels!
The thing with this is animals that can be pets are realistically going to be at the top and maybe tasty ones. I mean if you talking if only two animals only existed on the planet or something. But if you take that out. mmmm I mean I think about the air and the ocean and all the experience they hold. Bats are so beneficial but that feels a bit like the pet and food thing. Utilitarian. If its cool factor. Maybe dolphin and osprey.
As a fox/hyena therian, it's foxes and hyenas. Shocker, I know. I identify with their behaviour, which is a whole thing that's too hard to put into words--they're just so me.
They're the most perfect animal for companions. They've evolved and been bred to work with us, read us, and be as close to part of human life as possible. Nothing else on this planet is as in sync with us, to the degree that you have to go out of your way to make a dog hate you. Anyone wanting to whine about why they don't like dogs, or be snide, expect to be ridiculed and insulted. Just a warning.
But that's not the answer you likely want.
Tigers. Tigers are majestic as fuck. Beautiful, interesting, alien, massive animals. They're what you would expect to see in the dictionary beside "predator".
You ever play any of those games where a bunch of idiots are sitting around asking increasingly dumb "what if" questions until someone passes out? One that always seems to come up is "what animal would you fuck if you had to?"
My answer is always "tigers". And it's plural. Why plural? Because once you do it once and survive, why would you stop?
Why tigers? Tigers are majestic as fuck. Beautiful, interesting, alien, massive animals. They're what you would expect to see in the dictionary beside "predator".
We have a tautology here.
I'm also absurdly fond of chickens now.
I do not, and would not, fuck a chicken.
However, they are endlessly entertaining, and you can eat some of the things that come out of them. That alone is worth some affection.
But then they make noises. Trills and bawks and growls and clucks and little content beak clacks while they nestle into your side as they get ready to nap
They will also rip food not only from your hands, but your mouth if you aren't careful.
They are dinosaurs you can give offerings to. And you must bring offerings to our dino-chicken overlords, lest they deem you unworthy. Biscuits are preferred, but they will accept almost anything until they find a favorite. Once they find a favorite, you will be scolded if you offer anything else. They will still eat the less preferred offerings, but they will do it with contempt.
Also, no touch. No touch, only look. Touch gets pecks. No touch, only biscuits.
Chickens are apex predators too small to be the apex of anything but a yard. But within that yard, they are as gods!
Unless you have a weedeater, in which case, they will wait in the shrubbery, thank you very much. Weedeaters are straight out.
Absolutely deadly and beautiful creatures, chickens.