Scientists Share Their Most Adorable Animal Photos With #Cuteoff
If there’s anything Twitter hashtags are good for it’s sharing cute animal pictures. Over a week ago, the scientists of Twitter started an informal competition to see who could post the most impressive photos of animal junk. #Junkoff was followed by the much less alarming #cuteoff, which encouraged scientists to share their most squee-worthy animal images. As was the case with #junkoff, the hashtag yielded a diverse group of creatures, from huge rodents to lichen-loving micro-organisms. One thing these pictures show is that cuteness knows no bounds.
Infant Sooty Mangabey // Erin Kane, Ohio State
Someone (@AnneWHilborn) mentioned a #CuteOff? Good luck facing off against infant sooty mangabeys! pic.twitter.com/DpPRiiCa52
— Erin Kane (@Diana_monkey) August 31, 2015
Breviceps // Ambika Kamath, Jonathan B. Losos Lab at Harvard
There is NOTHING cuter than a Breviceps! #cuteoff (photo by my OTS SA classmate Laura Bedson). pic.twitter.com/8uOanyxoBq
— Ambika Kamath (@ambikamath) August 31, 2015
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander // Rosemary Mosco, Bird and Moon
A #CuteOff, you say? Here is an eastern red-backed salamander from a herp survey. *drops tiny mic, scuttles off* pic.twitter.com/cqVu0X81vG
— Bird and Moon (@RosemaryMosco) September 1, 2015
Mouse Lemurs // James Pitt, Harvard HEB Graduate
Mouse lemurs are glad just to be part of #cuteoff.
They're so happy!
They're so happy that they are mouse lemurs. pic.twitter.com/ZP4XBhEHJe
— James Pitt (@Sahelanth) September 1, 2015
Nudibranch // Milana Featherbottom, UT Austin
I gotta contribute a nudibranch that looks like a fluffy bunny (Jorunna parva) to the #CuteOff. Go fluffy bunny slug! pic.twitter.com/7DO9h8CL85
— Milana Featherbottom (@sidetracht) September 1, 2015
Pteromys Momonga // Benjamin Burger, Utah State University
I present you Pteromys momonga, as my entry into this #CuteOff contest.
http://t.co/cPc2rtCnuH pic.twitter.com/JecnCEo9Ba
— Benjamin Burger (@benjamin_burger) September 1, 2015
Eoperipatus Totoros // Gwen Pearson, WIRED Science
Before I crash, my #CuteOff entry: a velvet worm named for Totoro. http://t.co/qAkuX8aS7a #InvertsWIN pic.twitter.com/ImX9hl7GpD
— Gwen Pearson (@bug_gwen) September 1, 2015
Gray Bee Fly // Erica McAllister, Natural History Museum (London)
You think that is cute? #CuteOff (from http://t.co/c3CCVCMOsP) #beefliespic.twitter.com/kU0STCFki0
— Erica McAlister (@flygirlNHM) September 1, 2015
Brown Antechinus // Parks Australia
#cuteoff We think so! Brown antechinus at Booderee National Park #Australiapic.twitter.com/u7B0Eb8wMW
— ParksAustralia (@Parks_Australia) September 4, 2015
Least Tern Chick // Kelsi Hunt, VT Shorebird Program
Least Tern chicks and their little PINK feet!! #CuteOff#TeamOrnithologypic.twitter.com/Q5Tmtll4Ly
— Kelsi Hunt (@hunt0382) August 31, 2015
Tardigrade // American Museum of Natural History
Whatever you call them--tardigrades, water bears, moss piglets--they sure are cute! #CuteOffhttp://t.co/anPPQVdy06pic.twitter.com/4zWrr4rvip
— AMNH (@AMNH) September 1, 2015
Coast Horned Lizard // U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Juvenile coast horned lizard found on McGinty Mountain. Photo by John Martin #USFWS#CuteOffpic.twitter.com/mN0G3dLOrH
— US Fish and Wildlife (@USFWS) September 2, 2015
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit // Oregon Zoo
Endangered baby Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit enters the #CuteOffpic.twitter.com/oh6SSbIKlZ
— Oregon Zoo (@OregonZoo) September 4, 2015