AnimalsSEP 24, 2025

40 Lesser-Known Facts About Animals That Made People Say 'Aww' (New Pics)

Here at Bored Panda, we firmly believe that cuteness, animal pics, and education perfectly go hand-in-hand: there hasn’t been a better trio since Harry, Hermione, and Ron graced the halls of Hogwarts. So when it comes to Reddit, the ‘Awwducational’ subreddit is at the top of our list of favorites, dishing out wholesomeness and scientific facts left, right, and center.

The 3-million-strong subreddit that has been going strong since 2012 shares educational animal facts paired with truly soul-healing photos that will satisfy not just your heart but also your mind. We’ve got a lot of ‘awwducational’ photos for you to enjoy today, Pandas, so grab yourself a big mug of hot tea, snuggle under a blanket, and let’s get scrolling. Don’t forget to upvote your fave facts and pics!

Redditor u/AGreatWind, an incredibly friendly moderator who manages r/Awwducational at night and works as an infectious diseases researcher during the day, went in-depth with me about the community's rules about avoiding trivial animal facts and always adding in reputable sources with posts. The redditor, who has over 7 years of experience working on the subreddit, also opened up to Bored Panda about the fact that some of the mods are actual scientists which is very cool in itself.

Oh, and be sure to have a read through Bored Panda’s second interview with the always-friendly PDSA team who was more than happy to share some insights into animal behavior and body language. If you still haven’t hit your cuteness limit for the day with this list, we cordially invite you to scroll through our previous article about r/Awwducational right over here.

Read More: 40 Lesser-Known Facts About Animals That Made People Say 'Aww' (New Pics)

#1 Orphaned Baby Bats Which Are Rescued Are Wrapped Snugly In Blankets To Mimic The Warm Embrace Of Their Mother's Wings

Four baby bats wrapped in soft cloth lying on a bright green blanket showcasing adorable animal facts.

skyfall91404

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2points

#2 Alex, The African Grey Parrot, Is The Only Animal To Ever Ask An Existential Question. He Asked “What Color” He Was

African grey parrot perched on a stick, interacting with colorful red, green, and blue wooden blocks, cute animal moment.

OstentatiousSock

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2points

#3 Pygmy Hippos Are Critically Endangered, With Less Than 3,000 In The Wild. The San Diego Zoo Has Bred One For The First Time In Three Decades. His Name Is Akobi, And He’s Two Months Old

Baby hippo standing close to its mother, showcasing one of the lesser-known facts about animals that made people say aww.

deleted

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#4 New Study Shows “Rollie Pollies” Remove Heavy Metals From Soil And Protect Groundwater. Thank You To These Little Helpers!

Close-up of a pill bug curled into a ball on dirt, showcasing a lesser-known fact about animals that made people say aww.

Benjamint444

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2points

#5 Sand Cats Specialize In Surviving In The Desert

Two small wild kittens with big eyes walking through dry grass in a natural setting, highlighting lesser-known animal facts.

They are not good climbers or jumpers, but they are excellent diggers. They use their digging ability to dig shallow burrows to escape the heat of the desert during the day.

petdog347

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2points

#6 Capybara's Are Social Animals, Who Get Along With A Large Variety Of Other Animals, Including Chickens, Ducks, Dogs, Cats, Llamas, Rabbits And Turtles

Capybara hugging a content cat on grass, showcasing a heartwarming lesser-known animal fact that made people say aww.

Including chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, llamas, rabbits and turtles

Btherock78

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2points

#7 The Aardvark, Alphabetically The First Animal, Plays An Important Role In Preventing Wildlife Deaths From Fire

Two aardvarks including a baby, showcasing lesser-known facts about animals that made people say aww.

They dig large underground burrows that wildlife can hide in during fires.

Mail30silver

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2points

#8 The Mangalica Is The Only Pig Species Covered In A Long Wool Coat, Similar To A Sheep's

Curly-haired pig standing in snowy woodland, showcasing a lesser-known fact about animals that made people say aww.

shan_eh_dor

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#9 Elephants Are Intelligent, Social, Empathetic Animals Who Display 'Ah Ha' Spontaneous Problem Solving Behavior

Baby elephant running joyfully on dry land, showcasing one of the lesser-known facts about animals that made people say aww.

As babies they tend to be helpless, relying on their moms until they're three.

cheekypuns

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#10 Beavers Have Orange Teeth Because Their Tooth Enamal Has A High Iron Content To Make Them Strong Enough To Chew Through Wood

Beaver chewing on a tree branch in a green natural habitat showcasing lesser-known facts about animals.

saskatoonbaldguy

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2points

#11 Penguin Chicks, Because Of Their Fat Insulation, When They Get Too Hot, They Pant And Stick Their Legs Out, Which Cools Them Off

A baby penguin lying on the ground, showcasing lesser-known facts about animals in a natural habitat.

Ravenclaw_14

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#12 It Takes Bald Eagles About Five Years To Obtain Their White Head!

Two close-up images of eagles showcasing unique feathers and sharp beaks in a natural outdoor setting, highlighting animal facts.

These pictures are of the same bird taken years apart, illustrating the difference between juvenile and subadult plumage

aefeagles

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#13 Marine Iguanas Have A Mutualistic Relationship With Lava Lizards, As The Lizards Often Scurry Over Them To Hunt Flies

Two lizards showing a cute moment with a smaller one joyfully perched on the larger one's back, highlighting animal behavior.

As The Iguanas Are Herbivores, They Rely On The Lizards To Remove The Flies.

https://www.reddit.com/user/skyfall91404/

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2points

#14 The California Ground And Rock Squirrels Have Acquired A Great Anti-Rattlesnake Defense

A squirrel gently holding a lizard on dry grass, showcasing a lesser-known fact about animals that made people say aww.

They chew on the old snake skins, then lick and apply the mush onto their fur to disguise their own odor, tricking the rattler into scenting only snake and thus avoid detection from its slithering predators

SunCloud-777

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#15 Say Hello To An Australian Echidna! One Of Only Two Mammals In The World That Lay Eggs (Called Monotremes)! This Little Girl Was Brought Into My Work

Cute echidna with spines held by a gloved hand in a veterinary setting showing lesser-known facts about animals.

p3rthr0

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2points

#16 There Are Only 880 Mountain Gorillas Left...

Baby gorilla standing on forest floor holding twigs, showcasing lesser-known facts about animals that made people say aww.

Moderator edit: IUCN Red List has the mature population at 600 (last updated 2018). Wiki says 880. Others say it's around 1000. We are going to call this 'debated' since a current consensus is still being worked out apparently. The good news is that the population is trending up, so take that as solace that all is not lost and we can still make a difference!

Bite_Tricky

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2points