Animal Stereotypes That You Hate

[Westcoastperson]

This isn't an animal stereotype too much but: all of Asia is a jungle. Like people acknowledge snow leopards and Siberia and Mongolia exist but none seem to put together that a large amount of the Asian continent is savannah or desert or tundra or mountains. Also putting Amur leopards and Amur Tigers in jungle exhibits doesn't help at all.

 

[TheChukaulorian]

The cultural association between "alpha males" and wolf packs, when actually the dominance is shared by a mated pair.

Any non-lion big cat, particularly tigers, shown as hunting in packs.

Kookaburra sounds as ambience for literally any jungle or exotic forest in film.

Hamsters being portrayed as cute and harmless, which sadly leads to people keeping pet hamsters in groups, which is a big no-no.

All penguins shown as living in Antarctica (even the Happy Feet movies couldn't resist having Magellanic and fairy penguins in a polar habitat).

The perception that birds, reptiles etc. are inherently less smart, evolved or complex than mammals.

 

[Pertinax]

Kookaburra sounds as ambience for literally any jungle or exotic forest in film.



All penguins shown as living in Antarctica

These are good ones too, also the perception that Wolf 'packs' have a 'leader' when they are normally just family groups.

I could add 'cunning' Foxes- always waiting to steal chickens...

 

[pendraig_milnerae]

That rhinos are perpetually grumpy and only make grunting sounds. With how relatively common rhinos are in zoos (at least in the UK) you’d expect this one would be dispelled very quickly but nope, apparently everyone just forgets how they act and sound the second they leave the zoo.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

The cultural association between "alpha males" and wolf packs, when actually the dominance is shared by a mated pair.

Yes, actually this one really irritates me too.

The edgy "lone wolf" / "alpha male wolf" myth has been appropriated by all these kinds of seedy and cringey fringe subcultures.

I've seen this misinformation about wolf dominance being peddled by that Lutheran televangelist in disguise Jordan Peterson too.

Biologists / zoologists who study wolves must either cry or laugh at loud at all this bull ****.

 

[Dassie rat]

I don't like the inference that humans aren't animals

 

[lowland anoa]

I don't like the inference that humans aren't animals

I’ve had an argument with a fellow pupil because of that exact reason, she was insist that we were simply just people, not animals. I reckon us using animals to refer to wildlife makes people escape from reality and forgot that we tick the terms required to be an animal, we need food and water, we need oxygen, we’re evolved to cover our needs. That’s basically proof but did she take it? Nope

 

[Haliaeetus]

Birds are stupid and don't have any memory.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

That rhinos are perpetually grumpy and only make grunting sounds. With how relatively common rhinos are in zoos (at least in the UK) you’d expect this one would be dispelled very quickly but nope, apparently everyone just forgets how they act and sound the second they leave the zoo.

On that subject it is always interesting to see peoples reaction to the sounds rhinos make to communicate and the cognitive dissonance that they have associating such a large and intimidating animal with such bizarre high pitched sounds.

This isn't an animal stereotype too much but: all of Asia is a jungle. Like people acknowledge snow leopards and Siberia and Mongolia exist but none seem to put together that a large amount of the Asian continent is savannah or desert or tundra or mountains. Also putting Amur leopards and Amur Tigers in jungle exhibits doesn't help at all.

Yes, same thing with regards to people from the Northern hemisphere thinking that Mexico, Central and South America is all either desert scrubland or tropical rainforest ecosystems.

Actually there are incredibly diverse ecosystems across the region which includes alpine, grassland / savannha, cloud forests and even temperate, deciduous and pine forests which at first glance wouldn't look out of place in Europe or the USA.

 

[FBBird]

‘Penguins are cute’. No, they’re bitey little bastards.

 

[lowland anoa]

‘Penguins are cute’. No, they’re bitey little bastards.

I’m looking at Happy Feet and Mr Popper’s Penguins on this one. Although the latter showed some nippy penguins, they furthermore overestimated penguins in terms of cuteness and temperament

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I’m looking at Happy Feet and Mr Popper’s Penguins on this one. Although the latter showed some nippy penguins, they furthermore overestimated penguins in terms of cuteness and temperament

I think the cuddly penguin cultural meme probably predates those movies.

It seems to have been around since the 19th century and is perhaps even older.

 

[Sphenisciologist]

Most people I know think that Tigers are indigenous to Africa, which annoys me SO much.

I'm not sure if this counts as a stereotype, but it is definitely a very common misconception where I am from so I thought I'd share it anyway.

I used to think that for the longest time when I was very little, and even as an animal nerd I didn’t learn that tigers were native to Asia until my dad got mad at me for it when we were watching a documentary.
I think that most adults need to teach kids more accurately about wildlife so they’ll get more inspired to get involved in conservation when they get older.

 

[Sphenisciologist]

I’m looking at Happy Feet and Mr Popper’s Penguins on this one. Although the latter showed some nippy penguins, they furthermore overestimated penguins in terms of cuteness and temperament

As someone who has had a big obsession with penguins ever since I was an infant, penguins can be very fascinated by the presence of humans. Most of the time when scientists go to research down in Antarctica, Emperor penguins are fascinated and interested by humans. I don’t know if “cuddly” is the right word, but “cute” definitely is.

 

[lowland anoa]

I think the cuddly penguin cultural meme probably predates those movies.

It seems to have been around since the 19th century and is perhaps even older.

Well the realism of Mr Popper’s Penguins certainly didn’t help in the reminder that they can still nip, yeah one of them was but he was the “odd one” out, so people generally don’t think too much of it. Penguins are cute yes, but only if they had some prior experiences with humans, or aren’t Mr and Mrs Grumpy

 

[Sphenisciologist]

Well the realism of Mr Popper’s Penguins certainly didn’t help in the reminder that they can still nip, yeah one of them was but he was the “odd one” out, so people generally don’t think too much of it. Penguins are cute yes, but only if they had some prior experiences with humans, or aren’t Mr and Mrs Grumpy

Yeah, I honestly just thought Mr. Poppers Penguins was a very strange movie to say the least.

 

[lowland anoa]

Yeah, I honestly just thought Mr. Poppers Penguins was a very strange movie to say the least.

It’s appalling to those less-educated on animals, but for us animal lovers, we just know they’re giving penguins a reputation that’s not true

 

[Westcoastperson]

‘Penguins are cute’. No, they’re bitey little bastards.

I was almost impaled by a King Penguin named Vlad the Impaler because of his tendency to stab people with his beak.

 

[FBBird]

As someone who has had a big obsession with penguins ever since I was an infant, penguins can be very fascinated by the presence of humans. Most of the time when scientists go to research down in Antarctica, Emperor penguins are fascinated and interested by humans. I don’t know if “cuddly” is the right word, but “cute” definitely is.

You’ve never been bitten by one, have you....?

 

[FBBird]

I was almost impaled by a King Penguin named Vlad the Impaler because of his tendency to stab people with his beak.

I’m told being slapped by a King Penguin is like being whacked with a bit of 2 x 4 timber. And yes, they stab. Humboldt’s just bite.....hard.