With winter not only knocking on our doorstep but basically breaking down the door and forcing its way in, gone are the baby animals and the spring birds, having set off for far warmer weather. However, the amount of animals worldwide that enjoy winter is still high, and plenty of them are still perfectly adorable.
So, the only reasonable response to all of these seasonal animals would be to cuddle with them. But, as many of you recognize, not all of these wild, wintery animals would be particularly receptive to the idea of a teenage girl coming up and giving them a snuggle.
Nothing can deter me from this idea except the possibility of getting injured. Instead of risking injury, I will rate the seven cutest animals of my choosing by whether or not there is a possibility I could cuddle them. And, if I couldn’t get away without pain, would that be worth it?
Arctic Hare
Starting off strong with an easy one. Obviously a hare is not going to try to murder me, so this is a very easy cuddle. They are super soft and fluffy and wouldn’t try to injure me. The Arctic hare is rated number one; I would just have to work really hard to catch this speedy hare. 10/10: super cuddly, very safe.
Baby Harp Seal
Now, this is pretty specific because if I were to pet a Harp Seal, it would need to be a baby. There is one main reason for this specification: the babies are fluffier, rounder, smaller, and just overall cuter. The seal is rated second because I don’t think that the baby specifically would injure me, but if I got spotted by the mother, I am quite sure I could end up in danger. 9/10: super cuddly, possible injury by the mother.
Adélie penguins
Number three is different from the others, just because it is a penguin, so there is no fur to tempt me into petting. However, their petite size — a max height of a little over two feet — and their overall derpy demeanor make them seem very huggable. I do not think that they would be able to make me bleed, but they kind of remind me of chickens, which will peck you if you grab them. I also have a slight fear of being swarmed and stampeded by their penguin friends if I try to pick them up for a hug. 8/10: kind of cuddly, could be pecked.
Arctic Fox
This next one is, in my opinion, equally as cute but slightly more dangerous. The fox is super fluffy looking, and I feel like it would be similarly soft to the hare. However, being a fox, it would definitely try to bite me if I tried to get close. The fox is rated fourth because I think that I would be able to handle petting him, even though I will probably get bitten and scratched. 8/10: super cuddly, probably bitten and scratched.
Snow Leopard
This is the first really dangerous animal that I want to snuggle. If you look at any picture of snow leopards, you can immediately tell that they are extremely soft and fluffy. However, if you want to even get remotely close to petting this extremely large cat, you would probably have to be okay with the possibility of fatal injuries. A snow leopard would not take kindly to anyone getting close to it, and death is a large risk factor here. 6/10: super cuddly, death or fatal injuries likely.
Arctic Wolf
This is another dangerous animal, and that is why it’s rated lower. However, I feel like a wolf would not be as soft as some of the things rated higher up on the list, so it rests at spot number six. But, as many of you recognize, not all of these wild, wintery animals would be particularly receptive to the idea of a teenage girl coming up and giving them a snuggle. Another part of this rating is that they are dangerous not only alone but with their pack. Unless it was possible to sneak up on one, and that is not likely, injuries are very likely. The idea of being attacked by a bunch of fluffy, white wolves is much scarier than the idea of being swarmed by a bunch of penguins. 5/10: kind of cuddly, death or fatal injuries likely.
Polar Bear
The last animal is the polar bear, and for good reason. Although they might seem fluffy, in reality, their hair is not meant to be fluffy but coarse to conserve heat, so they would not be all that fun to snuggle with. Also, they are super dangerous. They’re just like any other bear would be, only more aggressive. Even though they look cute and cuddly, they would definitely not want anyone near them. 3/10: not very cuddly, death or fatal injuries likely.
For most of these animals, I would be very happy to endure a few scratches and injuries to snuggle them. But obviously, it is not worth risking your life to pet an animal that hates you and forever will hate you, even though it will never know you. But remember everyone, you can cuddle with any animal if you try hard enough, and possibly have a couple of sedatives on hand just in case.
