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.
#1 Orphaned Baby Bats Which Are Rescued Are Wrapped Snugly In Blankets To Mimic The Warm Embrace Of Their Mother's Wings
Image credits: skyfall91404
Since r/Awwducational suggests avoiding sharing trivial animal facts with the community, I was curious to learn more about where the line between something trivial and, well, rarer lies, and whether it's all subjective. However, moderator u/AGreatWind told Bored Panda that things aren't quite as subjective as they might seem at first glance.
"This rule applies to posts that are a better fit for /r/Aww such as 'this cat and dog are friends' or 'tigers have beautiful stripes.' Those are facts, but they are trivial and a better fit for the pure cuteness subreddits. Such posts would be removed under the trivial fact rule," the mod explained.
"The rule is to cull very low effort posts rather than differentiate between common and lesser-known facts/posts. After modding here for 7+ years, a lot of animal facts begin to feel like common knowledge to me, but it would be unfair to remove posts solely on that basis! So the trivial post rule is limited to removing posts that are objectively trivial (Deer eat plants) rather than subjectively so."
#2 On Average, Opossums Eat Up To 5000 Ticks In A Season, But They Don’t Contract Or Carry Lyme Disease
Image credits: reddit.com
#3 New Study Shows “Rollie Pollies” Remove Heavy Metals From Soil And Protect Groundwater. Thank You To These Little Helpers!
Image credits: Benjamint444
Meanwhile, u/AGreatWind also went into detail about the need to add sources to back up your awwducational animal facts. "Sources and Removals: Our removal trends go through waves of frequency. For the last several months I would say that we have not removed many posts for poorly cited sources," they shared with Bored Panda.
Post removals are more common on r/Awwducational than on most other subreddits because posting a fact the right way takes more effort. However, new users aren't penalized if they make a mistake: it's all part of the learning curve. "We understand that it takes more effort on the part of the users to post on this sub, so with new users, we try to err on the side of encouragement. If a new user makes a post with dubious sources we will try to provide a verifiable source along with a warning to be mindful of source material rather than a straight removal. Like a science classroom, we aim to be difficult but fair. It usually only takes one warning before new users grasp the format, which is always encouraging to us!"
#4 American Kestrel Is The Smallest And Most Common Falcon In North America. It Is Also Called The Sparrow Hawk
Image credits: A_Lazko
#5 Alex, The African Grey Parrot, Is The Only Animal To Ever Ask An Existential Question. He Asked “What Color” He Was
Image credits: OstentatiousSock
#6 Pigs Are Known For Being Very Sociable And Intelligent, And This Is Especially The Case For Vietnamese Potbellied Pigs
Image credits: meowroarhiss
The moderator confirmed to me that they have some actual real-life scientists among the redditors who help manage the community. "I am a researcher in Infectious Disease, for example. We have ecologists, biologists, and grad students on the team as well as enthusiasts and animal lovers from other backgrounds. Reddit is a platform with anonymous users, as such, we try to keep our real lives and identities separate from our Reddit modding activities," they said. "It is certainly plausible that members of the modteam are producing or contributing to research that could be used as a source on /r/Awwducational, but I cannot say for sure. None of my stuff would be a good fit, that's for sure."
Learning all about rare and elusive animal facts is all very well and good, but sometimes it’s good to have a refresher about the basics. That’s why I reached out to the PDSA, the UK’s leading vet charity, to have a chat with them about dogs. A whopping 33 percent of British households keep dogs as pets. That number is slightly higher (38.4 percent) in the US. Naturally, with so many dogs going on walkies all the time, it’s important to know a bit more about them as animals and when to know if we can approach and pet them. (They might look cute but they’re not always in the mood for a stranger to ruffle their fur and scratch their bellies!) PDSA Vet Anna Ewers Clark told Bored Panda that dogs often show early signs that they don’t feel comfortable.
#7 Sand Cats Specialize In Surviving In The Desert
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.
Image credits: petdog347
#8 The Mangalica Is The Only Pig Species Covered In A Long Wool Coat, Similar To A Sheep's
Image credits: shan_eh_dor
#9 Dogs Sneeze While Playing To Let Other Dogs Know They Are Playing And Aren't Trying To Be Aggresive
Image credits: Ravenclaw_14
“Looking away, crouching down, creeping towards their owner, staring, nose licking, and even yawning are all key signs of stress and anxiety, meaning it’s probably best to leave them be,” vet Anna explained to Bored Panda what signs we should all look out for that indicate that it’s best to leave the pooch be instead of introducing yourself and snuggling it in the middle of the street.
“If you ignore these signs, the dog may have no choice but to progress to more obvious signals like growling, lifting their lip, snarling, or snapping,” she warned.
Anna also noted the opposite signs we should keep an eye for that indicate a dog most likely wants our attention and to play with us. “If you’re approaching a playful furry friend with a relaxed body and a wagging tail, they are much more likely to invite a good stroke and you might just end up with a friend for life!” You can find some more great tips on how to tell if a dog is happy right over here.
#10 Red Pandas Can Stand On Their Hind Legs To Make Themselves Appear Larger
They also have "False thumbs", which is an extension of the wrist bone, to aid them in grasping their food
Image credits: petdog347
#11 Wolverines Can Be Taught To Rescue Avalanche Survivors
Image credits: skyfall91404
#12 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.
Image credits: reddit.com
According to PDSA Vet Anna, knowing how to read dog body language is vital if you have children with you because they might accidentally get hurt or make the dogs that you meet nervous.
“Dogs can find them [children] noisy and unpredictable, so it’s always safest to keep your kids away from dogs until you’ve spoken to the owner,” Anna cautioned. “You’ll also need to monitor the whole interaction from start to end to make sure the dog stays happy and relaxed. It’s also a good idea to teach your children about canine body language and how to safely interact with dogs, so they can keep themselves safe and know what to do if they’re approached by a dog when you’re not with them.”
#13 The Southern Viscacha Is A Species Of Rodent Native To Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, And Peru. They Spend A Large Portion Of Their Day Sunbathing, Grooming, And Resting
Image credits: Pardusco
#14 Black-Footed Cat (Felis Nigripes) Is The Smallest Cat In Africa (Up To 5 Lbs) And Can Hunt Preys Bigger Than Himself
Image credits: ca6lypso
#15 Penguin Chicks, Because Of Their Fat Insulation, When They Get Too Hot, They Pant And Stick Their Legs Out, Which Cools Them Off
Image credits: Ravenclaw_14
If you’re planning on joining r/Awwducational and posting some incredibly wholesome content, the community has some rules that you ought to be aware of. First of all, you should have your animal-specific fact in the title of the post. Also, as mentioned before, you should also avoid any obvious or common facts that absolutely everyone knows and try to go for something educational.
#16 Ravens Are Capable Of High-Quality Imitation Of Human Speech
Image credits: regian24
#17 Secretary Birds Are Famous For Its Snake-Stomping Legs; A Single Kick Delivered Some 195 Newtons Of Force
They are also famous for their long eyelashes
Image credits: misanthrophile1
#18 Capybara Hugging Cat
Including chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, llamas, rabbits and turtles
Image credits: flopsycat
The mods also ask that you include a source for your title in the comments beneath your post. They’re very serious about this part and require you to use scientific news sites with proper citations and references. To help you with everything, the moderators even have a list of respectable and trustworthy sources for you to check.
#19 Seals Will Perform The Banana Pose When They Are Feeling Safe And Content
Lifting their heads and flippers into to the air also helps to regulate their body temperature and keeps their extremities dry when close to water.
Image credits: prean625
#20 Manatees Have No Significant Natural Predators And Can Be Found Co-Existing Peacefully With Gators
Image credits: themflyingeyes
#21 Despite Their Appearance, Elephant Shrews Are In Fact More Closely Related To Elephants Than Shrews
Image credits: chesterzoo
Previously, my colleague spoke to two of r/Awwducational’s moderators, u/IchTanze and u/AGreatWind, about the community. Redditor u/IchTanze, a moderator-veteran with 6 years of experience now (5 at the time of the interview), told Bored Panda that the ‘aww’ part of the subreddit refers to how people react to baby animals, flowers, endangered species, and other subjectively cute things. “‘Aww is in the eye of the beholder,’ as we say.”
The moderators and the entire community want everyone who joins the online group to learn something new about the animal world. That’s why they insist on everyone backing up their facts with proper sources.
#22 Most River Otter Species Are Monogamous And Mate For Life
So those cute pictures of otter couples you see, they may just be together forever.
Image credits: puddlesnsnakes
#23 Beavers Have Orange Teeth Because Their Tooth Enamal Has A High Iron Content To Make Them Strong Enough To Chew Through Wood
Image credits: saskatoonbaldguy
#24 Aardwolves Are Neither Aardvarks Nor Wolves
They are actually related to hyenas, but with one big exception - aardwolves feed mainly on termites, around 200,000 a day. This diet helps aardwolves maintain their protein and moisture needs in some of the driest places in Africa
Image credits: KimCureAll
“The educational component is what gets added in the comment section, where the user must provide a source for their fact in the title that is either peer-reviewed, from a highly reputable source, or has citations from one of the above to back it up,” the mod explained.
Meanwhile, moderator u/AGreatWind pointed out that r/Awwducational allows content about natural history, alongside “animals and plants of all kinds, even if their cuteness may be… subjective.” In short, it doesn’t have to be super cute to get on the subreddit (though it helps!).
#25 The Manul (Or Pallas' Cat) Of Central Asia Has The Longest And Densest Fur Of All The Cat Species
Image credits: JerryfromTomandJerry
#26 It Takes Bald Eagles About Five Years To Obtain Their White Head!
These pictures are of the same bird taken years apart, illustrating the difference between juvenile and subadult plumage
Image credits: aefeagles
#27 The Aardvark, Alphabetically The First Animal, Plays An Important Role In Preventing Wildlife Deaths From Fire
They dig large underground burrows that wildlife can hide in during fires.
Image credits: Mail30silver
The moderator team approves all the posts and knows what they’re doing when it comes to animal facts. And their background proves it. “Our mod team is a diverse group of animal lovers, enthusiasts, and scientists from a range of backgrounds spanning ecology, biophysics, and infectious disease,” u/AGreatWind explained, adding that the mod team has its hands full with work. However, in the end, it’s all worth it.
#28 These Guys Are Goldcrests, The Smallest Birds In Europe
They weigh 1/100th of a pound and their eggs are the size of peas. They also looks really grumpy all the time
Image credits: best_cricket
#29 Marine Iguanas Have A Mutualistic Relationship With Lava Lizards, As The Lizards Often Scurry Over Them To Hunt Flies
As The Iguanas Are Herbivores, They Rely On The Lizards To Remove The Flies.
Image credits: enderariias
#30 The Chinese Mountain Cat Is One Of The Rarest Wild Cats, And Was First Captured On Camera In The Wild In 2007
Image credits: tt598
“We are rather large by subscriber count, but the community still feels small because of the interaction and cooperation we have with them. We try to engage with and listen to our subscribers rather than try to herd them, much as we did when there were only a few thousand,” u/AGreatWind told Bored Panda, calling r/Awwducational “a big little sub.”
#31 Some Species Of Birds Turn To Living Mammals As A Source Of Building Material For Their Nests
The process of stealing hair is called kleptotrichy, and birds will test their ability to pluck hair from various mammals. In this vid, a black-crested titmouse is plucking hairs from a snoozing fox
Image credits: KimCureAll
#32 Done Brushing Your Dog? Birds Love Using The Hair To Build Nests. Set Aside One Birdfeeder To Fill With Hair
Image credits: 5_Frog_Margin
#33 Elephants Are Intelligent, Social, Empathetic Animals Who Display 'Ah Ha' Spontaneous Problem Solving Behavior
As babies they tend to be helpless, relying on their moms until they're three.
Image credits: cheekypuns
#34 The Asiatic Black Bear Has The Largest Ears Of Any Bear Species
Image credits: shan_eh_dor
#35 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
Image credits: p3rthr0
#36 Hippos Can't Really Swim. Their Big Bones Are Too Dense And Heavy, So They Just Push Off The Ground, Walking Or Bouncing Off The Bottom
Image credits: awkwardtheturtle
#37 Lumpsuckers Are So Named Because They Have Modified Pelvic Fins That Have Evolved Into Adhesive Discs, "Suckers", Which They Use To Anchor Themselves
Image credits: Cheshix
#38 Australian "Firehawk" Raptors, Such As This Black Kite, Have Recently Been Found To Purposefully Spread Wildfires
By carrying smoldering branches to unburnt areas, to flush out prey, confirming long-held traditional aboriginal knowledge
Image credits: tea_and_biology
#39 Gibbons Are One Of The Only Non-Human Primates Which Practice Monogamy
Both parents play a vital role in raising of their young
Image credits: reddit.com
#40 There Are Only 880 Mountain Gorillas Left...
Image credits: Bite_Tricky
#41 Native To Mexico, The Axolotl Has A Slimy Tail And A Mouth That Curls Into An Odd Smile. It Is Known As The "Water Monster" Or The "Mexican Walking Fish."
Image credits: polisci201
#42 The Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon Brachyurus) Is The Largest Canid In South America. His Marks Resemble Those Of Foxes, But He Is Not A Fox Or A Wolf. It Is The Only Species Of The Genus Chrysocyon (Which Means "Golden Dog"). These Wolves Are Also Commonly Mistaken For “El Chupacabra”.
Image credits: mccur1eyfries
#43 Fawns Are Rarely Actually Abandoned! Do Not Try To Rescue Fawns Unless You Know For Certain They Are In Danger Or The Mother Has Been Killed
Many times the mom leaves them for an extended period of time, even in surprising places like front yards. This fawn’s mom returned several hours later
Image credits: Pepperamaki
#44 The California Ground And Rock Squirrels Have Acquired A Great Anti-Rattlesnake Defense
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
Image credits: SunCloud-777
#45 Due To The Height Of Their Mother's, Baby Giraffes Endure A 5-6ft Drop Straight To The Ground When They're Born
Image credits: grandechino
#46 Snow Leopards Cover The Distance Of A Marathon (26.2 Mi) In One Night
They also cannot roar. They are also more closely related to tigers than they are to leopards! But they are definitely the cutest
Image credits: BrainSlugParty3000
#47 King Cheetahs Are Variety Of Cheetahs With A Rare Mutation Caused By A Recessive Allele. Their Cream-Colored Fur Are Marked With Large, Blotchy Spots And Three Dark, Wide Stripes Extend From The Neck To The Tail.
Image credits: skyfall91404
#48 Sea Otters Are Keystone Species In Kelp Forests. They Feed On Sea Urchins, Which Eat Kelp. Without The Otters, These Otherwise Productive Ecosystems Turn Into Urchin Barrens.
Image credits: remotectrl
#49 Pigs Have Episodic Memory. It Is Likely That They Can Replay And Feel Past Experiences In Their Heads
Image credits: HanabinoOto
#50 Golden Moles Have Eyeballs, But They Are Covered By Skin So They Don’t Really Work
Image credits: remotectrl
