You’ve got questions; the bear has answers. Bear Month 2025 is here, and that means that our resident bruin advice columnist is once again fielding your queries about bear biology, safety, and more. Read on for the latest, or check out the rest of our Bear Month stories.
Q: I know I’m supposed to give you a wide berth—but if you’re not friendly to humans, why are you so dang cute?
A: Human, you flatter me. It’s nothing I haven’t heard before, though: With my fluffy chestnut coat, endearing round ears, and animated mannerisms, I’m downright irresistible. And with a handful of tottering cubs in my wake, who wouldn’t swoon?
Consider the baby schema: In 1943, ethologist Konrad Lorenz proposed the idea that a common set of features elicits a caretaking response in humans. In other words, “cuteness” can be defined by characteristics such as a large head and eyes, round body, and small nose and mouth. My cubs, especially, display some of these qualities (though nobody has ever referred to my super sniffer as small). And when I act in a way you perceive as human-like, such as waving my paw or preparing myself a midnight snack, you might begin to find me relatable.
My rugged good looks aren’t the only reasons humans love me, though. Some of it may have to do with my ever-so-slight resemblance to your canine best friend; we do, after all, share a distant common ancestor. The truth is, your biped culture has long put my kind on a pedestal: There’s Winnie and Smokey, Paddington and Fozzi. Heck, you humans evening tuck your young into bed with miniature stuffed versions of me (which I’ve gotta say, is a little creepy).
It’s no wonder, then, that seeing my lush fur, which helps keep me warm, and my round belly, where I store fat for the winter, triggers an emotional response in you. But at the end of the day, these fictional characters are just that—they don’t even look much like me. Cartoon bears, with their shining eyes and button noses, tend to embody the baby schema far more closely than I do in real life.
I mean, have you seen my claws and teeth? Up close, I’ll bet you won’t find me so cute. So while I truly appreciate the compliments, I ask that you save the cuddling for your stuffed teddy—I’m not much of a hugger.
The post Ask a Bear: Why Are Bears So Cute? appeared first on Backpacker.
