World's Most Adorable Animals

By Joshua Pramis
June 14, 2011
Ever heard someone say they don’t like animals? It’s a rare occurrence, and typically met with confused looks and protestations. That’s because animals steal the show, drawing gasps and smiles from giddy onlookers, who scramble for their phones to snap photo after photo of each endearing or goofy expression.

So it’s no surprise that when it comes to images uploaded to travelandleisure.com by our camera-happy readers, animals dominate the scene. We went through dozens of the latest uploads to select the best of the best—the adorable animal photos that really made us say, “Aww!”

Capturing one such shot requires great skill but also a dose of good timing and lots of luck. Animals are often unpredictable and can move in and out of sight lines abruptly, meaning that you’ve got only one chance to get your photo just right. Even on a safari, it’s unpredictable how close you’ll get to the animal action or how much you’ll see.

Some of the most picture-perfect moments are when you luck out at catching an animal off guard. (Let’s hope it’s a friendly one, just in case!) One reader snapped an ostrich poking its head up from behind a plant box, staring directly at the camera, looking as if it’d been busted in the middle of some kind of mischief.

Other sweet photos reveal animals doing just what comes naturally to them. One of our favorite reader photos is of a mother polar bear resting with her eyes closed while her baby cub nuzzles up closely, probably as much for protective comfort as for warmth against the chilly air of Manitoba, Canada.

So check out our collection of animal photos and share your own by signing up or logging in to our community. Upload away! We may feature your photos in an upcoming slideshow.
Start Slideshow

1 of 18

So tired, but he just wants to keep hanging with the big boys.

Location: India

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2 of 18

“I love you, mommy!”

Location: Namibia

3 of 18

Sleepy.

Location: San Diego, CA

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4 of 18

Sleepier.

Location: Denver, CO

5 of 18

Sharing is caring at the communal drinking puddle.

Location: Etosha National Park, Namibia

6 of 18

Pandas are always on the losing side of hide-and-go seek.

Location: San Diego, CA

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7 of 18

Little does he know there’s a suspicious-looking monkey creeping up from behind.

Location: Bali, Indonesia

8 of 18

Would a face like this ever lie to you?

Location: Uganda

9 of 18

“But moommmm, I’m tired of galloping! Are we there yet?”

Location: Carson City, NV

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10 of 18

Foal’s first gallop!

Location: South Dakota

11 of 18

Smile for the camera!

Location: Kruger National Park, South Africa

12 of 18

“I’m determined to maintain a sweet tan this summer!”

Location: Antarctica

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13 of 18

“Don’t sneak up on me like that! You scared me!”

Location: Caddo Lake, TX

14 of 18

Just another day in the pool!

Location: Philadelphia, PA

15 of 18

“I’m frightened. Hold me!”

Location: Monteverde, Costa Rica

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16 of 18

A cub snuggles up to mom for a snooze.

Location: Manitoba, Canada

17 of 18

“What’re you looking at me like that for? I didn’t do anything wrong!”

Location: Columbia, SC

18 of 18

“Do you mind? I’m trying to nap here.”

Location: Antarctica

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