Biologen ontketenen #CuteOff op Twitter, met tal van schattige dieren als gevolg

Biologen ontketenen #CuteOff op Twitter, met tal van schattige dieren als gevolg

Wat gebeurt er als biologen een discussie hebben over schattige dieren op Twitter? Juist, een heuse zondvloed aan foto's van aandoenlijke beestjes spoelt over het sociale netwerk.

Het gebeurde eerder deze week, toen biologe Marcella J. Kelly bemerkte dat de grootoorvossen van collega Anne Hilborn nog schattiger waren dan de babybeertjes van vakgenoot Ben Augustine. Nadien duurde het niet lang voordat de #CuteOff werd afgekondigd. Onder die hashtag werd op zoek gegaan naar zo veel mogelijk vertederende dieren.

OMG -@AnneWHilborn's bat -eared foxes may be even cuter than @BenCAugustine's baby bears @whapavt https://t.co/HqU9lFglYH

— Marcella J. Kelly (@marcellajkelly) 31 augustus 2015

Natuurlijk willen we je die foto's niet onthouden. Hieronder een greep uit de meer dan 10.000 tweets die onder deze tag verschenen.

Cheetah cub for #TeamMammal #cuteoff pic.twitter.com/E4k4W08QfV

— Anne Hilborn (@AnneWHilborn) 1 september 2015

The National Science Foundation is do darn cute...loving http://t.co/rGxLLtHp42 #CuteOff! #frog pic.twitter.com/3OUsuN5tiY

— Steven J. Frisch (@stevenjfrisch) 2 september 2015

@AnneWHilborn @HerpSocIreland What about #teamfish? There are serious contenders for #CuteOff. Eg #adorabilis octo pic.twitter.com/jKFX9pXM5P

— Andrea O Pietkiewicz (@andreaop_ux) 2 september 2015

You think that is cute? #CuteOff (from http://t.co/c3CCVCMOsP) #beeflies pic.twitter.com/kU0STCFki0

— Erica McAlister (@flygirlNHM) 1 september 2015

#teamherps is coming on strong in the #cuteoff. But can they compete with tweensy fierce lion? pic.twitter.com/sQzub5nTkB

— Anne Hilborn (@AnneWHilborn) 31 augustus 2015

Let's not be ridiculous...baby sloths win #CuteOff by a landslide. pic.twitter.com/XS2eP0Jlqx

— Sam Trull (@Primatography) 1 september 2015

*Drops Mic* #teamMammal #CuteOff #slothlove pic.twitter.com/m4CsGeg3Lr

— Sam Trull (@Primatography) 1 september 2015

What is cuter than a baby elephant truck? #Cuteoff pic.twitter.com/ih64auzaXm

— Anne Hilborn (@AnneWHilborn) 31 augustus 2015

My final #cuteoff submission. Baby elephant seal cutely scratching nose. Boom. Mic drop. pic.twitter.com/Q2ZfSVmqhV

— Jon Foley (@GlobalEcoGuy) 2 september 2015

#BigBlueLive has got #CuteOff pics for days. Case in point... #KrillinIt pic.twitter.com/pYVLxGnAXE

— PBS (@PBS) 1 september 2015

salmon babies snuggling #cuteoff #teamfish pic.twitter.com/HKTQOdcf6d

— Natalie Sopinka (@phishdoc) 1 september 2015

#CuteOff what's up..... pic.twitter.com/xPpDzQskWb

— Jeff Musial (@JeffAnimalGuy) 1 september 2015

Hatchling Painted Turtle, complete with egg tooth! #herpetology #CuteOff pic.twitter.com/2rbNJemNTw

— Drew Davis (@drewrdavis) 2 september 2015

OK #teammammal here is what I got for #cuteoff from remote camera photo from @whapavt - mamma carrying baby tamadua pic.twitter.com/k1z4fijKyd

— Marcella J. Kelly (@marcellajkelly) 1 september 2015

A #CuteOff, you say? Here is an eastern red-backed salamander from a herp survey. *drops tiny mic, scuttles off* pic.twitter.com/cqVu0X81vG

— Bird and Moon (@RosemaryMosco) 1 september 2015

So it's a #CuteOff, then? Just try to top Africa's "Teddy Bear Ant". #TeamEntomology pic.twitter.com/NDkFPYycb9

— Alex Wild (@Myrmecos) 31 augustus 2015

and insects can be cute too! #cuteoff pic.twitter.com/gs5mbgeFY7

— Rebecca April (@beckoftheyukon) 31 augustus 2015

I gotta contribute a nudibranch that looks like a fluffy bunny (Jorunna parva) to the #CuteOff. Go fluffy bunny slug! pic.twitter.com/7DO9h8CL85

— Milana Featherbottom (@sidetracht) 1 september 2015

Doesn't get much cuter than jumping #spiders. Habronattus decorus says "Hi giant humans!" [photo: @Ibycter] #CuteOff pic.twitter.com/N9eSdJ9Ogb

— Catherine Scott (@Cataranea) 1 september 2015

DYK There are about 25 species of #loris worldwide. http://t.co/v7hpgvJWOe #CuteOff pic.twitter.com/tERIQoOgoq

— National Science Fdn (@NSF) 1 september 2015

Bugs are adorable, especially when they play "let's be reindeer" #CuteOff pic.twitter.com/jfE6UZsIJg

— Bea's Bugs (@arthrobea) 1 september 2015

I interrupt your important grant writing session to win the #CuteOff. #TeamHerpetology pic.twitter.com/oonXLDEjC8

— Katy Greenwald (@amphibs) 1 september 2015

If a #butterfly & a #bird had a baby, what would happen? Oops...this caterpillar. #CuteOff #TeamEntomology #TeamMoth pic.twitter.com/h2PmXhCweY

— Jonathan Kolby (@MyFrogCroaked) 1 september 2015