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