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Matt Bell
University of Edinburgh, UK
My guess is that it’s just an evolutionary accident. Humans are selected to find their own offspring “cute” – it’s a mechanism that is there to make sure we care for them. That means we have a predisposition to find anything with similar traits cute – big, forward-facing eyes, especially. As the question alluded to with dogs: we have actively selected for “cute” dogs, because it’s what we find appealing. So effectively, there is a template in our brains that finds baby-like features appealing.
Seals just happen to have traits that partially fit that template, evolved for completely different reasons. It also helps that they sort of look like they’re smiling because the ends of their jaws turn up. Humans are dreadfully prone to thinking things are smiling.
However, I think I’d also take issue with calling seals “cute”. They also have traits that many people find threatening, because they are also commonly associated with large predators (which is what they are). I certainly find they veer more to the “that thing looks like it could take a nasty bite out of you, and looks too clever by half” side, rather that the “aww, cute water doggy, can I cuddle it” side.
Diane Erwin
Mariposa, California, US
Seals, like other predators – including canines, felines and bears – have front-facing eyes to aid in tracking prey. Prey animals, such as rabbits and deer, have side-facing eyes to scan their surroundings for predators. Seals, puppies, kittens and teddy bears all appeal to humans as they mimic (to our minds) human babies.
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