Where to Find the Cutest, Most Amazing Animals on the Web

The internet isn't run by techies, the Beygency, or the FCC. It's ruled by the animals that mesmerize us with their cute antics in GIFs, photos, and videos. But the animals of the web aren't just busy falling down and not being able to get up, or winning our hearts with a sneeze. They're also incredibly important—whether as research subjects or harbingers of climate change. Here's a list of some of our favorite animal scientists, writers, and photo feeds that you should follow for a daily serving of cute, with a side of knowledge.

The ZooBorns Instagram feed, which features photos of baby animals from zoos around the world, is mostly about animals at their tiniest and most adorable. (Fennec fox kits! Sloths! Pangolins!) So squeee away, but don't forget that each time you get all mushy about an Emperor chick, you also, in some small way, cast a vote for preserving biodiversity and wilderness everywhere. It's a penguin win-win.

The WTF, Evolution?! Tumblr is the sketch comedy routine of the animal kingdom. As impressive as evolution is, it has produced some wacky solutions for survival. This feed points out, and laughs at, the resulting bizarre appendages, shapes, and life cycles. Take the sloth: It depends on a combination of algae, rainwater, moths, and a monthly trip to the forest floor to poop. WTF, Evolution?!

WIRED's own Matt Simon curates a weekly freak show of Absurd Creatures, from the terrifying, deadly Bobbitt worm to the scary-smart cuttlefish to the adorable axolotl that regenerates its limbs. Simon interviews the scientists that study these odd animals and the incredible adaptations they've come up with to survive in strange environments or gain a competitive reproductive edge. Pro tip: The photo captions are chuckle-inducing Easter eggs; don't miss 'em.

Writer Jon Mooallem's Twitter feed is a delightful collection of odd animal news bits, facts, and photos of animals and humans having strange encounters.