There’s something about animals possessing human emotions that really hits on another level. That’s why when one of my colleagues alerted me to ‘the world’s grumpiest frog’ today, I was sent into a tailspin of emotion.
The Black Rain Frog AKA Breviceps fuscus is native to South Africa. Apparently this sassy little critter is only found on the southern slopes of the Cape Fold Belt from Swellendam to the Outeniqua Mountains, burrows in forest fringes and doesn’t need the presence of water.
Imagine how miffed this little guy must be sitting on the edge of a mountain slope, burrowed in the leaves.
Not only does the the world’s grumpiest frog resemble my entire Monday morning mood, but it’s definitely giving both Grumpy Cat and Baby Yoda a run for their money in the ugly yet cute department.
Apparently, there’s a good reason we find odd-looking animals so adorable. According to Roger Dooler, the author Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing says it stems from “a shift in attractiveness that signals a novelty factor is involved, that people are tired of a stock photo of a cute cat or cute dog.”
Speaking of Baby Yoda, listen to his latest antics on It’s Been A Big Day For… below:
“Even animal lovers get tired of looking at the same old thing,” he said. “People can only stand so much cuteness.”
“If you assign this sort of unexpected emotion to an animal, it’s effective. I think we don’t expect animals to be grumpy, so as a result you have that novelty factor at work too.”
Dooley also notes that the ‘cute factor’ of animals is an effective marketing tool because of the “anthropomorphising of animals and the fact that animals are attracted to larger eyes, which animals have.”
Perhaps there’s also an element that grumpy animals are far more relatable than the happy-go-lucky pups and kittens we often see on our social media feeds.
Either way, the world’s grumpiest frog is a welcome addition to all the famous cute yet utterly pissed off animals out there. Maintain the rage, little guy!
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