Apropos our discussion last week about Konrad Lorenz's theory of neotenous traits of all baby animals as being inherently cute to us (remarkably, Lorenz is referenced in the very opening of the Wikipedia entry on "cuteness") here is a local test case from this week's news:"Three of the five new dwarf crocodiles on display at the Lincoln Park Zoo, After 67 years at Lincoln Park Zoo, its oldest living reptile is finally a father. R1, a male dwarf crocodile, first arrived at the zoo in 1940. He successfully fathered five offspring with his mate Maggie, for the first time last month. The happy parents will also be on display at the Regenstein African Journey. Dwarf crocodiles are an endangered species native to western Africa."
Are these reptilian kids cute or what. or not? They may not have the flattened face, and big forehead, nor even the particularly large eyes, but I can't help but think warm thoughts about this baby dwarfs.
- AY
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