What animals are misunderstood?

[Soubriquet]

People seem to hate certain animals due to old wives tales and other things.

What animal do you think gets undeserved hate?

I’ll start with bats and spiders.

People freak out about bats because they worry about rabies. It’s a fair worry but as long as you don’t go picking bats up, you have nothing to worry about. They won’t fly into you, they don’t aim to bite you and they are very unlikely to fly into your home. So sit outside and watch them swoop for bugs in peace.

Spiders. Ok yeah, a lot of them are not nice to look at but the majority of spiders in the Uk are perfectly harmless. Most types have fangs that can’t penetrate the skin and the ones who do, it creates a mild itching more than anything. People were panicking about false widows but most of the won’t hurt anyone. It’s only people who have an allergy to the venom that was reacting.

Hyenas. I find them fascinating.

Rooks and crows. They don't have a bad reputation but they don't get the credit they deserve for their intelligence

Rabbits. Generally thought to be a bit dull and, as they are quiet, are often neglected. Simultaneously thought to be cuddly.

Actually very funny and sweet. Personality expands to fit their environment (just how interesting would a human be shut in one room alone all day?). Very rarely cuddly but very appreciative of being looked after well.

Agree with pigeons.

They get treated like vermin but pigeons are actually very intelligent and their navigational abilities and flying speeds are astounding.

Also, they are the only birds that can drink with their head kept down at water level. They can basically use their beak like a straw rather than having to keep throwing their head back to swallow.

They're really quite fascinating birds all round.

Opposite way round but dolphins. Everyone thinks they're so lovely but they're evil, rapey, porpoise murdering bastards!

Ha, cross post @BitOutOfPractice!

Foxes are beautiful. Cows too.

Ditto otters

Squirrel's. I think they're so cute with cheeky personality. We had a family of squirrel's in the tree behind us for as long as we've lived here. I loved seeing them venture out with their babies. I came home from my holidays a week ago to discover a neighbour has cut down the tree they were in and I'm really upset about it.

Definitely spiders. I know they look a bit strange and alarming, but they're not aggressive and will only bite if they feel threatened. They're quite shy and just want to live their spidery lives in peace.

Snakes are very shy and just want to avoid getting into bad situations. Again, they'll only bite if they feel threatened and need to defend themselves.

I have tarantulas and snakes as pets and I have never been bitten.

Rats and foxes

Really? Even the little cute ones? Who knew!

Yes. Necrophiliacs too.

Agree about spiders. I like them and find them fascinating. We once had a spider in the kitchen which spent the winter watching over an egg sac in the corner of one window. If the windows steamed up, it would come and gather up the water with its front legs, leaving a cross-hatch pattern down the glass. If the windows hadn't steamed up I'd flick a bit of water at them and it would gather that instead. It died in the spring but the egg sac was okay. It reminded me of the lovely story 'Charlotte's Web'.

Bleurgh, dirty otters!

Look at this spider lovers

Vultures are really important to their ecosystem. They function as waste disposal for animal carcasses; without them there would be loads more toxins, bacteria and disease in their environment.

A fine looking spider!

I did a survey years ago asking people their opinions on bats.
The most common fear of bats was "they might get caught in my hair".
No one in around 300 responses mentioned rabies.

Pigeons

I love pigeons, if they live in towns they're very tame. I love they way they mooch about bobbing their heads looking for food.
I have a soft spot for them cause they're the under dog.

Insects in general get a really bad press but they are all so so important. If people could just get over their stupid self-interest and take time to try and understand how fascinating and crucial insects are the world would be a better place.

But I'm also going to add dogs to the list. They are not playthings, toys, a reflection of ourselves or exist only to please us. I fucking hate how badly humans treat dogs.

Vultures. I used to sponsor a vulture at the local raptor centre, when I found out that they won’t mate until the male builds the nest. If the female doesn’t like it she throws it on the ground and flys off ( no nooky for rip off builders in Vulture World).

I wonder if pterodactyl had the same attitude?

Don't fuck with cows.

I know they look all sleepy and placid and docile, but as somebody from a farming background, they can be very dangerous if they feel threatened by humans, especially cows with calves at foot.

I used to be an 'all wasps are bastards' kind of a person, but the more I've learned about them, the more I like them! Agree with the PP above who said that if they politely ask for a little smackerel of whatever you're eating, just give it to them!

Also love corvids, foxes, rats, bats, mice, snakes, sharks and spiders. Fascinated by woodlice and beetles.

Octopuses (in fact, all cephalopods) are AMAZING.

Find seagulls amusing, but would prefer it if they didn't shot on my freshly-valeted car.

Pigeons are okay.

Carpet moths and ticks can fuck right off, though, and dolphins are arseholes.

Another vote for rats. I absolutely loved the two we had. They were so comical. Both completely bonkers in different ways. Our smallest would stand up and shake and rattle the cage door with both paws as if to say let me out. The other got lost in the Christmas tree one year. The biggest tried to steal a whole apple and go under a chest of drawers with the apple. I miss those guys.

I think spiders are misunderstood as well.
I saw a big spider running around last night and it made me giggle, it was in and out of various nooks and crannies at top speed. It was probably a male out looking for a female.