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Yesterday, my "adorable science" newsfeed let me know that research has shown that some varieties of sharks like to be picked up and cuddled. Zebra sharks, or as I like to call them, the "kittens of the sea," even roll over to have their tummies rubbed!

Of course, it comes as no surprise that sharks are cuddly -- just try to tell me that guy on the left isn't begging to have a pair of arms wrapped around his dorsal fins.

I would never let a little thing like 100 human fatalities a year detract from a species' cuddle potential. After the jump, check out the most dangerous animals that probably really just need a hug.


Polar Bears: Intellectually, I know that these polar bears are the largest carnivores on land, who breakfast on baby seals and would maul me for some week-old Fig Newtons I accidentally left in my backpack, but when I see a picture like the one on the left I'm still all, "Awww, look at that little guy playing with a ball!" I'm gonna cuddle polar bears while I still have arms left to do it with.



Chimpanzees: We all became pretty well-acquainted with the chimp's capacity to inflict damage when Travis the chimp went on a well-publicized rampage earlier this year. Still, I'd rather rip my own face off than live in a world where I can't cuddle chimps. He could turn that canvas around and show me a painting of my own funeral and I'd still be like, "Overalls! That's freakin' adorable."


Lions: Drinking from a bottle, lions? That's not fair. I'm-a cuddle you and blame those 800 fatalities a year on that jerk Tiger.


Hippos: People always wanna hate on my man hippo, like "Oh did you know that hippos are actually really dangerous?" To them I would say, "Do you see that birthday hat?" No one who has ever seen a hippo butt could let that gaping jaw and its sledgehammer strength stop them from hopping on the cuddle train.


Slow Loris: The first time I saw the slow loris getting tickled my reaction was something along the lines of "OH NOOHNOOHNO" right before I passed out from cuteness. So if you think I'm gonna let a little venomous toxin stop me from getting this dude wrapped around my finger, you've got another thing coming.


Dingo: Oh, hey, little dingo. You look just like a precious little puppy, yes you do, yes you do! You eat babies? Well, I find that hard to reconcile with my image of you as a fluffy little snugglepuff, but we can move on from this. I am gonna spank you with my lips!

What other potentially harmful creatures do you want to cuddle so hard?