15 of the World’s Most Adorable Miniature Animals

Monkeys that can fit in a teacup, chameleons the size of your thumbnail and hummingbirds that are easily mistaken for insects are just a few examples of the amazingly small creatures found in nature. Many of the world’s tiniest animals are found in what used to be relatively untouched, secluded areas like the island of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa, but are now threatened due to human activity. Others are simply aberrations of nature, like Thumbelina, the 17-inch-tall horse. One thing that all of these creatures have in common other than small stature, however, is the fact that they’re insanely cute.

Philippine Tarsier

The bug-eyed, furry little Philippine Tarsier has been called “the world’s smallest monkey”, but it’s not actually a monkey at all. Scientists have loosely classified them as primates for lack of anywhere else to put them, since they’re extremely unique. They spend all day sleeping in cavities and hollows formed in tree trunks and emerge at night to hunt insects. They average 3 to 6 inches in length with another 5 to 11 inches in their tail. Fun fact about the tarsier: its eyes are literally bigger than its stomach.

Thumbelina, World’s Smallest Horse

The world’s smallest horse is just 17 inches tall, barely larger than a house cat. Born on a farm owned by a couple who breeds miniature horses, Thumbelina was tiny even compared to the rest of the couple’s horses, who typically reach about 34 inches in height when fully grown. She weights just 60 pounds and her size has been attributed to dwarfism, making her “a miniature of a miniature”.





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