The Hindu : International : Tiger beats dog in popularity

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 07, 2004

International

International

Tiger beats dog in popularity

LONDON, DEC. 6. The tiger is the world's favourite animal, according to a global poll. The dog, traditionally regarded as man's best friend, was 17 votes behind. The friendly dolphin came third, more than 3,000 votes adrift of the tiger and the dog. Other interesting animals failed to make the top 10: no koala, penguin, puffin, aardvark, or warthog.

Surprisingly, the snake was placed sixth (although no distinction was made between the venomous and the harmless), below the horse and the lion, but above the elephant, the chimp, the orangutan, and the whale. Almost 53,000 people took part in the poll, organised by the satellite TV channel, Animal Planet. The tiger won 10,902 votes, the dog 10,885 .

An animal behaviourist said: "Humans live in a hierarchical society, where we look up to and take guidance from leaders. We can relate to the tiger, as it is fierce and commanding on the outside, but noble and discerning on the inside. In contrast, the dog is a loyal and respectful creature, and brings out the lighter, more communicative side of human nature. The large number of votes the dolphin received shows that we as humans appreciate grace, beauty, and vivacity."

Britain is keen on orangutans and chimps. The snake did well in Germany, and the dog sprinted past the tiger in South Africa, Poland, Romania, and South-East Asia.

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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