Why are most fursonas wolves?

[00:00:00]So, bro, are you telling me wolves are the best species like ever? That's not exactly what I said. I was just saying that the most popular species [music] is a wolf. Isn't that like the same thing, bro? Not exactly. As some of you may already know, just by taking one look at pretty much any social media site or app, wolves appear to be the most popular persona species in the furry fandom. And they aren't the only species dominating the list. There are also foxes, dogs, dragons, and big cats which are incredibly popular. Something which you've probably also spotted. But there is a reason behind the popularity spike of only a handful of species. [music] And in this video, that is what you will find out. So before I start going on several other tangents, let's just get right into the main part of the video.

[00:01:04]First off, just to give you a perspective of what the split looks like between species, the best data that I could find from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project's survey in 2020 shows that out of 559 participants across 41 countries, 20.7% of species chosen for people's personas were wolves, then dragons at 16%, foxes [music] at 15.8%, hybrids at 14%, and finally dogs at 10.6%.

[00:01:37]And it was actually noted by the International Anthropomorphic Research Project that this was the first time since the survey was ran that foxes were actually beaten by anything other than wolves. But you clicked on the video to know why. Why do dragons of all species have such a high popularity all of a sudden? Well, from what I can find for this specific example, it really is just down to looking cool for most people. If you think about it, especially when it comes to fursuiting, a dragon really does stand out when compared to canines or felines or whichever other persona species happens to be around. But the explanation is very different for the other species at the top of the popularity list. First of all, think back to what you saw in books or cartoons and maybe even real life when you were younger. You probably saw a lot of dogs or maybe wolves and foxes, right? Well, that tends to stay with you [music] along with the associations you may have unknowingly learned about them.

[00:02:39]For example, and this isn't reflective of persona stereotypes because that's a whole different video, wolves and dogs tend to be loyal and foxes mischievous.

[00:02:50]Now, I'm not saying everyone picked their persona species because of that, but for more people than you may realize, it does play a fairly significant role, even if it is potentially subconscious. Also, consider some of the practical constraints that some species may introduce. Sometimes people choose particular species like canines or similar because they tend to be easier to have a blah blah blah, as I was saying, because they tend to be easier to base a persona on since there are many people who already have one and lots of templates, ideas, and experience has circulated around them. However, just like we consider these possibilities, sometimes it really is as simple as it just looking cool. Some people really do just like the vibe of one creature over another or feel as though they have the creative spirit to take on a much more complex creature like a hybrid or a custom animal such as a protogen. It doesn't mean that people with personas that are based on popular species are lazy or less creative though. They may just be going with what feels comforting and familiar which is totally fine. So, um, Skikes H. Yeah, I'm not a basic Uber. You can't say that.

[00:04:08]Oops.

[00:04:11]But yes, creating a persona requires a creative mind by the very definition of creation. So, Goober, yeah, you are not a basic. Yippee.

[00:04:24]And with that, I hope you all have a fantastic day.

[00:04:42][music]