Editor’s Note: This article is part of Know Your Meme’s annual Top Ten Review series looking back at some of the most memorable and popular memes, events and people that defined the Internet culture in 2015 as we know it.
C
ute animals belong on the short list of subjects that will likely remain popular online until the end of humanity as we know it. While cats still remain a dominate force in this area, other animals have made enormous strides in competing for our attention online.
Advice animals are becoming less culturally relevant with each passing year, but the Seal of Approval series saw a significant boost in popularity on Reddit. Additionally, the photoshop meme Overly Excited Dog made its debut on /r/aww, where Redditors share the most disgustingly adorable photographs they can find.
In France, an animal rights group were caught on camera stealing a puppy from a homeless man, causing an enormous backlash on the French web. Additionally, French activists from the Bird Protection League drew the ire of a shovel-wielding man in his underwear, launching the infamous Slipgate photoshop meme.
Former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin made headlines after posting a photograph of her son using the family dog as a step stool, drawing criticism for animal rights activists who disapproved of her parenting skills.
In no particular order, here are the top 10 animal-related memes that hit the web this past year.
| | - Species: Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla)
- Debut: October 1996
- Breakout: 名古屋のイケメンゴリラ | YouTube
- Profile: Western lowland silverback gorilla from the Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, Japan. Has a substantial online following in Japan among young women. Known for being exceptionally photogenic.
- Primary Habitat: Twitter
- Highlights: Gorilla Munch comparison | People Magazine cover
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| | - Species: Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
- Debut: June 2015
- Breakout: /r/aww | Reddit
- Profile: A Puggle (pug-beagle hybrid) dog known for its irritated-looking facial expressions.
- Primary Habitat: Reddit
- Highlights: On Fetching | Samuel Jackson Face Swap
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| | - Species: Cat (Felis catus)
- Debut: May 2015
- Breakout: きゅうりにびっくりする猫
- Profile: Domestic cats that are terrified of long cylindrical shaped gourds. Have a tendency to perform spectacular acrobatic maneuvers when startled.
- Primary Habitat: Reddit | YouTube
- Highlights: Glitch Cat | Cat Scared of Cucumber
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