Human fascination with animals

Homo sapiens, well, us, humans, have been on earth for centuries, but animals have been around for millions of years. Yet, ever since our own evolution, we’ve always been fascinated by them. With some airborne and others living underwater or on land, we study them and are still learning about what they can do. But why are we so interested in them?

Humans and Animals Together Forever

Where there are humans, there’s often an animal or two around. Back when we lived in caves, animals were always close by, living with us and working with us. Nowadays, with evolution, advancements in technology and society, our relationship has changed, and we’re not as close with them as we were.

For instance, as cave-dwellers, animals would literally be with us side-by-side. Paintings on cave walls would depict animals, as would Ancient Egyptian artwork. They would also appear in folklore and stories, being passed down through the ages, such as in Aesop’s fables. Humans were closely intertwined with animals

Animals Today

Today, we’re often considered animal lovers, with many of us owning pets or feeling some kind of affinity for them. This is clear to see as they feature in many genres. For instance, Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book was written in 1894 before being made into a film in 1967. In 2016, it was remade and was still just as popular. 

Another popular film with an animal as the primary character is King Kong, a film that’s been remade several times. First in 1976, then in 1986, and finally in 2005. There have also been successful spin-offs, including Kong: Skull Island. We just can’t seem to get enough of this giant ape!

But animals have also been featured in other genres, including games. For instance, Raging Rhino Megaways transports players back to the Savannah, where you’ll see other magnificent creatures, such as crocodiles, cheetahs and gorillas. It’s landing on the rhinos that’ll provide players with the highest payout. Being a Megaways game, there are over 117,000 ways a player can win.

Another example is Depth, a game where divers are pitted against a shark. It starts off weak and, as it gains points through evolution, becomes stronger and more dangerous. Meanwhile, the team of humans has to escort a mini-submarine on its mission to gather treasure. They also have weapons and tools available to help them track and fight the shark along their way.

Many of us enjoy having relationships with animals as pet owners. They often become part of our families. Our feelings for them grow because they have their own personalities, some of which we identify within ourselves.  

Animals and humans have a long relationship that’s lasted for time immemorial. Our attachment to them has endured to the point we’ve integrated them into nearly all areas of our lives. From books to films and games, they’re included. Despite our rich history with them, there’s still much more we have to learn and discover, which is an exciting prospect to think about.