Do you ever find yourself admiring animals with big, chubby cheeks?
From tiny chipmunks to orangutans, plenty of animals have cheeks that are too cute to resist. These chubby cheeks not only make these animals adorable, but they also serve a practical purpose.
Orangutan
Male orangutans are known for their big cheeks, which are large flaps of skin on either side of their face. These flaps are called cheek pads and are unique to mature male orangutans.
Cheek pads are composed of subcutaneous accumulations of fibrous tissue and are located between the eyes and ears. They give the male orangutan a distinctive look.
Orangutans are the largest arboreal mammals and the most socially solitary of the great apes. They are native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia but are now only found in small regions of Borneo and Sumatra. They have proportionally very long arms and short legs with long reddish-orange hair.
Quokka
You can’t go wrong with the Quokka if you’re looking for an animal with big cheeks. These adorable creatures are known for their friendly demeanour and, of course, their plump cheeks.
Quokkas are small marsupials that are native to Western Australia. They are about the size of a domestic cat and have a round, furry body. Their most distinctive feature is their big, round cheeks, which they use to store food. Quokkas are herbivores and primarily eat grasses, leaves, and bark.
One of the most interesting things about Quokkas is their behaviour. They are known for being very friendly and approachable and are often called the “world’s happiest animal.” Quokkas are not afraid of humans and will often approach people, especially if they smell food.
Chipmunk
If you’re looking for an animal with big cheeks, look no further than the chipmunk. These small, striped squirrels have internal cheek pouches that they use to transport food. In fact, they can carry up to half their body weight in their cheeks!
Chipmunks are active during the day and are found throughout North America, from southern Canada to west-central Mexico. There are 25 species of chipmunk, and they all have similar physical characteristics.
One interesting fact about chipmunks is that they can hibernate for long periods. During the winter, they retreat to their burrows and lower their heart rate and body temperature to conserve energy. In the spring, they emerge from their burrows and resume their normal activities.
Hamster
These small rodents have become popular pets around the world, and just like chipmunks, they have cheek pouches used for sorting food. This gives these small animals the appearance of having chubby cheeks.
The most common type of hamster seen as a pet is the golden hamster, also known as the Syrian hamster. These hamsters can grow up to seven inches and weigh up to 140 grams. They have large, round ears and short, stubby tails. Syrian hamsters come in various colours: golden, cinnamon, white, and black.
Hamsters can fit up to 20% of their own body mass in their cheek pouches, which is quite impressive for an animal of their size. They use these pouches to transport food to their burrows, where they store it for later.
Squirrel
These cute little creatures are known for their ability to store food in their cheeks, which can make their faces look quite plump.
Squirrels are generally small animals, with the African pygmy squirrel and the least pygmy squirrel being the smallest, measuring only 10-14 cm in total length and weighing just 12-26 g. On the other hand, the Bhutan giant flying squirrel is the largest, measuring up to 1.27 m in total length.
These pouches are used to store food, which the squirrels can then carry back to their nests or burrows. Squirrels can store a surprising amount of food in their cheek pouches, with some species being able to store up to four acorns in each pouch.
Squirrels have a varied diet, which includes nuts, seeds, fruits, and insects. They are also known to eat bird eggs and small rodents on occasion. Squirrels are very active animals and spend a lot of their time climbing trees and running along branches.