Some animals are almost universally beloved. Tigers and lions are revered as symbols of strength, courage, and nobility, while dolphins are praised for their intelligence and elegance.
Yet, on the other end of the spectrum, many creatures face widespread disdain, dismissed as dangerous, disgusting, or simply uninteresting.
Human attitudes towards different species stem from various influences – from how ‘useful’ they are (i.e. as workers or livestock) to how they’re portrayed in folklore and popular culture. And these influences can often lead us to form opinions of animals that might not necessarily hold true once we get to know them better.
Below, we take a look at some of the most misunderstood animals to see if we can change your mind.
1. Pigeons
In times past, pigeons were one of the most respected animals around. It’s believed the ancient Greeks used homing pigeons to announce the Olympic Games results, and Akbar the Great, a 16th-century Mughal emperor, reportedly kept 20,000 in his court, taking them all with him whenever he moved camp.
But today, pigeons are mostly thought of as dirty and disease-ridden, leading to many calling them ‘rats with wings’. However, there’s plenty to love about them.
According to the RSPB, they’re no less clean than other birds, aren’t considered major carriers of disease, and you’re more likely to catch an illness from a pet bird than a pigeon.
Another popular takedown of pigeons is that they’re unintelligent, which research has disproven. They’re one of the only bird species to pass the ‘mirror test’, which measures self-awareness by seeing whether animals can recognise their reflection. Other species that have passed the mirror test include bottlenose dolphins, chimpanzees, and Asian elephants, which are all celebrated for their smarts.
Pigeons also have exceptional memories. They can remember human faces and find their way home from thousands of miles away, a gift that’s come in handy for humans across the centuries.
For example, during both World Wars, pigeons carried crucial messages behind enemy lines. So critical were their life-saving efforts in World War Two that 32 pigeons were presented with the Dickin Medal (also known as the ‘Animal Victoria Cross’). They also played a key role in helping Charles Darwin develop his theory of evolution.
What’s more, almost all feral pigeons (i.e. the ones living in our towns and cities) are descended from domesticated birds that have escaped captivity over the millennia, settling in man-made structures as a substitute for their natural nesting places: cliffs. So, in many ways, we’re responsible for the pigeons that cover statues in droppings or flutter a little too close to our heads on a morning walk in the park.
2. Hyenas
You only have to watch The Lion King to get an idea of the hyena’s reputation throughout the world, in which they serve as the villain’s cackling and conniving henchmen.
Lots of animals that share savannas, grasslands, and other habitats with hyenas – such as lions, giraffes, and elephants – are thought of as beautiful and majestic, but many consider hyenas to be little more than pests. In some areas, they’re heavily hunted and, in others, they’re feared due to their association with witchcraft.
Their unusual appearance, scavenging behaviours, and unique ‘laughing’ call, which some find unnerving, all contribute to their notoriety – but there’s more to Africa’s most common carnivore than meets the eye.
Firstly, the conception of hyenas as pure scavengers – picking the bones of leftovers from more ‘noble’ predators like lions and cheetahs – is untrue. Spotted hyenas hunt most of their food, turning to livestock when prey is in short supply, which can often put them in conflict with humans.
However, when hyenas do scavenge, they play an important role in the overall ecosystem. Sometimes described as ‘cleaners of the landscape’, they help prevent the spread of pathogens by eating carcasses.
Hyenas also display fascinating social behaviour. As BBC Wildlife puts it, “hyenas practise a group dynamic that’s as complicated as many primate species.” Spotted hyena society is the most social of all carnivores and their clans are matriarchies, led by alpha females.
Besides their custodial nature and complex social structures, there are plenty of other reasons to be impressed by hyenas. More grisly-minded readers might be interested to know that they have one of the strongest bite forces in the animal kingdom, which they use to crunch through the bones of their prey. And their iconic call can be heard almost five kilometres away.
3. Wasps
According to a 2021 YouGov poll, wasps are one of the most reviled creepy crawlies in the UK – second only to spiders, and more than other maligned minibeasts like cockroaches, mosquitoes, and flies. And while many of us have memories of painful stings and being dive-bombed at summer picnics, wasps play a key role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystems.
While there are thousands of wasp species in the UK, only a handful are social – and when most of us think of wasps, it’s the social ones that we picture. These are typically yellow-bodied with a dark pattern and live in colonies.
According to the Natural History Museum, social wasps capture an estimated 14 million kilograms of insect prey each summer in the UK, which they feed to their young. This helps gardeners keep pests like aphids and caterpillars at bay and prevents creepy crawlies like flies and spiders from infesting our homes.
While adult wasps serve up insects to their young, they strictly feed on sugars, which they partly get from nectar – and, as they travel between plants, they carry pollen. So while they may not be as impactful as bees, they’re still impactful pollinators. Wasps’ nests also act as nurseries for the larvae of certain species of hoverflies, some of which are the most important pollinators around.
One of the most common gripes about wasps is that they might follow you as you try to move away from them. But, as Paul Hetherington writes in the Guardian, “[w]asps navigate via geo-location of large objects.” So what we may perceive as aggression might simply be them trying to find their way around.
Plus, while wasps’ nests can certainly be a nuisance, it’s difficult to ignore the fact that they’re astounding architectural feats, made from chewed-up wood mixed with saliva, which is then paper-mâchéd into place.
4. Piranhas
Thanks, in large part, to the eponymous, pulpy horror film series, which started as a parody of Jaws, piranhas are considered one of the most fearsome denizens of the deep. They’re often thought of as mindless, murderous machines that’ll strip the flesh from the bones of naive swimmers. However, experts are keen for us to rethink this preconception.
For example, the Bristol Aquarium has called them “one of the world’s most misunderstood fish.” And back in 2023, Chester Zoo welcomed 40 piranhas, hoping they would help “dispel myths about the fish’s fearsome stereotype,” according to the BBC.
We can’t argue that piranhas are the most obviously lovable animal. With razor-sharp gnashers, one of the strongest recorded bites of a fish of their size, and a habit of attacking their prey’s eyes and tails to immobilise them, they’re far from warm and fuzzy. But perhaps these much-feared fish are in need of a little rebrand.
For starters, piranha attacks on humans are very rare and, as Stuart Blackman writes on the Discover Wildlife website, “Whether piranhas ever actually kill humans is far from clear […] There are certainly a few documented cases of human bodies being eaten by piranhas. But it’s always hard to know if the victims were already dead when the piranhas found them.”
Even the most aggressive species, black and red-bellied piranhas, rarely attack humans, only becoming dangerous when their food supply is short, water levels are low, or their spawn is threatened. Contrary to their blood-crazed reputation, piranhas are omnivores. Mostly, their diets include seeds, insects, and small fish, and some species, like Tometes camunani, are completely vegetarian.
Another misconception about piranhas is that they form ‘hunting packs’. While it’s true that piranhas do travel in shoals, experts believe that this is for protection from predators like birds, caimans, and river dolphins. These shoals are organised with younger fish on the outside and older fish, more vulnerable fish on the inside.
There are plenty more fascinating facts about piranhas. One of our favourites is that red-bellied piranhas make ‘barking’ noises to intimidate other fish, and ‘knocking’ sounds, like drumbeats, when fighting. They contract and relax their swim bladder muscles to make these noises. Swim bladders are gas (usually oxygen) filled organs that keep fish afloat.
5. Bats
Bats get a bad rap from all angles. While some view them as dirty and diseased, others (perhaps due to vampire stories) consider them to be creepy and omens of bad luck. But there are many reasons why we should appreciate them more.
When we use the word ‘bats’, we’re referring to over 1,400 species worldwide. These range from the teeny-tiny Kitti’s hog-nosed bat, measuring just three centimetres in length, to flying foxes, which can boast a wingspan of 1.5 metres (five feet).
While it’s true that bat species drink blood, this is only true for three of them (none of which live in the UK). And, if it makes any difference, the moniker of ‘bloodsuckers’ is actually incorrect because vampire bats don’t suck blood. Instead, they bite their prey and lap it up with their tongue (although you might find this equally creepy).
Another argument used to disparage bats is that they can pass diseases on to humans. While this is also true (bats can transmit viruses like rabies), the Bat Conservation Trust tells us, “The most up to date research has demonstrated that bat species do not carry any more disease-causing viruses than other mammal groups.”
The Bat Conservation Trust also says, “Human contact with bats is very rare, even when they share the same buildings. There is therefore no risk to you if you do not approach or handle a bat.”
Not only are bats less harmful than you might think, but they’re actively helpful, too. All British bats eat insects, helping to control pest populations. Surprisingly, many plant species throughout the world rely on bats as pollinators because they go from plant to plant, eating fruit and slurping up nectar. Long-nosed bats are the main pollinators of the agave plant, from which we get tequila. So, next time you’re enjoying a refreshing margarita, you might want to spare a thank you for bats.
The term ‘blind as a bat’ also shows just how misunderstood these animals are. In fact, most bats can see perfectly well, with many species boasting better eyesight than the average human. While many species do have enhanced hearing and use echolocation to hunt at night, their eyes are also adapted to see in low-light conditions, making them effective nocturnal predators.
Final thoughts…
We hope this article shows that some of the most disliked animals around aren’t so off-putting once you get to know them a little better.
From exotic species like hyenas and piranhas to common UK creatures such as wasps and pigeons, there are many reasons to celebrate some of the animals we might otherwise hold negative views about. Some are key species that help keep our ecosystems in order, others have aided humans throughout history, and all are fascinating in their own ways.
For more interesting animal content, check out our articles: 16 weird and wonderful animals you can find in the UK and 7 conservation success stories that give us hope for the future.
Did this article change your mind on any of these animals? Or do you have any suggestions for misunderstood animals that we didn’t include? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
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