From the very beginning, the internet has been in love with quirky animals — from Grumpy Cat and Lil Bub to Doge the Shiba Inu and Boo the Pomeranian — and 2026 has been a particularly good year (so far) for a whole menagerie of memorable animals on the web.
Some of these unforgettable critters are small and cute, like Merlin the duck in his tiny green Mexico soccer jersey and custom socks, while others are huge and obstreperous, such as Neil the seal, a 2,200-pound marine mammal in Australia who goes wherever he wants and does whatever he pleases around humans, far away from any other animals of his own species. Some of these animals speak to our need for love, companionship, and connection, like sad little Punch the monkey, who hugs his orangutan stuffie from IKEA for comfort after being rejected by his own mother and others of his species.
Merlin, the soccer-loving duck
For some soccer fans, the most memorable moment of the FIFA World Cup 2026 was Spain’s defeat of Argentina. For others, what they’ll remember is Merlin, the viral duck wearing a Mexico soccer jersey and custom socks. The 2-year-old quacker waddled his way into soccer fans’ hearts after videos showed him on the streets of Mexico City after Mexico won the tournament’s opening match. The winsome waterfowl was then invited to meet the Mexican president during one of her news briefings, so Merlin visited the National Palace, where the dapper duck was photographed wearing his iconic gear.
Osito, the poodle mix who roots for the Mexican soccer team
It’s not just Merlin the duck that’s an unofficial World Cup mascot. Osito the rescue pup also showed his love of the Mexican team throughout the tournament. Jorge Rangel, owner of the darling doggo and an ardent soccer fan, regularly dressed his 8-year-old poodle mix in a tiny Mexico jersey, hat, and shades, then cycled through Mexico City. “I never expected this kind of reaction. Everyone was asking for photos, cheering for us wherever we went. There were people dancing and shouting, ‘Look at the little dog!'” Rangel told the Associated Press.
Punch, the lonely monkey
Of all the animals to go viral in 2026, perhaps none is more well-known than Punch, the sad Japanese macaque. Born in Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo, then abandoned by his mother and largely ignored or pushed away by other monkeys in his troop, the melancholy macaque found solace in a toy orangutan from IKEA. Images of the lonely monkey cuddling his stuffie resonated with netizens around the globe, causing the hashtag #HangInTherePunch to explode on social media. Sales of IKEA’s stuffed orangutans also skyrocketed, and late-night shows mined comedy gold from the ongoing saga.
Jimothy, the raccoon with short spine syndrome
Most animals who become internet famous are cute. Then there’s Jimothy, the viral “mutant” raccoon taking Seattle by storm. Kiana Hall used her cellphone to film what she thought was a cat but quickly realized was something else entirely: a raccoon, possibly afflicted with short spine syndrome. Her five-second Instagram Reel was soon viewed millions of times, and the world has now gone completely bonkers, with memes, a mural, a New Yorker cartoon and even tattoos. Jon Stewart praised Jimothy on “The Daily Show,” calling the trash panda “a short king.”
