Favorite animal, why, and when did it achieve this status?

[Treefingers]

I love birds. All birds. Especially this one:

 

[Dr Snakeman]

The African honey badger. Look it up on badassoftheweek.com if you'd like. All I'll say here is that they are the most hardcore bastards in the animal kingdom. They have been known to rip lions' balls off!!

Edit: I have been ninja'd so hard; he had links and everything...

Well, if I have to pick a different one, I'd go with the dog. It is the only animal that can be used as a tool of humankind. They are useful, and intensely loyal (usually). The domestic dog is a testament to the ingenuity of humankind, as it is the one species that we created.

Also, several breeds of dog are just as badass as the honey badger is. Have you seen an attack-trained German Shepard? I've only seen pictures, yet I'm in awe.

 

[Comrade Azza]

Scorpion. Because it can kick the arse of pretty much anything; I've loved it since I was...shit, I dunno...4?

Maybe the Brotherhood of Nod had something to do with it...

 

[ProfessorLayton]

Snakes... I don't know why. I think it was because in 2nd grade it was cool to like animals that are known for being frightening instead of adorable. But now I like big cats as well. Which is strange considering my hatred for house cats.

 

[HT_Black]

Spoiler: This thing

If I have to explain why, you don't deserve eyeballs.

So, you like cocks?
/immaturity

A cat is fine too.

 

[Samuel Adams]

Penguins. They're so cool they even have their own TV show.

 

[joshuaayt]

A cat is fine too.

Hoho. It's been a while since I've seen that one.
Probably a ferret. We got one recently, from some idiotic breeder who thought that immunisation was for pussies, and they are probably the coolest pets you can get. Smart, too (though perhaps predisposed to suicidal behavior)
EDIT: WAIT!
Turritopsis nutricula is slightly cooler than even ferrets. Anyone know why?

 

[Shadeovblack]

It's a tie, cats and spiders.

 

[Neo0MJ]

I love spiders. Freaks are so weird and badass, especially the Portia spider. Little buggers are so smart and cunning, taking on bigger and stronger spiders with nothing more then their wits. Some are pretty darn cute, too.

 

[natster43]

Cats. They are adorable and cuddly and fun to play with. I have also had cats for all my life.

 

[FortheLegion]

Snow Leopards... Just look at how noble he is!

Snow leopard are indeed awesome and noble
I like cats

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

I can't believe no one has said this yet, but;

[image/]http://www.vaughanpl.info/teenvortex/blog/wp-content/uploads/liger.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Something Amyss]

Snow Leopards... Just look at how noble he is!

It's like he's thinking "I rule and you know it."

I love cats of all variety. Hard to pick just one.

 

[Paulie92]

I'm a big fan of wolves ever since I read Robin Hobb that and y'know they're badarse

 

[Tim_Buoy]

dogs they are awesome i had a dog when i was a little and he was my best buddy ever

 

[Death God]

Tigers. They are huge, they eat everything, and the cubs are adorable! How could you not love these little fellows?

 

[Reynard Wrecce]

Seen a lot of love about for my favourites already - Axolotl FTW! - but I'm gonna have to throw out the Honey Badger.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_badger
Saw a documentary about them, totally awesome creatures. Point one, they mate 'energetically' for 3 days. Point two, they've evolved the most fantastic defence mechanism ever. Not poisonous, not fast, not clever, not spiny, not camouflaged...they're just so tenacious and vicious, they're functionally unkillable. A hungry lion will walk past a honey badger, because it's not even worth trying to kill the damn things.
Bloody-mindedness as a defence! What's not to love about that?!?

Then there is the way they got the name in the first place: Honey Badgers stick there heads inside the hives of African Honey Bees to feast on honey and bee larvae.

There is even a recorded incident of a Honey Badger that stole food from a poisonous snake, ate it, and then went after the snake itself.

I got bitten during the struggle, but it passed out for only 2 hours from what could have been a fatal bite to a human, and it then resumed eating it.

I love Honey Badgers

I love the idea of the bees having a little strategy meeting to discuss the weird skunk-looking thing wandering around outside;
"Any attack made by the creature against this hive would be a useless gesture, no matter what technical data it's obtained. This hive is now the ultimate power on the plain..."
...and then the giant badger face Dr Manhattans through the skylight.

 

[Bobby Newmark]

Owls are cool! They've got unique abilities like x-ray vision and detachable necks! Youtube 'transforming owl' for super happytime!