!Species Morality Coding

Many [[PredatorsAreMean predators]] (whether omnivorous or carnivorous) and [[ScavengersAreScum scavengers]] are usually pegged as bad, mean, or evil even though most are not especially mean or aggressive in RealLife. Most [[HerbivoresAreFriendly herbivores are pegged as good, friendly, or nice]] even though [[XenophobicHerbivore many large herbivorous mammals are especially mean and aggressive]] in RealLife. Despite this trope's existence, animals that are pegged as bad or evil in fiction are actually not evil at all in RealLife and deserve respect and conservation as much as animals that are pegged as good in fiction, do.

Sometimes, there are differences with the species' moral coding across different cultures. For example, in Western cultures, ravens are generally portrayed negatively morality coding wise, but in Pacific Northwest Native American folklore, they are {{Guile Hero}}es. [[SmellySkunk Skunks]] are recently pegged as good in the West, whereas in the rest of the world such as the Native American cultures, skunks are always pegged as bad. Cats (though usually not [[CuteKitten kittens]]) are generally considered bad and mean in most of Western cultures, but in various Asian cultures, cats are generally pegged as lucky and good. Dogs, while generally portrayed as heroic and good in Western and some Asian cultures, are always pegged as [[AlwaysChaoticEvil savage and evil]] in Middle-Eastern cultures.

Sometimes, some types of animals within a larger group of animals are portrayed either more negatively or more positively morality coding wise. For example, [[WiseOldTurtle turtles, tortoises]], and certain types of [[LovableLizard lizards]] are pegged as good guys whereas other reptiles are generally pegged as bad guys. [[CreepyCrows Ravens and crows]] are technically songbirds, but unlike other songbirds, they are generally pegged as bad. Sometimes this even occurs ''within'' a species. Dogs, despite being predators and scavengers in real life, are typically portrayed as heroic and lovable, but certain adult dog breeds, such as bulldogs, pit bulls, chihuahuas and dobermans, are regularly cast as villains. Most of the rat characters in the media are presented as sewer rats, which are pegged as bad, but other subspecies of rats such as pet fancy rats and water rats can be on the side of good.

Sometimes, there are differences in the moral coding of a species across different time periods or locations. For the longest time, wolves were among the most demonized animal species, and in Europe and Asia this attitude still prevails. In North America, however, with its much larger tracts of wilderness, the wolf is viewed more positively. Also, sperm whales were generally pegged as bad guys in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but that portrayal of sperm whales has faded away as whaling became discredited. Before people knew that gorillas were [[GentleGorilla gentle]] [[HerbivoresAreFriendly herbivorous animals]], they were generally cast as [[KillerGorilla pugnacious bad guys]].

Some animals are usually pegged as good despite the negative expressions and associations attributed to them. For example, skunks are recently portrayed as good despite being associated with sneakiness and the expression, "drunk as a skunk." Also, when a person is called a "dog," the label usually refers to their disloyalty, even though real dogs are fiercely loyal (if not savage), and fictional dogs, can be either heroic and good, or savage and evil.

With some animals that are often pegged as bad or evil, the young of the species doesn't normally follow the moral pegging often attributed to the species' adult form. For example, when humans are cast as bad guys, it is usually adults that are cast as such. Children can be cast as villains, but it's usually done as a subversion or as an EnfantTerrible. Teens can be either/or in moral pegging. Also in Western media, adult cats are often cast as bad or mean, but kittens are usually exempt from that moral pegging. If a kitten is cast as evil, it's usually done for comedic purposes.

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[[foldercontrol]]

!!Species Morality Coding List
[[folder:Bad Guy Animals]]
* Baboons, when compared to other monkeys
* Barracudas
* [[FeatheredFiend Birds]] in some cases
* [[BigCreepyCrawlies Bugs]], with a few exceptions
* Cassowaries
* [[CatsAreMean Cats]] in Western media were treated as such, although kittens are often an exception ; especially black or hairless cats get this treatment, even today.
* [[CreepyCentipedes Centipedes]]
* {{Chupacabra}}s
* [[CreepyCockroach Cockroaches]]
* [[NeverSmileAtACrocodile Crocodiles and alligators]], traditionally
* Dingoes
* [[AngryGuardDog Certain breeds]] [[MisterMuffykins of dogs]], such as Pitbulls, Dobermans, Rottweilers and Chihuahuas. (All dogs are [[ScavengersAreScum unclean and evil]] in the Middle-Eastern media however.)
* [[RaptorAttack Dromaeosaurids and troodontids]] (traditionally, because of ''Film/JurassicPark'', more recently it's either/or)
* [[SlipperyAsAnEel Eels]]
* [[PsychoElectricEel Electric eels]]
* Falcons, traditionally
* Fleas
* [[GruesomeGoat Goats]], traditionally when compared to sheep.
* Gorgonopsids
* [[KillerGorilla Gorillas]] (traditionally, before TheNineties, nowadays it's either/or)
* [[HumansAreBastards Humans]] (like it or not, we're nearly always the villains in stories about wild animals, although there are often exceptions)
* [[HeinousHyena Hyenas]], traditionally
* Jackals
* [[MaliciousMonitorLizard Monitor lizards]]
* [[MacabreMothMotif Moths]], when compared to butterflies.
* Mosquitos
* [[PredatorsAreMean Most predators]]
* [[ScavengersAreScum Most scavengers]]
* Most theropods, traditionally
* [[PikePeril Pikes]]
* [[PiranhaProblem Piranhas]]
* Porcupines, when compared to hedgehogs
* [[YouDirtyRat Rats, especially sewer rats]] (non-sewer rats nowadays are either/or)
* [[RhinoRampage Rhinoceroses]], traditionally
* [[ScaryScorpions Scorpions]]
* [[ThreateningShark Sharks]]
* Skuas
* [[SmellySkunk Skunks]], traditionally
* [[SnakesAreSinister Snakes]], especially [[PoisonIsEvil venomous ones]] (though non-venomous snakes are either/or)
* Sperm whales (in the 19th and early 20th centuries)
* [[SavageSpinosaurs Spinosaurids]]
* Terror birds
* [[TermiteTrouble Termites]]
* Toads, when compared to frogs.
* ''[[TerrifyingTyrannosaur Tyrannosaurus rex]]'' (before TheNineties, nowadays it's either/or)
* [[VileVulture Vultures]]
* [[WickedWasps Wasps]], when compared with bees.
* [[WickedWeasel Weasels]], traditionally
* [[DragonsAreDemonic Western Dragons]], traditionally.
* [[FullBoarAction Wild pigs]]
* [[SavageWolves Wolves]], traditionally
* Yetis, traditionally and when compared to Bigfeet
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Good Guy Animals]]
* Anteaters and aardvarks (unless ants and termites are involved)
* Antelopes
* [[AmicableAnts Ants]], traditionally
* Armadillos, traditionally
* Beavers
* Beetles, traditionally
* [[BigHeartedBigfoot Bigfeet]], traditionally and when compared to Yetis
* [[PrettyButterflies Butterflies]]
* Chameleons
* Chickens, traditionally
* Chipmunks
* Cranes, traditionally
* [[TheMarvelousDeer Deer]] (although TheRival may be an exception)
* [[HeroicDolphin Dolphins]], traditionally
* {{Doves|MeanPeace}}, traditionally
* [[DragonsAreDivine Eastern Dragons]], traditionally.
* [[HonorableElephant Elephants]], traditionally
* Fishes (except for sharks, eels, piranhas, barracudas, and pikes)
* Frilled lizards
* Frogs, traditionally
* Geckos
* [[GenialGiraffe Giraffes]]
* Guinea Pigs
* Hamsters
* Hedgehogs, when paired with villainous porcupines
* Herons (unless if frogs and fishes are involved)
* [[HuggyHuggyHippos Hippopotamuses]], traditionally
* [[CuteKitten Kittens]], as opposed to adult cats. (Also, cats in general are treated as such in non-Western media.)
* Ladybugs
* Lemurs
* Manatees and dugongs
* [[NiceMice Mice]], especially when paired with [[CatsAreMean villainous felines]], [[YouDirtyRat rats]] [[ElephantsAreScaredOfMice or]] [[CruelElephant elephants]]
* Mongooses (including meerkats)
* [[HerbivoresAreFriendly Most herbivores]]
* Ostriches, traditionally
* [[PlayfulOtter Otters]]
* Pandas (both giant and red)
* Pelicans
* Penguins
* Pigeons, traditionally
* Roadrunners
* [[SweetSheep Sheep]], though [[GruesomeGoat rams are occasionally an exception]]
* [[GentleGiantSauropod Sauropods]] and other herbivorous dinosaurs (though [[TemperCeratops ceratopsians]], [[HeadButtingPachy pachycephalosaurs]], and [[ToughArmoredDinosaur armored dinosaurs]] tend to be exceptions)
* Shrimps
* Sloths
* Songbirds
* Squirrels, [[DogsHateSquirrels especially if]] [[BewareOfViciousDog the dog is a villain]]
* Storks
* [[SwansASwimming Swans]], traditionally
* Turkeys
* Turtles, with the occasional exception of snapping turtles.
* Wallabies, when compared to kangaroos
* Whales, especially baleen whales
* WoodlandCreatures
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Either/Or Animals]]
* Ants
** [[AmicableAnts Ants can be good]]
** [[AntAssault Or they can be bad]]
* Badgers
** Badgers can be good
** [[BadOlBadger Or they can be bad]]
* [[CockyRooster Chickens]]
* Bats
** Bats can be good
** [[BatOutOfHell Or they can be bad]]
* Bears
** [[BearsAreBadNews Bears can be bad]]
** [[BearyFunny Or they]] [[BearyFriendly can be good]]
* Bees
** [[VirtuousBees Good bees]]
** [[BeeAfraid Bad bees]]
* Beetles
* [[PantheraAwesome Big cats]] ([[KingOfBeasts lions]], tigers, leopards, etc.)
* [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Bigfeet and Yetis]]
** [[BigHeartedBigfoot Bigfeet and Yetis can be good]]
** Or they can be bad.
* Birds of prey (eagles, falcons, and hawks)
** NobleBirdOfPrey
** BrutalBirdOfPrey or KidnappingBirdOfPrey
* Bison
* Buffalos
* Cats
** [[CatsAreMean Bad cats]]
** [[CuteKitten Good cats]]
* Cattle
* [[ThoseWilyCoyotes Coyotes]]
* Crabs and lobsters
* Crocodilians
** While there are many [[NeverSmileAtACrocodile negative images]], just as many positive ones, especially alligators, have also been seen especially in children's shows.
* Crows
** [[CleverCrows Good crows]]
** [[CreepyCrows Bad crows]]
* Dogs
** [[HeroicDog Good]] [[PreciousPuppy dogs]]
** [[AngryGuardDog Bad]] [[MisterMuffykins dogs]]
* Dolphins, including orcas
** [[HeroicDolphin Good]] [[FriendlyPlayfulDolphin dolphins]]
** [[DeviousDolphins Bad dolphins]]
* Dragons
** [[DelightfulDragon Dragons can be good]]
** [[DragonsAreDemonic Or they can be bad]]
* Ducks
** Bad ducks
** Good ducks
* Elephants, including mammoths
** [[HonorableElephant Good elephants]]
** [[CruelElephant Bad elephants]]
* [[CunningLikeAFox Foxes]]
* Goats
* Gulls
* Hippopotamuses
** While hippopotamuses are generally portrayed in [[HuggyHuggyHippos positive light]], recent years have seen a few [[AngryAngryHippos negative ones]].
* Horses, donkeys, mules and zebras.
* Hyenas
** While there have been many [[HeinousHyena negative portrayals]] in the past, recent years have seen a few positive ones.
* Iguanas
* [[BoxingKangaroo Kangaroos]]
* [[StockNessMonster Lake monsters]]
* [[ThievingMagpie Magpies]]
* Mice and non-sewer rats ([[ViewerSpeciesConfusion due to confusion in certain cultures, these are often mixed up]])
** [[NiceMice Good mice and rats]]
** [[YouDirtyRat Bad mice and rats]]
* Monkeys and apes
** [[ManiacMonkeys Bad monkeys and apes]]
** [[SillySimian Good monkeys]] [[GentleGorilla and apes]]
* [[MooseAreIdiots Moose]]
* Non-venomous snakes (pythons, garter snakes, boas, kingsnakes, etc.)
* Octopuses and squid
** [[FunnyOctopus Good octopi]]
** [[TentacledTerror Bad octopi]]
* Owls
** [[OminousOwl Bad owls]]
** [[TheOwlKnowingOne Good]] [[CuteOwl owls]]
* Parrots
* Pigeons
** Although doves and pigeons are typically portrayed as [[DovesMeanPeace good]], [[PeskyPigeons evil pigeons]] are becoming more popular.
* [[MessyPig Pigs]]
* Plesiosaurs
* Porcupines
* [[TerrorDactyl Pterosaurs]]
* Rabbits and hares
** [[RighteousRabbit Good rabbits]] [[BunniesForCuteness and hares]]
** [[HairRaisingHare Bad rabbits]] [[RascallyRabbit and hares]]
* [[RascallyRaccoon Raccoons]]
* Ravens, especially in Native American folklore
* Rhinoceroses
** While rhinos have been usually portrayed as [[RhinoRampage antagonists]] in the past, recent years have seen more good ones since they are now an endangered species.
* Seals and sea lions
** SweetSeal
** MonstrousSeal
* [[SmellySkunk Skunks]]
** Although skunks are often portrayed as villains throughout history, modern media has some few positive portrayals, especially in the West.
* Spiders
** [[FriendlyNeighborhoodSpider Good Spiders]]
** [[SpidersAreScary Bad Spiders]]
* Squirrels
** Good squirrels
** [[ScrewballSquirrel Bad squirrels]]
* Toads
* Walruses
** WarmHeartedWalrus
** WilyWalrus
* Warthogs
* Weasels
** WeaselMascot
** WickedWeasel
* Whales
** They can be good
** [[MonsterWhale Or they can be bad]]
* Wolves
** SavageWolves
** NobleWolf
* Humans can be either/or as well.
** Evil and Bad Adult Humans
** Good Adult Humans
** [[ChildrenAreInnocent Good Human Children]]
** [[EnfantTerrible Evil and Bad]] [[KidsAreCruel Human Children]]
[[/folder]]
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