For those of us who are big believers in spirituality and symbolism, the sighting of certain animals can leave us feeling a certain kind of way. While many animals represent positive symbolism such as prosperity, fortune, and adventure, others represent negative emotions such as sadness, greed, and distrust.
Today, we’re going be looking at the animals on our planet that represent love. There are various reasons why the animals below all represent love, which we also go into.
Animals That Represent Love – The Top Ten
1. Dolphins
It’s easy to see why dolphins are symbols of love – they are incredibly elegant and beautiful animals that always appear to be smiling. On top of that, they are widely regarded as one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, and wisdom is often seen as a very attractive trait to potential lovers.
If we take a look at some deeper symbolism, then their association with love becomes even clearer. The Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, is known as the woman of the sea and is often depicted with a dolphin swimming around her ankles. Additionally, the Greek word for ‘womb’ is delphi. As a result, dolphins are sometimes associated more with a maternal kind of love as opposed to a romantic kind of love.
2. Doves
Doves are often seen at weddings, representing the everlasting bond that two people have just made. They are also one of the most prominent symbols of peace, with the two intertwining with one another quite nicely.
One of the main reasons why doves are symbols of love is because they mate for life. This means that when a dove finds another one that they want to create offspring with, it will stick with that dove for the mating process for the rest of time.
Just like dolphins, doves are also commonly seen in images of Aphrodite in greek mythology. While in Hindu mythology, their God of love (Kamadeva) is often pictured riding a dove, suggesting that these birds are symbols of love throughout numerous cultures.
3. Swans
From one bird to another now and on to swans. These birds are similar to doves in the sense that they mate for life. Being monogamous is what everyone plans to be when they fall in love but so many break this bond and are unfaithful. Swans are symbols of everlasting love because they never break this bond.
Another reason why swans are associated with love is that when two swans align with one another their necks form the shape of a love heart. While this may be put down to coincidence by some people, some people believe that God created them this way to remind people of the importance of love.
In terms of tales from folklore and mythology – Zeus is said to have transformed into a swan in a bid to seduce Leda. Due to this, the ancient Greeks associated swans with lust and romance.
4. Penguins
Penguins are rare animals when it comes to love due to the fact they display clear signs of both romantic love and parental love. Their behaviors are somewhat relatable to human beings in this sense.
When they decide that they want to spend the rest of their lives with another penguin, they give them a pebble as a gift, just like we give our partners a ring. This pebble is a signal that they want to mate for life and stay faithful to their soulmate.
When a female penguin lays an egg, they protect it with their lives, and then when the egg hatches they shield the chicks from the severe weather conditions they live in by holding them close to their bodies to provide warmth. Like many other species of birds, chicks will go and fend for themselves from a very early age but penguins keep hold of theirs for a prolonged period of time.
5. Horses
While horses are more commonly seen as symbols of war and power, they are also symbols of love to many people and cultures. Generally speaking, humans are able to secure deep connections with horses, something not remotely possible with an abundance of other animals.
The horse is also a Chinese zodiac sign. It is said that those who are born in the year of the horse are beautiful, full of energy, and high-spirited. These are traits that are often seen as imperative when seeking a loving relationship.
In Celtic mythology, the horse goddess, Epona, is also a symbol of fertility. This has led to many celts believing that an encounter with a horse could indicate that a new member of your family is on the way.
6. Owls
Owls are nocturnal birds that are commonly seen as symbols of wisdom and good fortune. However, they are also related to love just not in the way you might expect.
On the face of it, owls don’t come across as the most loving of birds. They are birds of prey, meaning they are keen hunters, and they have so little time for humans that they don’t bother coming away from their habitats until it’s pitch black.
The reason why they have made this list is that there are countless cultures across the globe that believe owls carry the souls of deceased loved ones. So, while owls may not appear the most loving of creatures to the naked eye, they may actually be acting as a messenger for our loved ones’ souls.
For those who believe this, it can bring them a great deal of comfort knowing that their deceased loved ones are still looking out for them from the afterlife.
7. Butterflies
While it may be difficult to understand why owls made this list, it’s hopefully a little clearer as to why butterflies did. For starters, the vibrant colors of certain butterflies leave you with a happy and glowing sensation. This sensation could be attributed to love.
Talking of sensations, I’m sure you’ve all heard of the phrase ‘butterflies in your stomach’. This phrase refers to that rush of excitement and nerves you get in your stomach when you meet a new love interest and start falling in love. It’s a beautiful feeling and one that is deep-rooted in its connection to butterflies and their beauty.
In some ancient cultures, males used to sign love letters off with a picture of a butterfly. While you will do well to find anyone doing that in today’s day and age, it’s proof that these insects have been symbols of love for hundreds of years.
8. Beavers
When you think of animals that represent love, we doubt that a beaver was the first thing that came to mind. However, these burrowing little rodents are loving creatures.
Like many of the animals we’ve discussed today, they mate for life and also reproduce plenty of offspring. One unique thing about beavers is the fact that they create underground homes for their family to live in. This means that families of beavers can actually stay together forever instead of going their separate ways.
When we set out to find love and grow a family, this is the sort of structure that we strive for. So, as crazy as it may seem – try and be like a family beavers for a happy and loving life.
9. Starfish
Starfish aren’t animals that we are likely to encounter regularly but they are key symbols of love for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the fact they are shaped like stars is of huge importance. For Christians, the sight of a star represents divine love coming from the heavens.
Sticking with Christianity, the Virgin Mary was once known as the ‘Star of the Sea’. Now, the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ who was the savior of humanity according to Christians. He spread the word of God and loved everyone equally. So, if Jesus’ Mother was known as the star of the sea then it’s only right that we acknowledge starfish as clear symbols of love.
The Latin translation for ‘star of the sea’ is ‘Stella Maris, which has become a popular name for giant ships. It is also the name of the largest ship visiting network in the world, where seafarers and fishers are offered love, guidance, and support.
10. Elephants
Time for the final and largest animal on the list, the elephant. These magnificent creatures display love and compassion on a daily basis, even to creatures that aren’t related to them.
A big part of being an elephant is understanding the importance of belonging and teamwork. You won’t often find an elephant on its own because they like to stick together in a herd.
One of their most unique character traits in relation to love is the fact that they mourn loved ones when they die, just like humans.
Final Words
To conclude, there are plenty of animals out there which represent love some of which we haven’t even mentioned today. Honorable mentions should go to geese, coyotes, deer, and hawks but we firmly believe that the ten we’ve listed today have the deepest symbolic and spiritual connection to love.
