Baby Kea parrot, Nelson (© Rex Features)

Nelson, a baby kea parrot at Bergzoo in Germany, was called the “ugliest bird in the world” when he hatched in April. Zookeepers said poor Nelson would grow out of his awkward looks.

An otter pup gets a medical checkup at the Perth Zoo. (© Perth Zoo)

Australia's Perth Zoo debuted a litter of otter pups in September. Here, one of the pups is seen getting an injection during a health checkup. If looks could kill...

Three white Indian tiger cubs born July 1, 2012 in Liberec Zoo, Czech Republic during a veterinary exam on August 22, 2012 (© Radek Petrasek/CTK/AP)

These Bengal tiger triplets were born at Zoo Liberec in the Czech Republic in July. White Bengal tigers, which carry a rare recessive gene, struggle to survive in the wild because their coloring tips off prey.

One of two emperor penguin dads tends the chick. (©Ard Jongsma / Still Words / Odesnse Zoo)

The year’s most-talked about animal adoption: The famous gay penguins of Odense Zoo in Denmark claimed an egg abandoned by a female penguin and welcomed a healthy chick in October. The pair took turns incubating the egg.

Somali Wild Ass foal with mother ‘Lisha’ born August 9, 2012 at Zoo Miami, Fla. (Courtesy of Ron Magill/Zoo Miami)

Zoo Miami welcomed a rare newborn Somali wild ass in August. Despite being an ass, this zebra-esque baby was pretty cute.

A Caribbean Flamingo Chick at the Bronx Zoo takes its first steps (© WCSMedia via YouTube)

The Bronx Zoo welcomed an adorable Caribbean flamingo in August. Here, the hatchling proves first steps are tough when you have flamingo legs.

Video still of an Echidna Puggle at Taronga Zoo (© Taronga Sydney via YouTube)

This orphaned echidna was cared for by staff at Australia's Taronga Zoo in October. The echidna is the antipodean equivalent of a hedgehog, hence the cuteness.

Unnamed female greater one-horned rhinoceros & mother Shanti at the Fort Worth Zoo (© Jeff Robinson/Fort Worth Zoo)

For anyone who ever thought “rhino” and “cute” couldn’t be used in the same sentence: This baby rhino debuted at the Fort Worth Zoo in September.

One of two rabbits found in a dung pile at a zoo in Muenster, Germany. (© Rolf Vennenbernd/AFP/Getty Images)

This teeny baby rabbit named Ruediger lives at a zoo in Muenster, Germany. He was found abandoned in a pile of dung with his sister, Kaline, and taken in by friendly zookeepers. This photo of young Ruediger was a Facebook favorite in April.

Sooty Owlets at Taronga Zoo, Sydney. (ZooBorns on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ZooBorns/photos_stream)

These sooty owl twins were born in August at the Taronga Zoo in Australia. They’re a good example of how animals can be cute and ugly at the same time.

A baby Panda (© 2012 Zoological Society of San Diego / Ken Bohn)

This adorable baby giant panda was the youngest of five cubs from San Diego Zoo. Cute nose? Check. Cute eyes? Yep. Cute claws? Yeah, even those are kind of cute.

Anori explores the open-air enclosure at the zoo in Wuppertal, western Germany (© Marius Becker/AFP/Getty Images)

Little polar bear cub Anori was born at the Wuppertal Zoo in Wuppertal, Germany in January. Scientists believe there could be only 25,000 polar bears left on Earth, making Anori even more special.

Video still from a web cam on the Minnesota Zoo's new Amur tiger, Angara (© The Minnesota Zoo, http://aka.ms/minntiger)

The Minnesota Zoo welcomed two Amur tiger cubs in June. This (sleepy) female cub was the only survivor of the litter.

Anachli at the Berlin zoo (© Markus Schreiber/AP)

Born in August at the Berlin Zoo, Asian elephant baby Anchali toddled her way into our hearts. The photogenic baby weighed 353 pounds just days after her birth.

(© Utah's Hogle Zoo via Facebook, http://aka.ms/babyGiraffe)

This adorable little giraffe was born in September at Utah’s Hogle Zoo. “Little” is relative, of course. The baby came into the world as a six-foot-tall newborn.

Two lion cubs at the Woodland Park. (Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.)

Quadruplet lion cubs were born at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo in November. What do you think: Is he singing, or is that just a big yawn?

A porcupette (© Chester Zoo, http://aka.ms/porcupettes)

Stempu and Noko, two African crested porcupines, or porcupettes, were born to the Chester Zoo in England in September. The only thing cuter than the word “porcupettes” are their Mohawks.

One of three Meerkat Triplets at the Dudely Zoo (© Jason Skarratt/Rex Features)

Newborn meerkat triplets at England's Dudley Zoo started life underground, unable to open their eyes for almost two weeks after birth. Here, one is seen a trip into the outside world in September.

Mangabey ape, Loango, at Jardin des Plantes zoo, Paris, France (© PMG/SIPA )

Loango, a baby mangabey monkey, was born at the Paris' Jardin des Plantes zoo in March. Loango was rejected by his mother, proving monkeys don’t know the term “a face only a mother could love.”

Don't be shy, go ahead and awww at the 19 cutest zoo babies of 2012

12/13/2012

This was a big year for cute animals. Zoos in every corner of the planet saw adorable additions, and it's only fitting that we take a look back at all the critters that captured the hearts of people everywhere and spurred audible awwws. From meerkat triplets and African porcupines to "little" giraffes and panda cubs, the most squeal-inducing animal babies are included in this gallery. And yes, even baby rhinos are cute. Just check it out and see for yourself. Also, see more pictures of these zoo babies via the links below.