An Evolutionary Explanation for Why Humans Can't Resist Seal Pups

Seal pups are sensory traps. Tim Saxon/Shutterstock
As Sydney Brownstone's story "Hey Seattleites, Stop Trying to 'Save' Seal Pups" explains, humans have a powerful weakness for the eyes and general cuteness of seal pups. This attraction is all the more crippling when the seal appears to have been abandoned on some beach. It's sitting there all alone in the world. The human feels the pull to protect this poor little thing. How could you not save those eyes?In some cases, the pup is taken home, p