Cutest Newborns of 2012

24. SILVERY GIBBON

This little girl knows that momma knows best. Bali Zoo's silvery gibbon baby is one of the last of her kind, but zookeepers in Gianyar, Indonesia, are confident that Mom will keep an eye on her.

23. BABY WALRUS 

This rescued baby walrus was one of 2012's feel-good stories. Mitik was saved from the open ocean off Alaska and carefully shipped to start a new and happy life at the Brooklyn Aquarium. 

22. ECHIDNA PUGGLE

This bizarre-looking living pincushion is an echidna, a animal native to Australia. The country's Perth Zoo has recently saw success with their echidna breeding program, producing two of these goofy cuties, known as puggles. 

21. BLACK RHINO BABY

A baby black rhino helped the Pittsburgh Zoo celebrate a big milestone. This newborn was the first black rhino born at the facility in 45 years. Adorable and important? This baby's got everything going on. 

20. RED WOLF PUPS

This pair may look like regular pups, but they are actually two endangered red wolf babies. Five of the beauties were born this year at the Point Defiance Zoo. Now this a wolf pack we'd want to join. 

19. ASIAN SHORT-CLAWED OTTERS

The Chester Zoo isn't trying to keep their otter babies a secret. Lucky for us, the facility adores sharing pictures of this adorable Asian short-clawed otter duo. The curious kids are quickly growing up into playful adults. 

18. TAPIR CALF

It must be the luck of the Irish that the Dublin Zoo received such a precious tapir baby. The calf appears to be happy to call Ireland home, spending most of his day in the lush green grass of his exhibit.

17. WOMBAT JOEY

"Southern hairy-nosed wombat" may be a mouthful, but it is worth remembering. These endangered creatures need our help. Taronga Zoo's new baby wombat, Turra, is doing her part to protect her species, carrying on her lineage into a new generation of cute.  

16. TWO-TOED SLOTH

Sitting around all day doing nothing can really wear a two-toed baby sloth out. Luckily, this newborn's mom doesn't mind carting her around their home at a German zoo. 

15. MOUSE LEMUR BABIES

Even these tiny mouse lemur babies are shocked by just how adorbs they are. This trio is part of a pawesome baby boom this year at the Duke Lemur Center. 

14. ASIAN ELEPHANT

The Oregon Zoo recently received a new member they won't forget anytime soon. The facility welcomed a not-so-little baby elephant to their family. Lily is quickly stealing hearts and taking steps at her new home. 

13. LION CUB

Not quite ferocious yet, this lion cub is still mighty cute. The newborn is one of four baby lions born at the Woodland Park Zoo this year. While this furball will be big someday, he only weighs 9 pounds at the moment. 

12. PYGMY HIPPO 

Zsa Zsa is all about keeping the world full of aww-inducing baby animals. Lowry Park Zoo's pygmy hippo gave birth to her second baby this year. Her tiny tot is already impressing visitors with her outgoing attitude and is helping to conserve the dwindling pygmy hippo population. 

11. MEERKAT PUP

An Irish zoo got a fluffy pot of gold in 2012. The facility welcomed two fair-haired meerkats into their private jungle. The youngsters are already on high alert, perhaps keeping an eye out for a warthog buddy?

10. GIRAFFE CALF

Kids grow up to fast, and animal babies are no exception. This adorable baby giraffe shocked keepers at the Dublin Zoo by getting on his feet and out into his exhibit only three days after being born. This newbie is up to some big (and tall) things. 

9. SEAL PUPS

We could never say no to these faces, so it's a good thing we aren't in charge of raising seal babies. These sweet mugs are cared for by a group in the Netherlands that looks after orphaned seals. 

8. TASMANIAN DEVIL

It's a trio of troublemakers for the Alma Park Zoo. Three female Tasmanian devils were born at the facility this year, a helpful boost to the animal's dwindling population. While these critters sometimes get a vicious rap, they sure look cuddly to us. 

7. RED PANDA CUBS

This red panda cub two-some made their debut at the Cotswold Wildlife Park in 2012. It should be no surprise that the pair's arrival was met with rave reviews and lots of "awws."

6. AMUR TIGER CUBS

Shhhh! We don't want to disrupt their beauty rest, though these Amur tiger cubs already look stunning. The rare babies were born at the Columbus Zoo this year, and have become quite comfortable in their home. 

5. WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA

A critically endangered species got a precious boost thanks to two loving gorilla parents. Port Lympne Wild Animal Park welcomed a new Western lowland gorilla in 2012. The baby quickly bonded with its mom, which will help the newborn have a long and healthy life. 

4. BEAR CUB

This cub was lacking some of the bear necessities to get through life after he was abandoned in the woods. Thankfully, Aldo was found by animal lovers and taken to a nearby zoo. The baby is now practicing his wrestling skills at the NEW Zoo in Wisconsin. 

3. BLACK PANTHERS

Here's a fact: Two baby black panthers are better than one. Tierpark Berlin Zoo was the recipient of these fuzzy bundles of joy. The pair are now on display at the facility, marveling visitors with their sweet relationship and glamorous coats. 

2. PANDA CUB

The overwhleming cuteness of a baby panda cannot be denied, especially when the cub can ham it up for the camera. San Diego Zoo named their new arrival Xiao Liwu, which means "little gift." The cub has certainly lived up to his name, giving us plenty of precious pictures during 2012.