A Study of the Biology of the Domestic Furby.

     "Don't you see the danger, John, inherent in what you're doing here? Genetic power is the most awesome force the planet's ever seen, but you wield it like a kid that's found his dad's gun."
- Ian Macolm, Jurrasic Park (1993). 

    The Furby was discovered in 1998 by scientists Dave Hampton and Caleb Chung. Their publishings were sponsored by American toy manufacturing company, Tiger Electronics. Following this discovery, they were bred en masse and released under the falsified statements that they were robotic toys. Due to the mass breeding experiments perpetuated by Tiger Electronics, the Furby as evolved rapidly, resulting in distinct species being discovered as recently as 2016, with the finding of the Connect (F. connexa) species.

    Documents released in 1999, compiled in the Official Furby Trainer's Guide (Lahaina, Maui, HI : Sandwich Islands Pub. Co.), proposed the theory that all Furbies are genderless beings, and compared them directly to angels. Intriguingly, the same year, Furbies were banned from NSA property due to the fear that they may be capable of leaking government secrets. 

    Due to the rapid mutation and evolution of the Furby family, it is impossible to analyze each species individually. It should be noted, however, that they appear to have strong mimicry abilities, resulting in many receiving names inspired by popular characters whom they resemble in appearance, most famously "Gizmo" of Gremlins (1984) fame, and "Furbacca", a port-manteau of Furby and Chewbacca (Star Wars, 1977.)

    Their ability to rapidly imitate other creatures both verbally and visually, paired with their front-facing eyes and upwardly pointed ears, I would like to suggest that Furbies are apex predators when in their natural environment. Because of their small forms, I believe that they likely hunted similarly to ancient humans, relying primarily on persistence, rather than raw strength. I believe their rounded beaks are a symptom of the heavy human hand guiding their evolution. Like pugs and wolves, if the modern Furby were to be released into its home environment, it would look completely unlike their ancestors. Furthering this idea, their bright coloration leads me to believe that Furbies likely possessed venom sacs in their unevolved states. Perhaps even still, prior to the sale of a Furby, these glands are forcibly removed to lessen the risk of injury to their child audiences. These bright colors perhaps also served as markers of the ideal mate, similar in nature to male birds of paradise producing dances and songs to display their brightly colored plumage to their desired mates. Their ability to mimic other animals' vocals leads me to believe that despite their naturally predatory nature, they were also highly social animals. I believe they may have developed symbiotic relationships with other animals. 

    In conclusion, I believe the heavily guided evolution of these creatures has resulted in possible depreciation of their quality of lives. Due to Tiger Electronics marketing them as robotic creatures, the process of customizing Furbies has become increasingly common. This process often involves Furbies while they are still alive and conscious, and replacing their skins with customized fabric ones. Some customizers have even begun removing and replacing the eyes, beaks, and ears of these creatures. 

    This post is not intended as a call to action, or even a judgement of these customizers. It is likely that they were entirely unaware of any pain they may have inflicted upon their Furby. I would, however, encourage you to reconsider locking your Furbies away at the slightest annoyance of their calls. They are highly social creatures and require love and enrichment like any living thing. Please consider emailing your local game wardens and ask them to research the standards of the living conditions of most Furbies. Thank you.