- stereotypes of animal characters -

Animal characters in cinema, TV and other media depict human characteristics via anthropomorphism.

There are stereotypical traits which commonly tend to be associated with particular species. Often these are simply exaggerations of real aspects or behaviours of the creature in question, while other times the stereotype is taken from mythology and the true origins are forgotten. Many modern stereotypes of animals have a long tradition dating back to Aesop's Fables, which drew upon sources that included Ancient Egyptian animal tales.

Many animal stereotypes are unfair to impose upon actual animals in nature, since moral is not inherent to any other species but human. So we can conclude that animals are used in cinema, advertising etc. in order to depict certain human characteristics, and morally judge them. Despite that, the use of such animal stereotypes is generally considered less problematic than it is for human stereotypes.

"Man gave names to all the animals, in the beginning" says Bob Dilan in his song, meaning that animals were created by God, but the owner of their name in man, which gives him right to exploit them.

Using animals in media should be regulated by some kind of law, not only preventing cruelty, which was regulated 1939. after a horse was killed during the shooting of film "Jesse James" but also with some kind of ownership rights. If someone use image of an animal to promote some commercial product, the species used should benefit from it somehow.

Aware that "all characters are fictitious", even characters in documentary films, it would be nice anyway to see some animals in films that challenge common stereotypes, not by being better or worse, but by being more realistic. 

There is a list of most common stereotypes of animal characters:

Bats 
the bloodthirsty or evil bat

Bears 
the dumb bear, the cuddly, sweet bear

Bulls 

the aggressive bull who attacks everyone and everything with the color red

Cats 
The cool cat, the lazy cat, the evil/villainous cat

Dogs
the loyal dog, the dim-witted dog, the vicious bull dog

Donkeys 
the stubborn or stupid ass, the horny or virile donkey/stallion/bull

Elephants 
the unforgetting elephant, the mice-fearing elephant

Foxes 
the wily, cruel, cunning or intelligent fox

Hippopotamuses
the female hippopotamus who acts like a fat human lady

Horses 
the noble horse, the virile horse.

Hyenas 
the comical / always-laughing hyena, the cruel, bullying hyena

Kangaroos
the boxing kangaroo

Lemmings
the suicidal lemming

Lions
the proud, brave, noble or royal lion

Mice
the quiet mouse, the heroic mouse

Moles
the blind or near sighted mole

Moose
the slow-witted moose

Pigs
the greedy and/or filthy pig

Rabbits/Hares
the horny rabbit or hare, the hyperactive / fast-running rabbit / hare, the smart rabbit or hare

Raccoons
the criminal or scavenging raccoon

Rats
the evil or kleptomaniacal rat

Simians
the funny monkey/ape, the mischievous monkey, the monstrous or brutish ape (usually a gorilla), the amorous ape who lusts for human women

Skunks
the smelly skunk

Sloths
the lazy sloth

Squirrels
the hyperactive squirrel

Tigers
the vicious tiger

Weasels 
the sneaky and thieving weasel who always manages to flee.

Wolves
the cruel or evil wolf, the honorable wolf, the solitary or renegade wolf

Chickens
the stupid and or easily frightened chicken, the cock/rooster who has delusions of grandeur or is vain

Crows/Ravens 
the ominous raven or crow, the Afro-American crow

Ducks
the overconfident, arrogant duck who isn't as smart as he thinks.

Eagles
the child-stealing eagle, the proud, noble eagle

Geese
the gossipy goose[citation needed]

Magpies
the thieving magpie

Ostriches
the nervous ostrich

Owls 
the wise owl

Parrots
the talkative, annoying, and/or smartypants parrot/cockatoo (no distinction)

Peacocks
the proud peacock

Penguins 
the formal penguin

Pheasants 
the stupid, nervous pheasant

Storks
the baby-delivering stork

Crocodiles 
the weeping and hypocritical crocodile, the villainous crocodile

Dinosaurs
the fearsome, terrifying tyrannosaurus, the vicious, cunning Velociraptor

Frogs/Toads 
toads and frogs are often anthropomorphized into fat people.

Snakes 
the evil or untrustworthy snake

Turtles/Tortoises
the patient or slow-witted turtle / tortoise (No distinctions are generally made between the two.)

Dolphins
the joyful dolphin

Sharks 
the bloodthirsty shark

Whales 
the man-eating whale, the gentle whale or orca

Ants 
the diligent ant, the militant ant, the thieving/ bothersome ant.

Bees
the dopey (or "bumbling") bumblebee, the workaholic bumblebee

Crickets 
the cricket who plays violin

Grasshoppers 
the lazy / carefree grasshopper

Mantises 
the patient mantis

Spiders
the evil spider

Squid
the man eating monstrous giant squid who attacks and destroys ships

Termites
the destructive termite

Wasps 
the wanton and vicious wasp 

owl