We asked furries to choose from a list of estimates about the size of the furry fandom (ranging from 1 in 1 million people to 1 in 10 people). On average, furries estimated that the prevalence of furries in the population was between 1 in 2,500 and 1 in 5,000 people, or about 1.4 – 2.8 million furries worldwide.
"In Australia alone there's at least two to three thousand known furries," he says.
78–85% of furries identify as male, the remaining identify as female; while most are cisgender, 2% are transgender. 83–90% of furries self-identify as White, with small minorities of furries self-identifying as Asian (2–4%), Black (2–3%), and Hispanic (3%).
10% to 15% of furries identify their felt age as being under the age of 18, while comparatively fewer identify a subjective age older than 40.
Should I be worried that my child is a furry? Based on our research, we find no more reason to be concerned that your child is a furry than you would be if they were in the Star Wars fandom or the Sherlock Holmes fandom. Fandoms often have in common things like discussion groups, costumes, and public events.
We asked furries to choose from a list of estimates about the size of the furry fandom (ranging from 1 in 1 million people to 1 in 10 people). On average, furries estimated that the prevalence of furries in the population was between 1 in 2,500 and 1 in 5,000 people, or about 1.4 – 2.8 million furries worldwide.
According to fandom historian Fred Patten, the concept of furry originated at a science fiction convention in 1980, when a character drawing from Steve Gallacci's Albedo Anthropomorphics started a discussion of anthropomorphic characters in science fiction novels.
Meanwhile Osaki (2008) – who also conducted his survey online – found results remarkably similar to our own findings, with 17.2% of participants being zoophiles and 8.4% being plushophiles.
It's not legal to discriminate against furries based on whether they are male or are female, but being a furry is itself a protected class.
According to the Anthropomorphic Research Project, the most common fursona species are wolves, foxes, dogs, red pandas, mustelids, marsupials, big cats, and dragons. Less common are rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds, cows, goats, cetaceans and horses. Furries rarely identify with nonhuman primates.
Estimating the Furry Population in 2022
In 2018, a reasonable estimate was between 100,000 and 1 million people.
Under regulation 4W of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 (Cth), the importation into Australia of cat or dog fur is prohibited unless the importer is authorised by the Minister for Immigration and Boarder Protection.
At present, there is an absence of federal or state laws in Australia on the use and sale of fur.
Australia has officially become … the first country to have furry art on legal tender.
The Code of the Furries is a simple and compact way how to tell the others about your furry personality. It's similar in spirit to the Geek Code. The Furry Code consists of a series of letters, numbers and symbols, each describing you in some category.
The most common furry characters on MUCKs and in furry art are the ones that are about half-half. They generally have the anatomy of a human being, but with paws, animal heads with muzzles, tails and fur. Most every one of these animal features can be varied towards either end of the scale.
Anybody of any age can be a furry, and I've seen furries far younger than 13 at furry conventions (always accompanied by parents, of course).
Across several studies, furries were shown to be no more likely than non-furries to experience anxiety in their day-to-day lives,1 and were diagnosed with anxiety disorders at a rate no higher than the general population (6.1%.)
Across samples, the majority of furries have been consistently been found to self-identify as White, with approximately 15-20% of furries identifying as a member of an ethnic minority.
Anthrocon (abbreviated AC) is a furry convention that takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, each June or July. Its caters to the furries: fans of fictional anthropomorphic animal characters in art and literature.
It can be described as a fandom, as an entertainment, as a way to have relationships with others. Some incorporate aspects of their Fursona into everyday life, some don't. As an umbrella term, no single description of Furry life describes all who use the word. Being Furry is not a disorder or a mental illness.
MILFurs, also known as MilFurs, Military Furs or Military Furries, is a term to describe any furry, or fan of furry interests, that is a present or former, active or reserve, member of a branch of a country's military or armed forces.
While some factors were more common (e.g., the internet, a feeling inside, exposure to artwork) or far less common (e.g., having a pet, another fandom), it seems that there are a myriad of forces that spark furries' interests, and that no one factor “causes” furries to be furries.