From the circular muzzle with a little nose tip to the button eyes and two round fuzzy ears — what is it about the teddy bear that has wrapped children around its furry paws for over a century?

For most of us, the first “wild animal” we meet doesn’t growl, forage, or maul salmon in a stream. It’s round, fuzzy, and named something like Mr. Snuggles. Before we ever hike a trail, we’ve already ...