Growth of the fandom

[YoteFox]

I haven't been a fur for long now, it's been about more than a year. I was watching videos of AC over the years and I saw a general growth pattern in the amount of furs, fursuiters and so on as I watched the videos.

Which brings me to the following question and this especially refers to the older furs. How would you describe the growth of the fandom up until this day both locally and internationally. Something that really surprised me this weekend is just how many people are aware of furries in SA. Also how many furs I came across at GeekFest. Just by wearing my suit(Half suit) in public.

So my question overall is:
How would you describe the growth of the fandom over the past 10-5 Years?
What would you say the future of the fandom looks like in SA?

In my opinion, it's still going to get big. The amount of furs grows every month sadly some of them are just active for a short period. I feel that if I get out more with my fursuit and suit at expo's, Fest's and random places this might just compel "secret" furs to join.
Edit- My opinion is from a fursuiter's view

[Leeward]

IRL I'm a bit of a closet furry, but if my head were finished I would happily go out in public with it. Also I've frequently encountered random people in their 20's and 30's who knew about furries, so it's not as unknown as you'd think even here. But as you say that's probably recent.

[Franky]

Here's some information I gathered a few weeks ago on the local site join rate:



Blue = Furries joined per month

Red = Average monthly furries per year

The data includes all accounts and bot accounts created for the site since 2008 when it started. As you can see there was a major spike in May 2008 when the site probably got its reputation up.

The information gathered concludes that as far as registered accounts go for zafur the growth rate is very linear and comparing that with local population rates it might mean the fandom is shrinking relative to the exponential population growth. More data is needed to make that assumption but it is clear that not much is changing in the local fandom and its representatives.

[Valerion]

The site started on 1 April 2008, the spike is the initial sign-up for the forums. Most of 2008 can be disregarded as an anomaly, I think.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

The fandom has been growing. That's well known and can be seen both in sizes of furry websites (although those will be inflated) and in terms of convention attendance. None of that should be surprising for two reasons.

1) As the furry fandom grows, it attracts more attention so more people learn about it and are able to interact. It's basically just fuelling itself.

2) The furry fandom is largely an internet phenomenon. Furs get together but 90% of it is online. It started back in the 80's but has been picking up only more recently. A lot of that is probably just due to more people connected to the internet, faster internet connections and it's easier to find things online.

South Africa will have lots of growth potential, especially as internet access and speed gets faster. (Mine in Austria is up to 18x faster than the max speed for my Cape Town line.) The thing that will probably depress furry numbers here is cultural considerations. That could be due to a number of reasons but we know furries are very white and that's even the case in SA.

[Ivic_Wulfe]

Even America's conservative areas have a fair helping of furs mind you.

[Franky]

I'm just considering the data. It averages around 5 furs joining this community per month since 2008 so far and really doesn't seem to get any faster or slower. So yes it is getting bigger but on a pretty linear path.

Much more data is needed though to see exactly what is going on though. Looking at a short period such as 7 years doesn't really give a clear indication of whether nationwide population is increasing exponentially as well. But the furry fandom and SA population is definitely on a steady climb for now.

It depends on what furries want. I for one wouldn't care if it became more mainstream but some FAF members has issues with that. For them being part of a subculture that is considered small or different is why they are here.

[Randall]

I am here because of you Inpw... didn't know the site existed, or the community was out there, thought it was just USA-based.