What is anatidaephobia?

Anatidaephobia is the fear that somewhere in the world a duck or a goose is always watching you.

However, this is not a real phobia. It was invented by Gary Larson and used in his Far Side cartoons.

His point was that people can be afraid of virtually anything, if they let themselves be.

Gary Larson's Far Side cartoons debuted in the San Francisco Chronicle on January 1st 1980. He retired the comic strip on January 1st 1995. The strip was known for its offbeat and sometimes surreal themes.

Anthropomorphic animals and insects were common. And his occasional made up phobias were a popular feature.

Here's another example, one of my favorites.

Luposlipaphobia — the fear of being pursued by timber wolves around a kitchen table while wearing socks on a newly-waxed floor.