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I agree with Mouring on most counts. The lack of visible “mixed” relationships may be everything from cultural to simple fact the animals DO appear to be different species, i.e. no interbreeding capable of producing viable offspring. Like his second point, the romantic relationships may still might occur for fun. But, as suggested above, they may be fleeting “experiments” that yield no long term relations. That is actually more interesting a possibility for the world, and may still exist for Nick and Judy. They seem “open” enough by end of movie to “Try Everything” (sorry bad callback)
However, I think his 3rd point is most true. It’s not the basis for their relationship.
Before you say it, I know every points to these lines near the end of Zootopia:
Nick: “you know you love me”
Judy: “Do I love you? Yes, yes I do”
See! Judy loves Nick, case closed!
*sigh* NO! Well, not as your suggesting at least, and here’s why:
The “social” use of the word love is one of the more misused and misunderstood things in our culture. I personally find the word’s context so overused and yet unspecific that I hate using the word. May I suggest the Greek versions outlined in C.S. Lewis Four loves. Seriously please read this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Four_Love
What Judy and Nick have is in their character arcs are a path from just an unfortunate acquaintance to a condition of phillia (now you know where this word comes from when you use it)
You can also argue by the end of the film it has grown into something closer to Agape because they have saved each other lives multiple times when there was descent reason for each to cut loses and run.
What they have is Intimacy, but not Eros. There is no lust or I must have that sense from these 2 characters. Instead, their relationship is forged from the comrades in arms, fight the good fight, I’ll be there for you to the end, etc. bonding that only life and death struggle can provide.
CAN a relation of a more Eros nature exist for them. Sure, maybe, I think that would be fun to explore. But that will be later development from an established love identified in the movie. What is in the Zootopia is clearly a Phillia and maybe an Agape relationship that developed from all the trials and travails during the movie.
