There is an incredible amount of information yet to be gathered about our tiny blue dot in our vast universe. There are nooks and crannies right under our noses that have yet to be discovered — but there’s also an abundance of facts already out there that most of us haven’t heard before.
These are 25 amazing facts you didn’t know about animals. Prepare to be astounded by the resilience, physical abilities, and sheer brilliance of these magnificent creatures.
1. Only the males are called peacocks. Females are called peahens.
2. Dragonflies and damselflies form a heart with their tails when they mate.
3. Baby elephants suck their trunks for comfort.
4. Tigers have striped skin as well. Each pattern is as unique as a fingerprint.
5. There was once a type of crocodile that could gallop.
6. A grizzly bear’s bite is strong enough to crush a bowling ball.
7. Sea otters hold hands while they’re sleeping so they don’t drift apart.
8. Prairie dogs say hello by kissing.
9. Despite their appearance, elephant shrews are more closely related to elephants than shrews.
10. Flamingos are naturally white—their diet of brine shrimp and algae turns them pink.
11. Alberta, Canada is the largest rat-free populated area in the world.
12. Red-eyed tree frog eggs can hatch early if they sense danger.
13. Whitetail deer can sprint at speeds up to 30 miles per hour.
14. Blue jays mimic hawks’ calls to scare away other birds.
15. In the UK, the British monarch legally owns all unmarked mute swans in open water.
16. All clownish are born male—some turn female to enable mating.
17. Birds are immune to the heat of chili peppers.
18. Anteaters don’t have teeth.
19. Fruit bats don’t use echolocation—they have excellent senses of sight and smell.
20. Male ring-tailed lemurs will “Stink fight” by wafting scent at each other.
21. Lynx have large feet that enable them to run on very deep snow.
22. Ducks like to surf. They have been observed riding tides and swimming back to ride them again.
23. In an aquatic traffic jam, alligators will give manatees the right of way.
24. Nine-banded armadillos always give birth to identical quadruplets.
25. Cats can’t taste sugar. They don’t have sweet taste buds.
source : mentalfloss.com
