Animals — Page 2

Oysters can change sex.

Many species are sequential hermaphrodites, changing sex depending on water temperature and reproduction needs.

About 8 million insect species remain undiscovered.

Scientists estimate that the vast majority of the planet's biodiversity consists of insects, of which only a fraction…

There are more plastic flamingos in the world than real ones.

The iconic pink lawn ornaments were created in 1957 and became so popular that their numbers far exceed the real…

Wombat poop is cube-shaped.

Their intestines stretch differently, forming the waste into cubes so it doesn't roll away, which helps them mark…

The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds.

While chickens cannot fly long distances, they can use their wings to flutter and escape danger or reach low branches.

In Switzerland, owning one guinea pig is illegal.

Considered social animals, it is against the law to keep just one because it would get lonely, and companionship is…

Turtles can breathe through their butts.

Certain species use cloacal respiration, pumping water in and out of their rear ends to extract oxygen while…

Male seahorses carry and give birth to the babies.

The female transfers her eggs to the male's brood pouch, where he fertilizes them and carries them until they hatch…

A shrimp's heart is located in its head.

Their thorax (head and chest area) houses the heart and other vital organs, which is also why eating the head is…

Crows can remember human faces and hold grudges.

Studies show that crows can recognize individual people, remember those who threatened them, and even teach other…

A group of crows is called a 'murder'.

This creepy collective noun dates back to the 15th century, inspired by old folklore and the birds' association with…

Goats have rectangular pupils.

This shape gives them a panoramic field of vision of about 320 to 340 degrees, allowing them to easily spot predators…

Starfish have no brain and no blood.

Instead of blood, they use filtered seawater to pump nutrients and oxygen through their bodies via a complex water…

Alpacas spit when they are annoyed or stressed.

They usually give a subtle warning first, like blowing air or raising their chin, but if the threat persists, they…

A group of owls is called a 'parliament'.

This term dates back to C.S. Lewis's 'The Chronicles of Narnia', but it became widely adopted because owls are…

Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don't drift apart.

They often wrap themselves in giant kelp to anchor themselves, forming a 'raft' with other otters while resting…

A bear has 42 teeth.

Their teeth are highly specialized for their omnivorous diet, including long canine teeth for tearing meat and flat…

Lobsters taste with their legs and chew with their stomachs.

They have tiny sensory hairs on their legs to taste the water. They also have 'gastric mills' in their stomachs to…

Koalas have fingerprints that are almost identical to humans.

Their prints are so similar that even under an electron microscope, experts struggle to tell them apart, causing…

Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards.

Their wings can rotate in a full circle and beat up to 80 times per second, granting them incredible aerial agility…

Sharks can detect a single drop of blood in an Olympic-sized pool.

They possess an incredible sense of smell, capable of detecting minute traces of blood and other chemicals in the…

Owls cannot move their eyeballs.

Their eyes are fixed in their sockets, which is why they must rotate their entire heads up to 270 degrees to look…

Cows do not have upper front teeth.

Instead of top front teeth, they have a tough, thick pad of skin called a dental pad, which they press against the…

A group of lions is called a 'pride'.

Lions are the only big cats that live in large, highly social family groups. A pride usually consists of related…