Animals — Page 5

The Greenland shark is the longest-living vertebrate in the world, living more than 400 years.

The Greenland shark grows only about one centimetre per year and reaches sexual maturity at 150. Age is determined by…

Butterflies taste through their feet.

Butterflies have taste receptors on their legs. When landing on a flower or leaf, they taste it and decide whether it…

Crocodiles swallow stones to help with digestion and buoyancy control.

Crocodiles swallow stones, called gastroliths, which stay in the stomach. The stones help grind food and regulate the…

Elephant gestation lasts about 22 months.

Elephant pregnancy is the longest among land mammals, lasting between 18 and 22 months. The calf is born weighing…

Frigatebirds sleep while flying.

Frigatebirds can sleep during flight, using only half of their brain at a time. This phenomenon, called…

Sloths only defecate once a week.

The sloth has an extremely slow metabolism. It descends from the tree only once a week to defecate, losing up to a…

A tiger's roar can be heard up to 3 kilometres away.

The roar of an adult tiger can be heard about 3 kilometres away, thanks to the special structure of its larynx and…

Each dragonfly eye has more than 30,000 facets.

Dragonfly compound eyes contain up to 30,000 tiny lenses called ommatidia, giving them a nearly complete panoramic…

A bee can carry up to half its own body weight in nectar.

Worker bees carry nectar and pollen in their stomachs and on their hind legs. Consequently, they can carry up to half…

Some migratory birds use Earth's magnetic field to navigate.

Birds such as the flycatcher and the thrush use Earth's magnetic field as an internal compass during migration…

Snakes detect the body heat of prey through sensory pits.

Some snakes, such as pit vipers and pythons, have loreal pits between their eyes and nostrils that detect infrared…

The sea otter has the densest fur of any mammal.

The sea otter has about one million hairs per square centimetre, the densest fur of any mammal. This density creates…

The snow leopard uses its tail to balance on cliffs.

The snow leopard has a long tail that can measure almost as much as its body. It uses it to balance on narrow…

The Arctic fox changes colour in winter.

The Arctic fox has white fur in winter and brownish-grey fur in summer. This colour change helps it camouflage in the…

The star-nosed mole has 22 tentacles on its nose to detect prey.

The star-nosed mole has 22 fleshy appendages on its nose, covered by more than 25,000 touch receptors. These organs…

The pangolin is the only mammal covered in scales.

The pangolin is the only known mammal with true scales. The scales are made of keratin, the same material as human…

The jellyfish has no brain, heart or bones.

Jellyfish are simple animals, made up of about 95 percent water. They have no brain, heart, bones or true eyes. Their…

The octopus can taste with its arms.

The octopus has taste receptors on the suckers of its arms. This allows it to identify whether an object is edible…

Cows have nearly 360-degree vision.

Cows have eyes on the sides of their heads, giving them almost 360-degree vision. This helps them detect predators…

The sailfish is the fastest fish in the ocean, reaching 110 kilometres per hour.

The sailfish can reach speeds of up to 110 kilometres per hour, making it the fastest fish in the ocean. Its speed is…

The Arctic tern migrates from the North Pole to the South Pole every year.

The Arctic tern migrates from the North Pole to the South Pole every year, a journey of about 70,000 kilometres. It…

The bar-tailed godwit can fly more than 11,000 kilometres without stopping.

The bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) is capable of flying more than 11,000 kilometres without stopping, from…

The boxer crab uses sea anemones as boxing gloves.

The boxer crab (Lybia tessellata) carries sea anemones in its claws and uses them as boxing gloves to defend itself…

The electric eel can produce discharges of up to 860 volts.

The electric eel can produce discharges of up to 860 volts, enough to stun a horse. The discharge is generated by…