Here I share some curiosities and interesting facts about different animal species:
Curiosities about marine animals
Octopuses have three hearts. Two of them pump blood to the gills and the third pumps blood throughout the body.
Hammerhead sharks have stereoscopic eyesight, which means their eyes can see depth and distance, making them excellent hunters.
Octopuses have a very advanced camouflage system that allows them to change color and texture to blend in with the environment and avoid predators.
Hermit crabs do not have a shell of their own, so they use empty shells of other animals to protect their soft body. They change shells as they grow.
Pufferfish have the ability to inflate their body to twice their normal size to protect themselves from predators. In addition, they have a very toxic skin that makes them unappetizing to predators.
Jellyfish are very ancient animals, some species dating back to the time of the dinosaurs.
Turtles can survive without food or water for long periods of time. Some species can survive up to 6 months without water and food.
Hermit crabs change shells when they need to grow. Some even have a social hierarchy based on the size of their shell.
Orcas are one of the most intelligent animals in the world and can communicate through different dialects and vocalizations.
Dolphins are able to recognize themselves in a mirror, suggesting that they are self-aware.
Sea lions can stay underwater for more than 10 minutes, and can dive to depths of up to 200 meters.
Humpback whales are known for their complex songs, which can last up to 20 minutes and contain repetitive patterns.
Crocodiles can close their eyes, ears, and nostrils while underwater, allowing them to remain submerged for long periods of time.
Hippos have a natural lubrication system that allows them to easily move around the land. When threatened, they can run at speeds of up to 48 km/h.
Curiosities about birds
Owls have exceptional eyesight and hearing, allowing them to hunt in the dark of night.
The pig-nosed bat is the mammal with the most sensitive sense of smell. They can detect odors at a distance of more than one kilometer.
Emperor penguins are very social animals and form large colonies to keep warm during the Antarctic winter.
Vampire bats feed on the blood of other animals, and to do so they use their sharp teeth to make small incisions in the skin.
King penguins have a unique vowel call that allows them to recognize each other in colonies of up to 20,000 individuals.
Woodpeckers can hammer up to 20 times per second, and can do so without brain damage thanks to a layer of spongy tissue that cushions impacts.
Fruit bats are important pollinators and seed dispersers in rainforests. Some of them can carry seeds up to 60 km away.
Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world and have a heart that beats up to 1,260 times per minute.
Bats are the only mammals that are capable of flight. They do this through a lightweight bone structure that allows them to move quickly and agilely.
Emperor penguins can dive to depths of up to 500 meters to forage for food. They can stay underwater for more than 20 minutes.
Flamingos get their vibrant pink color from the pigments found in the crustaceans and algae they eat.
Penguins can drink salt water thanks to a gland they have in their head that allows them to filter salt.
Interesting facts about land animals
Giraffes do not have vocal cords. Instead, they produce sounds through a kind of whistle that they emit from their nose.
Koalas have fingerprints similar to those of humans. In addition, their diet of eucalyptus leaves gives them a distinctive aroma.
Elephants have excellent memory and can remember other elephants for decades.
Snakes have no eyelids and instead have a transparent covering over their eyes that protects them from objects and dust.
Chameleons can move their eyes independently, allowing them to have a 360-degree panoramic view.
Beavers are excellent builders and build dams and dikes using branches and mud. These structures can reach a height of several meters.
Wolves howl to communicate with each other, and can be heard more than 16 kilometers away.
Cats have about 20 muscles in each ear, allowing them to rotate 180 degrees to hear sounds in different directions.
Hedgehogs have more than 5,000 barbs on their body, which serve as a defense mechanism against predators.
Snakes of the genus Boa have specialized muscles that allow them to move their upper and lower jaws independently, allowing them to swallow prey whole.
Camels can drink up to 200 liters of water at one time, and can go weeks without needing to drink more.
Elephants have an incredible memory, they can remember migration routes, watering holes, and other important information for decades.
Capuchin monkeys are highly intelligent animals and use tools to obtain food. For example, they use stones to open nuts.
Venomous snakes inject venom into their prey to kill them and facilitate their ingestion. The poison also serves as a defense against predators.
Rattlesnakes have a distinctive sound they produce when wagging their tails, which helps alert them to predators or potential threats.
Iguanas are very good swimmers, and can dive up to 9 meters underwater to look for food or flee from predators.
Koalas are solitary animals and spend most of their time sleeping in trees. In fact, they can sleep up to 20 hours a day.
Interesting facts about insects
Bees are able to recognize human faces and can distinguish between people’s facial expressions.
Fireflies are the only insects capable of producing light. This ability is called bioluminescence and is used to attract mates and to ward off predators.
Ants can carry objects weighing up to 50 times their own weight. This ability is due to the relative strength of your muscles.
Monarch butterflies migrate more than 4,000 kilometers each year from Canada to Mexico.
One of the curiosities of spiders is that they are able to produce silk stronger than steel, and use it to build hunting nets, shelters and to move through the air.
One of the curiosities of ants is that they are able to carry objects that weigh up to 50 times their own weight. In addition, they are very organized animals and work as a team to maintain the colony.
One of the curiosities of fireflies is that they are able to produce light through a chemical process called bioluminescence. Each species has a distinct light pattern, which allows them to communicate with each other.
