All over the world, there are animals that will take you by surprise. The animal kingdom is an incredible place full of interesting creatures. It might be a large beetle bumbling across a trail in front of you or a video of an ostrich mating dance on Youtube. Here are 10 interesting animal facts!
1. A grizzly bear’s bite is strong enough to crush a bowling ball.
Grizzly bears are top-of-the-food-chain predators with very strong bites, but eat mostly vegan, with a few rodents or moose sprinkled in. Even though they weigh around 800 pounds, they can run up to 30 miles an hour. Grizzlys can be dangerous to humans but usually only when surprised or when their cubs are threatened. Although they were once an endangered species, the population is currently thriving. However, there is always more work to be done with grizzly conservation.
2. Crocodiles eat stones.
Crocodiles are large reptiles that can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh up to 2,000 pounds. They are carnivores, with the bulk of their diet consisting of small reptiles and decaying carcasses. Crocodiles also frequently eat stones, and no, it’s not because they taste yummy. It helps with basic digestion. The rocks crush and grate food in their stomachs, make them feel heavier and fuller when they’re not getting enough to eat, and help the crocodile stay underwater when swimming. Once swallowed, the stones can remain in their stomach for years.
3. Snails can sleep for 3 years.
There are at least 500 native species of land snails in just North America alone. If their environment does not have enough moisture, they can sleep up to 3 years. This is a big portion of their average lifespan, which, in the wild, is 2 to 5 years. Most snail species are hermaphrodites; they have both male and female reproductive organs. They can only move around 0.5 to 0.8 inches per second, so it would take them more than a week to complete 1 km.
4. A cow produces nearly 350,000 glasses of milk in their lifetime.
Cows are always female; males are called bulls or steer. Before having a baby, females are referred to as heifers, and only become a cow after having a calf. Cows eat grass and grain but have no upper front teeth, causing them to chew for up to 8 hours, consuming around 100 pounds of food daily. A cow produces around 6.3 gallons of milk a day, and up to 350,000 glasses of milk in their lifetime. The most amount of milk a cow has produced in one year was 59,298 pounds by a cow named Robthom Sue Paddy!
5. There are harvest mice that are so small they sleep inside flowers.
Harvest mice are the smallest rodents in Europe. They are mostly nocturnal but are active in the daytime during the summer. They eat seeds, fruit, berries, grain, and sometimes insects. Harvest mice build grass nests for breeding, sleeping, and resting. They love running up stems and climbing into the flowers to eat the stamens and smell the pollen. Many times the harvest mouse ends up falling asleep inside the flower.
6. Flamingos are naturally white. They become pink from their diet.
Flamingos are born pure white with a straight bill. As they mature their bill curves downward and they become a distinct shade of pink that varies depending on what they eat. A flamingo’s favorite meal includes brine shrimp, snails, and algae. Most flamingo species are not endangered although a few species are considered threatened.
7. Some tiny spiders wear water droplets as hats.
Jumping spiders make up around 13% of all spider species in the world. They have excellent vision and can see all around them with their many eyes. The spiders can also jump up to 50 times their size. Instead of using a web to find food, they track prey for a long distance and strategize, usually pouncing and injecting venom through a bite. Although there are many photos of jumping spiders with water droplet hats, it is not well known why they wear them, especially because the droplet only stays for a short period of time.
8. A group of frogs is called an army.
There are over 5,000 frog species in the world, all with a different call unique to their species. They can sometimes be heard a mile away. Frogs don’t need to drink water because they absorb it through their skin. They can jump over 20 times their body length. They are social creatures and live in groups.
9. Shrimp hearts are in their head.
Shrimp live between 1 and 7 years in the wild, some living past 20 in captivity. Their color depends on their natural habitat. Some shrimp can even change their color to fit in with their surroundings. Most are omnivorous.
10. All clownfish are born male. Some turn female in order to mate.
Clownfish are hermaphrodites, born male with the ability to change into a female. This usually happens when the dominant female in a group dies, and the dominant male will turn into a female in order to mate. However, once they change to female, they cannot turn back. Clownfish are found in coral reefs and have a symbiotic relationship with sea anemones. Unfortunately, because of the popularity of Finding Nemo, the number of captive clownfish in tanks has increased.
So the next time you’re scared of a spider, just imagine it with a lil’ hat (it really does help). That’s all the animal facts I have for you today! Check out the rest of our website!
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