Amazing Animal Facts

Do crocodiles eat stones? Do parrots understand what they're saying? Want to find out? Read on for the answers and more amazing and fascinating facts on animals.

 

Pigeons Never Get Lost

Have you ever got lost or forgotten how to get to a particular place? Of course you have. You're not a pigeon. Did you know that most species of pigeons can fly thousands of kilometres, even from places they've never been to before, to return to their homes without any difficulty? Scientists have long been fascinated and puzzled by how these pigeons manage to navigate with such precision but they have not managed to find out the exact way they do so. However, there are some theories.

 

Great eyesight, superb memory and a “compass”

 Some scientists believe that pigeons have great eyesight, a superb memory and a “built-in compass” to help them find their way home. They believe that the pigeon's great eyesight and superb memory enable it to find and remember landmarks such as rivers, lakes, mountains and building structures, while their “built-in compass” enables them to know which direction to take to get home.

 

Atmospheric infrasounds

Other scientists believe that pigeons locate where they are by using atmospheric infrasounds. These very low frequency sounds can travel thousands of kilometres from their source. That is why you can hear distant thunder. Pigeons can detect low frequency sounds very well. All over the world, pigeons should be able to hear the very low frequency sound generated by ocean waves banging against one another. These sounds enable pigeons to always know where the ocean is. More importantly, the infrasounds from ocean waves reflect off mountains, cliffs and other steep-sided features of the earth's surface. These infrasounds provide a pigeon with a detailed “sound” picture of its surroundings, near and far.

 

I Have Stones in My Tummy!

The stomach of a crocodile is a really rocky place to be for more than one reason. For one thing, crocodiles eat almost anything such as turtles, fish, birds, giraffes, buffaloes, lions and when defending their territory, even their own kind. In addition to these, stones, rocks and other hard indigestible objects show up in their bellies too!

Scientists are not too sure if these objects are consumed deliberately or accidentally when capturing prey. However, it is believed, although not proven, that these stones may aid crocodiles in digestion and may also provide stability when they dive or swim.

 

Many Fish Can Switch Genders

Do you think the ability to switch from a male to a female and back is weird? Well, many fish possess this ability. Some fish change sex in response to hormonal cycle or environmental changes. Other fish can be both male and female at once as they simultaneously possess both male and female sex organs!

 

Giraffes' Hearts Beat Twice As Fast

The stately giraffe whose neck can grow up to an amazing length of 5.5-metres uses it to compete for foliage with other grazers. While being tall is an advantage for these gentle mammals which can consume up to 63 kg of leaves and twigs daily, some difficulties arise at such a height.

A giraffe's heart, which can weigh up to 10 kg and measure about 60 cm long, has to beat twice as fast as a normal large mammal in order to maintain blood flow to the brain against gravity. In addition, a complex blood vessel system in the upper neck is needed to prevent excess blood flow to the brain when the giraffe bends over to drink. On the other hand, the blood vessels in the giraffe's lower legs are under a lot of pressure because of the weight of fluids pressing down on them. In other animals, this pressure would cause blood to spurt out. But giraffes have a very tight sheath of thick skin over their legs to prevent this from happening.

 

Parrots Know What They're Talking About

For many years, people have thought that parrots are nothing more than great imitators. However, studies over the past 30 years have shown that these animals are not merely mimicking but do understand what they're saying. Our avian friends are able to understand and carry out instructions as well as a four to six-year-old human being! They also appear to understand words such as “same”, “different”, “bigger”, “smaller” and “none”. These birds also understand the concept of numbers. Perhaps most interestingly, they are able to combine labels and phrases in new ways.

 

Mole-Rats Are Not Blind

With their puny eyes and underground lifestyle, African mole-rats are long thought to be blind or nearly blind. It is said that they can detect little light and they use their eyes more for sensing changes in air currents than for actual vision. However, findings have shown that African mole-rats have a keen but limited sense of sight. But these creatures may not like to see, as light may suggest that a predator has broken into a tunnel.

 

Whale Milk Is Really Fattening!

 It is no wonder why whales are the largest mammal on Earth. Whale's milk is made up of almost 50% fat which is around 10 times the fat content of human milk. This helps the calves to achieve some serious growth spurts, as much as 90 kg per day! The mother whale feeds its newborn by squirting milk into its mouth. It uses the muscles around its mammary gland to squirt milk while the baby holds tightly to a nipple.