What a wonderful world we live in.
1. Sea otters hold each other’s paws when they sleep so they don’t drift apart.
2. Cows have best friends and get stressed when they are separated.
3. Millions of trees grow every year thanks to squirrels forgetting where they put their nuts.
4. Butterflies can taste with their feet.
5. Some jellyfish live forever.
The Turritopsis nutricula jellyfish has the ability to transform its cells back into a youthful state. Scientists are currently studying it in hopes they can apply these amazing qualities to human life.
6. When rabbits jump and twist out of excitement, it is called a “binky.”
When rabbits ‘binky’, this is an expression of joy. They will run, jump into the air, twist their body and flick their feet.
7. Humpback whales have their own “pop” music.
It turns out, mating tunes evolve and get passed around different whale populations. According to one scientist, “This is the first time that such broad-scale and population-wide cultural exchange has been documented in any species other than humans.” It’s like going viral underwater.
8. Gentoo penguins propose to their mates with a pebble. They usually mate for life.
9. Seahorses are monogamous life mates and travel holding each other’s tails.
10. Male pups will intentionally let female pups “win” when they play-fight so they can get to know them better.
11. Monkeys value equality.
A TED talk recently discussed an experiment in which two monkeys were given different rewards for the same work. Let’s just say the monkey who got the rock instead of the grape was not so pleased.
12. Worms communicate by snuggling.
13. Elephants show remarkable empathy, even to other species.
Elephants are known to mourn their dead, but it turns out they will often put themselves in harms way to help another animal as well. Pictured above is the beautiful story of Tarra and Bella, best friends despite their stature. When the dog, Bella sadly passed away, Tarra found Bella and carried her back home to bury her. Amazingly, as Tarra was grieving, the other elephants gathered around, bringing food to comfort her.
14. Fish use tools.
Watch as this fish uses a rock to open up a clam.
15. A cat‘s nose is ridged with a unique pattern, just like a human fingerprint.
16. There’s a wild cat called the Pallas’ Cat that makes the funniest expressions.
17. Dolphins have names for one another.
Recent research shows that dolphins can call out to one other specifically, by mimicking the distinct whistle of the dolphin they want. They do it to identify objects as well. This is the only animal who can do this outside of humans.
18. Cows produce more milk when listening to smooth jams.
19. Aside from nesting, common swift spend their entire lives in air, living on insects they catch in flight.
20. A group of porcupines is called a “prickle of porcupines.”
21. A group of flamingos is known as a “flamboyance of flamingos.”
22. A group of pheasants can be known as a “bouquet of pheasants.”
23. And baby puffins are called “pufflings.”
24. Chimp babies play with dolls.
Chimps have been observed playing “make believe” with sticks, cradling them, scolding them, mock feeding them, much the way that young children do with dolls.
25. Rats laugh.
26. There’s a beluga with a fine appreciation for the arts.
27. There’s an animal called the quokka and it’s the happiest animal in the world.
Share these beautiful facts about the animal world with others below.