Amazing facts about animals

TRAINED PIGEONS CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PAINTINGS OF PABLO PICASSO AND CLAUDE MONET.

1. THE PEACOCK MANTIS SHRIMP CAN THROW A PUNCH AT 50 MPH, ACCELERATING QUICKER THAN A .22-CALIBER BULLET.

1. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT WILD CHIMPS IN GUINEA DRINK FERMENTED PALM SAP, WHICH CONTAINS ABOUT 3 PERCENT ALCOHOL BY VOLUME.

1. THE CHEVROTAIN IS AN ANIMAL THAT LOOKS LIKE A TINY DEER WITH FANGS.

1. CAPUCHIN MONKEYS PEE ON THEIR HANDS TO WASH THEIR FEET.

1. ONLY THE MALES ARE CALLED PEACOCKS. FEMALES ARE CALLED PEAHENS.

1. DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES FORM A HEART WITH THEIR TAILS WHEN THEY MATE.

1. BABY ELEPHANTS SUCK THEIR TRUNKS FOR COMFORT.

1. TIGERS HAVE STRIPED SKIN AS WELL. EACH PATTERN IS AS UNIQUE AS A FINGERPRINT.

1. THERE WAS ONCE A TYPE OF CROCODILE THAT COULD GALLOP.

1. A GRIZZLY BEAR'S BITE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO CRUSH A BOWLING BALL.

1. SEA OTTERS HOLD HANDS WHILE THEY'RE SLEEPING SO THEY DON'T DRIFT APART.

1. PRAIRIE DOGS SAY HELLO BY KISSING.

1. ANIMAL BEHAVIORISTS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT CATS DON'T MEOW AS A WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. IT'S A METHOD THEY USE FOR GETTING ATTENTION FROM HUMANS.

1. DESPITE THEIR APPEARANCE, ELEPHANT SHREWS ARE MORE CLOSELY RELATED TO ELEPHANTS THAN SHREWS.

1. FLAMINGOS ARE NATURALLY WHITE—THEIR DIET OF BRINE SHRIMP AND ALGAE TURNS THEM PINK.

1. ALBERTA, CANADA IS THE LARGEST RAT-FREE POPULATED AREA IN THE WORLD.

1. RED-EYED TREE FROG EGGS CAN HATCH EARLY IF THEY SENSE DANGER.

1. WHITETAIL DEER CAN SPRINT AT SPEEDS UP TO 30 MILES PER HOUR.

1. BLUE JAYS MIMIC HAWKS' CALLS TO SCARE AWAY OTHER BIRDS.

1. IN THE UK, THE BRITISH MONARCH LEGALLY OWNS ALL UNMARKED MUTE SWANS IN OPEN WATER.

1. ALL CLOWNFISH ARE BORN MALE—SOME TURN FEMALE TO ENABLE MATING.

1. MORAY EELS HAVE A SECOND SET OF JAWS THAT EXTENDS FROM THEIR THROATS.

Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 3.0

1. THE AXOLOTL CAN REGENERATE ITS LIMBS.

1. HARTEBEEST EVADE PREDATORS BY RUNNING IN ZIGZAG PATTERNS.

1. ANTEATERS DON’T HAVE TEETH.

1. FRUIT BATS DON'T USE ECHOLOCATION—THEY HAVE EXCELLENT SENSES OF SIGHT AND SMELL.

1. MALE RING-TAILED LEMURS WILL "STINK FIGHT" BY WAFTING SCENT AT EACH OTHER.

1. LYNX HAVE LARGE FEET THAT ENABLE THEM TO RUN ON VERY DEEP SNOW.

1. IN 1924, A LABRADOR RETRIEVER WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE AT EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY FOR KILLING THE GOVERNOR'S CAT.

Eastern State

1. IN AN AQUATIC TRAFFIC JAM, ALLIGATORS WILL GIVE MANATEES THE RIGHT OF WAY.

1. NINE-BANDED ARMADILLOS ALWAYS GIVE BIRTH TO IDENTICAL QUADRUPLETS.

1. CATS CAN'T TASTE SUGAR. THEY DON'T HAVE SWEET TASTE BUDS.

1. DUCKS LIKE TO SURF. THEY HAVE BEEN OBSERVED RIDING TIDES AND SWIMMING BACK TO RIDE THEM AGAIN.

1. THE AFRICAN PENGUIN IS ALSO COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE "JACKASS PENGUIN" BECAUSE IT MAKES DONKEY-LIKE BRAYING SOUNDS.

1. BIRDS ARE IMMUNE TO THE HEAT OF CHILI PEPPERS.

1. HONEYBEES CAN GET SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.

1. A NARWHAL TUSK IS ACTUALLY AN EXAGGERATED FRONT LEFT TOOTH, AND UNLIKE MOST TEETH, IT'S SOFT AND SENSITIVE ON THE OUTSIDE WITH A TOUGH INTERIOR.

1. CARIBBEAN SPERM WHALES HAVE THEIR OWN REGIONAL ACCENT.

1. WOMBAT POOP IS CUBE-SHAPED.

1. A BABY PUFFIN IS CALLED A PUFFLING.

1. BALD EAGLES SOUND SO SILLY THAT HOLLYWOOD DUBS THEIR VOICES.

1. ACCORDING TO TIME, THE ANNUAL NUMBER OF WORLDWIDE SHARK BITES IS 10 TIMES LESS THAN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BITTEN BY OTHER PEOPLE IN NEW YORK.

1. FEMALE BATS GIVE BIRTH WHILE HANGING UPSIDE DOWN, CATCHING THE BABY IN THEIR WINGS AS IT DROPS.

1. TOUCANS CURL INTO LITTLE BALLS WHEN THEY SLEEP.

1. HORSES ARE DISTANTLY RELATED TO RHINOCEROSES AND TAPIRS.

1. SOME CATS ARE ALLERGIC TO HUMANS.

1. DESPITE THEIR LACK OF VISIBLE EARS, PENGUINS HAVE EXCELLENT HEARING.

1. LIONS INHABITED MANY AREAS OF EUROPE UNTIL THEY WERE HUNTED TO EXTINCTION IN THE REGION AROUND 100 BCE.

1. MALE PLATYPUSES HAVE VENOMOUS SPURS.

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11 Expert Tips for Adopting a Cat
BY STACY CONRADT
JUNE 6, 2018
If you've been thinking about adding a fuzzy little friend to your household, there's more to consider than whether to name it Pearl or Pickles, or Zoroaster or Apollinaris, like Mark Twain named two of his many cats. So if you're planning on celebrating June's Adopt a Cat Month quite literally, here are 11 tips straight from the pros. Mull them over, then head to your local shelter!

1. BE CHOOSY ABOUT THE SHELTER YOU ADOPT FROM.
   A family pets a grey striped cat at an animal shelter.
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   According to Gail Buchwald, vice president of the adoption center at the ASPCA in New York City, assessing shelters in person is a must. "I think it's a great idea for a prospective adopter to go to the shelter and check it out, get a visual. If they see animals that don't look healthy, they should ask some questions," she told WebMD. Furthermore, talk to shelter employees to get an idea of what they know about the animals' health and behavior. Shelters that don't do behavior assessments or disease testing aren't able to give you the appropriate information to make a match that truly works for you and for your prospective pet.

2. KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL.
   A cat is sleeping on its owner's lap.
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   Cats are long-term roommates, so make sure you're ready for the commitment. According to Gwen Sparling, the owner of Camp Kitty boarding facility in Atlanta, over the course of a cat's 15- to 20-year lifetime, a pet owner will spend approximately $1000 annually on vet care, food, treats, toys, kitty litter, and more. "There is this general thinking that cats are no-fuss pets, which couldn't be further from the truth," Sparling told Mother Nature Network.

3. SHELTER CATS ARE GREAT OPTIONS.
   A black kitten peeks out from behind the bars of a shelter cage.
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   There's a misconception that animals in shelters have physical or behavioral issues; most of the time, that's not the case. "Animals primarily end up in our care because of challenges and transitions that exist in the lives of the people responsible for their care," Michael Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs at Boston's Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, told Country Living. Often animals can end up in shelters when their humans move, lose a job, or have to focus on non-pet-related stressors—and that's not a reflection on the cats who now need a new home.

4. ASSESS YOUR NEEDS BEFORE YOU GO IN.
   A cat snuggling with a young blonde child while she reads.
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   "The goal is for the adoption to work out well for everyone," Susan Daffron, the author of Happy Tabby: Develop a Great Relationship with Your Adopted Cat or Kitten, told LovetoKnow.com. Before you fall in love with the first cute face you see at the shelter, make sure you know exactly what you and your family need in a pet. Do you have small children? Are you away from home a lot? Do you have other pets? None of those things preclude you from adopting a shelter cat, but they definitely help set parameters about the personality and type of cat that would be ideal for you and your family.

5. CONSIDER MULTIPLE CATS.
   A black cat and a grey cat snuggle together in a wicker basket.
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   If you're going to jump in, do it with both feet, right? But there's a method to this madness—according to the American Humane Society, cats provide each other with exercise, mental stimulation, and social interaction that humans just can't quite match. And if you're at work or otherwise occupied during the day, having the companionship can be extra important to your cat(s).

6. PREP A SPECIAL PLACE FOR YOUR NEW FAMILY MEMBER.
   Three grey and black kittens lounging on a piece of carpeted cat furniture.
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   Cats are territorial, so entering a new space is stressful for them. Before you go to the shelter, create a special spot in your home to make kitty feel more comfortable when it arrives, writes Sara Kent, the former director of shelter outreach for Petfinder. A quiet spot stocked with a litter box, toys, food, and water will help—let your cat get familiar with the sights and sounds of the room on its own time.

7. VET A VET AHEAD OF TIME.
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   Before you choose a cat, choose a vet by getting referrals from people you trust. The American Humane Society recommends making an appointment for an overall check-up within the first few days of the adoption. Be sure to take the vet any medical records provided by the shelter.

8. BOND THE RIGHT WAY.
   A young girl in a blue shirt nuzzles a grey kitten.
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   You will, of course, want to spend some time bonding with your cat. But how you do so depends on what stage of life the cat is in, Samantha Bell DiGenova, the cat behavior and enrichment lead at Best Friends Los Angeles, told Bustle. "When bonding with kittens, you want to handle them, hold them, let them look at you and see your face," she said. "You want to have as much contact with them visually and tactually as you can so that they grow up understanding that's how they should interact with people."

On the other hand, adult cats require their space. "If you adopt a cat that's four months or older, let them make the decisions. If you … allow the cat to come to you when they want affection, and let them show you that they want to interact, the bond you create will be so much stronger."

1. INTRODUCE THEM TO YOUR OTHER CATS.
   An adult cat touches noses with a grey, fluffy kitten with a background of fallen autumn leaves.
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   But do it the right way. According to cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy, just letting two cats "work it out" is not the best way to get your felines to be friendly. Instead, he wrote on his website, keep your cats separated by a door, but let them sniff each other under the door. Feed them both on their respective sides of the door so they get positive associations with each other. And eventually, swap bedding between your two pets so they get familiar with each other's scents. After a period of familiarization—which can sometimes last weeks—any hissing and growling should subside, and they'll be able to interact without fighting. (Have a dog? You can find some tips for that scenario here.)

2. CONSIDER PET INSURANCE.
   A vet is holding a stethoscope up to a small brown kitten.
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   Even if your cat is the picture of health when you first adopt, you never know what medical issues could arise down the road. As with human insurance, veterinarian Tracy McFarland wrote that it's a good idea to purchase pet insurance while your ball of fluff is totally healthy. It could eventually save you a bundle and make sure your cat is around for a long time.

3. HAVE PATIENCE.
   A broken pot and soil on the ground with an innocent-looking cat sitting next to it.
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   Renowned cat behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett, author of Think Like a Cat, reminds new owners to have patience with their new pets. From remembering the location of the kitty litter box to interacting with your family, it takes them some time to learn the ropes. Have patience as they are learning, and you'll be rewarded with a relationship that lasts for years to come.

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11 Facts About Tiger Sharks
BY MARK MANCINI
JUNE 5, 2018
Weighing 1300 pounds or more and growing up to 15 feet, the tiger shark is the fourth-largest shark on earth. (Only whale sharks, basking sharks, and great whites get bigger.) On top of being big, tiger sharks are also pretty bizarre: They literally eat garbage, give birth to massive litters—and one of them was a player in Australia’s greatest unsolved murder mystery.

1. THEY’RE LIKE SWIMMING GARBAGE DISPOSALS.
   Tiger sharks have broad diets: They eat everything from albatrosses, venomous sea snakes, and other sharks to manmade objects like paint cans, leather jackets, rubber tires, and even license plates. (That scene in Jaws where Hooper pulls a Louisiana plate from the stomach of a dead tiger shark is scientifically accurate!)

2. DON’T CONFUSE THEM WITH SAND TIGER SHARKS.
   You might assume that the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) and the sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) are cousins, but the latter is more closely related to the great white (Carcharodon carcharias) than it is to the tiger shark.

3. NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE STRIPES.
   Hear the word tiger and you think vertical stripes, but those stripes evolve over time. Baby tiger sharks—a.k.a. pups—are covered in roundish gray spots that fuse into stripes as the sharks mature. After a certain age, the stripes start to fade; they’re barely visible in full-grown adults.

4. TIGER SHARKS PREFER WARM WATER.
   Tiger sharks are seen in tropical to warm temperate waters all over the world, and a study published in Global Change Biology in March 2018 revealed that the sharks have a "Goldilocks" zone. “Our study suggests that 22 degrees [Celsius, 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit] is not too cold for the animals and it’s not too hot for them,” lead author Nicholas Payne told the BBC. “It’s about right in terms of their optimal preference for temperature.” The scientists reached that conclusion after monitoring tagged sharks near Hawaii and comparing those findings to several decades’ worth of Australian fishing records.

5. THEY HAVE NOTCHED TEETH.
   the teeth of the tiger shark with serrated edges
   STEFAN KÜHN, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS // CC BY-SA 3.0
   If you could pry open a tiger shark’s jaws, you’d see teeth with dramatic notch tips that point sideways. You'd also notice that the teeth on the left and right halves look like mirror images of each other. A tiger shark’s teeth have a dual function: They help the fish grasp onto struggling victims and can shear right through the thickest of hides, making them well-equipped to go after just about any prey that’s available.

6. THEY MIGHT BE THE ONLY SHARKS TO REGULARLY HUNT SEA TURTLES.
   Every year, 12,000 nesting sea turtles visit Raine Island in the Great Barrier Reef, and tiger sharks—which hunt the turtles—aren't far behind.

To get its meal, the shark first has to get a good grip, but the turtle doesn't make it easy: When a shark gets too close for comfort, a turtle may respond by turning itself sideways so the top of the carapace is perpendicular to the shark’s jaws, making themselves too wide to bite into. Turtles in this position will also swim in tight circles around the predator, which protects the reptile’s vulnerable flanks.

According to a 2016 study, the sharks tend to avoid healthy turtles and instead conserve energy by going after sick or dying (or dead) turtles.

1. SEA GRASS SEEMS TO BENEFIT WHEN TIGER SHARKS ARE AROUND.
   Though Australia's Shark Bay is home to a diverse array of organisms, it got its moniker for the 28 shark species that have been seen there—including tigers, which are especially common.

Sea grasses are the backbone of Shark Bay's ecosystem; they provide shelter for small animals and food for big herbivores. But the grasses were decimated after a 2011 heat wave. Since then, they've been making a gradual comeback, and scientists have noticed that they grow at a higher rate in places frequented by tiger sharks. This is probably because the sharks frighten off sea turtles and dugongs who like to eat the grass. “Just the fear of sharks can be enough, in many cases, to keep a marine ecosystem healthy and able to respond to stresses,” biologist Michael Heithaus said in a news release.

1. TIGER SHARKS GIVE BIRTH TO HUGE LITTERS.

Female tiger sharks are pregnant for 14 to 16 months and give birth to at least 10 pups, with around 30 being the average. But sometimes, they have many, many more than that: There have been reports of females birthing 80 pups at once. Usually, newborns weigh between six and 13 pounds.

1. IN THE ATLANTIC, THEY MIGRATE SOUTH FOR THE WINTER.
   There's still a lot to learn about the travel habits of tiger sharks. A seven-year study found that Hawaiian females tend to travel more often—and more widely—around the island chain than males do. Another analysis, published in 2015 in Scientific Reports, focused on 24 adult tiger sharks in the Atlantic and found that, in the winter months, they stayed in the area around the Caribbean and West Indies. Then, for summer, they headed north and spent the warmest part of the year in the mid-Atlantic, venturing as far north as Connecticut (and far away from the coast). No one knows why the sharks make the trip, but it may have something to do with the young loggerhead turtles who dwell in those northern waters.

2. ONE TIGER SHARK BARFED UP A MURDER MYSTERY.
   In April 1935, Coogee Aquarium in Sydney, Australia was looking for a big fish to occupy its newly-built pool. On a fishing trip off Coogee beach, Bert Hobson snared a 13-foot tiger shark for the aquarium.

The shark was a big hit at the aquarium, but it didn’t last very long. Seven days after its arrival, it got sick and vomited up a bird, a rat, some nasty-looking brown goo—and a human arm, which had a rope tied around its wrist and a forearm tattoo of two boxers.

An amateur boxer named James Smith had recently gone missing, and he had the exact same tattoo on one arm. Forensic analysis determined that the arm hadn’t been bitten off—it had been removed from the rest of Smith's body with a knife.

Detectives learned that Smith was last seen playing cards at the Hotel Cecil in Cronulla with his longtime associate Patrick Brady, a forger, who quickly became the number one suspect. The authorities were later informed by a boat-builder (and suspected criminal) named Reginald Holmes that Brady had murdered Smith in an argument. But before Holmes could testify in court, somebody shot him.

Brady's lawyers argued that a severed arm didn’t constitute proof of a murder. Smith, they argued, might still be alive somewhere—sans one limb, of course. Brady got off scot-free, which was more than could be said for the poor tiger shark—it died in captivity. A necropsy did not reveal any other human remains.

1. IT’S RARE, BUT TIGER SHARKS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO SHARE FOOD WITH CROCODILES AND GREAT WHITES.

Bloated, rotting whale carcasses lure all kinds of animals out of the woodwork. Carnivores that normally don’t cross paths sometimes end up feasting on the dead mammals side-by-side. In 2015, two great whites and three tiger sharks were filmed tearing into the colossal body of a sperm whale near New South Wales, Australia. Years earlier, off the South African coastline, witnesses saw members of both species eating a Byrd’s whale carcass [PDF]. Australian drone footage from 2017 (above) shows a humpback carcass getting picked apart by both tiger sharks and saltwater crocodiles. Look at the video closely and you’ll see the croc and fish coming within a few yards of each other.

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