The animal kingdom is bursting with surprises, from creatures that can regrow limbs to others that survive in extreme environments. Animals display incredible intelligence, strength, and adaptability often in ways we are only beginning to understand.
In this collection of fascinating and little-known facts, you’ll meet sloths that breathe underwater longer than dolphins, octopuses with three hearts, and birds that laugh when tickled.
Get ready to discover a hidden world of wonder that will make you see animals in a whole new light!

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Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood.

Giraffes have the same number of neck vertebrae as humans seven.

The heart of a blue whale is the size of a small car.

A group of flamingos is a flamboyance, but a group of hedgehogs is called a prickle.

Kangaroos can’t walk backward.

A group of owls is called a parliament.

Elephants can recognize themselves in a mirror a sign of high intelligence.

Male seahorses are the ones who get pregnant.

Sloths can hold their breath longer than dolphins up to 40 minutes!

Cows have best friends and get stressed when separated.

Platypuses are one of the few mammals that lay eggs.

Frogs can freeze solid and thaw back to life.

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

Squirrels plant thousands of trees every year by forgetting where they buried their acorns.

Cheetahs can’t roar; they chirp like birds.

Starfish have no brain and no blood.

Koalas have fingerprints that are almost identical to humans.

Dolphins call each other by unique names (signature whistles).

Polar bears have black skin under their white fur.

Hippos secrete a red oily substance that acts as sunscreen.

Some crabs decorate their shells with living anemones for protection.

Butterflies can taste with their feet.

An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.

Sea otters hold hands while sleeping to avoid drifting apart.

The immortal jellyfish can revert back to its juvenile form.

Wombat poop is cube-shaped to prevent rolling.

Bats are the only mammals capable of sustained flight.

Reindeer eyes change color through the seasons to adapt to different light levels.

Ants can survive underwater for 24 hours.

A newborn kangaroo is the size of a jellybean.

Axolotls can regrow limbs, the heart, and even parts of their brain.

Ravens are known to use tools.

Manatees are closely related to elephants.

Cows have nearly 300 degrees of vision, thanks to their side-positioned eyes.

Narwhal tusks are actually long, spiraled teeth.

Hedgehogs are immune to many toxins, including snake venom.

Some lizards can squirt blood out of their eyes as a defense mechanism.

Orcas are not whales but the largest species of dolphin.

Turtles can breathe through their butts a process called cloacal respiration.

Gorillas can catch human colds and other illnesses.

Sea cucumbers can eject their internal organs to defend themselves.

The pistol shrimp can snap its claw so fast it creates a bubble hotter than the surface of the sun.

Beavers have transparent eyelids so they can see underwater while protecting their eyes.

Armadillos always give birth to identical quadruplets.

Snakes smell with their tongues.

Camels have three sets of eyelids to protect their eyes from sandstorms.

Mantis shrimp have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom they can see polarized light.

Pigs are smarter than dogs and can be trained like them.

Wolves communicate using facial expressions and body language.

The horns of a rhinoceros are made of keratin, the same material as hair and nails.

Jellyfish have been around for over 500 million years older than dinosaurs!

A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

Froghoppers are the best jumpers in the animal kingdom relative to their body size.

Sloths only poop once a week and it’s a risky trip to the ground.

Male lions sleep for up to 20 hours a day.

The tongue of a blue whale weighs as much as an elephant.

A tarantula can survive over two years without food.

Cats have a special “vocabulary” with their owners, using different meows.

Some frogs can survive being frozen solid in winter and thaw back to life in spring.

The electric eel can produce a shock of up to 600 volts.

Ants have their own farms they cultivate fungus for food.

The fingerprints of a koala are virtually indistinguishable from a human’s.

A panda’s diet is 99% bamboo, but they are technically carnivores.

Moths outnumber butterflies by about 10 to 1.

Wolves have been shown to display fairness when sharing food.

The basilisk lizard can run across water, earning it the nickname “Jesus Christ lizard.”

Honey badgers are immune to snake venom.

Male platypuses have venomous spurs on their hind legs.

A sea sponge has no brain, heart, or lungs, but it’s alive.

Prairie dogs say hello by kissing.

The axolotl never undergoes metamorphosis like other amphibians it stays young forever.

The blood of horseshoe crabs is blue and critical for vaccine testing.

An adult human has 206 bones; a shark has none their skeleton is made entirely of cartilage.

The orca, or killer whale, is a top predator but actually belongs to the dolphin family.

Spiders can regrow lost legs after molting.

Flamingos are born gray; their pink color comes from carotenoid pigments in their food.

A cat’s whiskers are roughly as wide as its body to help it judge if it can fit through openings.

The okapi, related to the giraffe, looks like a cross between a zebra and a horse.

Capuchin monkeys wash their hands and feet with urine to mark their territory.

Polar bears can overheat despite living in cold climates, their fur is incredibly insulating.

Giant anteaters can eat up to 30,000 ants or termites in a single day.

Some species of shrimp can snap so fast they create a sonic boom underwater.

Bison are the largest land animals in North America.

Meerkats have a sentinel system where one stands guard while the others feed.

Sea turtles have been around since the time of the dinosaurs.

Snow leopards can’t roar they “chuff” instead.

Crows not only use tools but can make new tools to solve complex problems.

A grizzly bear’s bite is strong enough to crush a bowling ball.

The sailfish is considered the fastest fish in the ocean, reaching speeds of up to 68 mph.

Horses can sleep both standing up and lying down.

A group of porcupines is called a prickle.

Chameleons change color to regulate their temperature or communicate emotions not just camouflage.

Sea otters have pockets in their armpits to store their favorite rocks.

Some ants enslave other ant species to work for their colony.

Gorillas can laugh when tickled.

The tongue of a giraffe is so long (up to 20 inches) that it can clean its own ears.

Warthogs kneel on their front knees while feeding.

Tardigrades (water bears) can survive extreme radiation, dehydration, and even the vacuum of space.

Blue whales can hear each other across entire oceans.

The dhole, a wild dog from Asia, can “whistle” to communicate with its pack.

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