Friday, 11 June 2010

Answers to Zoo World Daily Quiz.

Aardvarks can eat up to 50,000 ants in one night.
Aardvarks are good swimmers.
Aardvarks have very soft teeth with no hard enamel.
Bison can reach a speed of up to 30 miles per hour.
Bison travel in herds of up to 50.
A female bison will simply walk away if she is not interested in a suitor.
An African Crane's vocals sound very different from other cranes due to its lack of folds in their windpipes.
African Cranes sometimes rest in trees, which is not a trait in other cranes.
The African Cranes survived through the Ice Age in the savannas of Africa.
The life span of a wild African elephant is about 60 years.
When African elephants drink water, they can suck in as much as 2 gallons of water at a time.
The bottom of an African elephant's foot is spongy to absorb the impact of the steps it takes.
No two African Wild Dogs have the same coat pattern or coloration.
African Wild Dogs can run as fast as 40 mph and maintain that speed for up to one hour.
African Wild Dogs are constant wanderers ad rarely stay in one place more than a day or two.
Other than when they are tired, Albatrosses only touch the ground to breed.
Albatrosses can glide for up to six days in mid-air without wearing out their wings.
The largest seabird alive was the Wandering Albatross, which had a wingspan of eleven feet.
Alligator Gars are only found in North and Central America today.
Alligator Gars may look fierce, but there are no known attacks against people.
Alligator Gars prefer fish, but are also opportunistic eaters and have been known to eat everything from turtles to waterfowls.
Alpacas have two toes on each padded foot.
Alpacas spit at each other to show displeasure.
Alpacas are very resistant to disease.
Amami Rabbits are an extremely rare breed of rabbit only found on two small islands in Japan.
Amami Rabbits, unlike most rabbits, only have one or two young when breeding.
It is estimated that there are only 400 Amami Rabbits left in the world.
In 1987, the American alligator became the official state reptile in Florida.
The American alligator can live to about 50 years in the wild.
The American alligator has a set of 80 teeth. When a tooth wears out, it is replaced. They can go through 2000 to 3000 teeth in a lifetime.
An American big horn with small horns are considered to be lower rank within the flock.
If two male American big horns have the same sized horns, there will be a clash between them to determine which is more superior.
The American big horn has excellent hearing. They can hear the click of a camera 166 feet away.
Andean Condor has a 10 foot wingspan. It has the largest wing area of all birds.
The Andean Condor's bald heads help them avoid getting messy while tearing up and burrowing through animal carcasses.
Andean Condors have a high resistance to harmful bacteria that allows them to eat animal carcasses without harming their stomach.
Anteaters swallow about 35,00 ants and termintes each day.
Anteaters have a sense of smell that is 40 times better than people.
The anteater's tongue can protrude out more than 2 feet.
The Arctic Fox has a bushy tail that helps them balance and also keeps them warm during cold winters.
Arctic Foxes can live through temperatures as low as -58 degrees fahrenheit.
Arctic Foxes live in burrows.
Armadillos always give birth to four identical babies.
The name armadillo comes from the Spanish word meaning 'little armored one'.
Armadillos are nocturnal, but they have poor eyesight.
The Asian wild horse is also called Przewlaski's Horse.
At night the herd of Asian wild horses get together and sleep for about four hours.
Asian wildhorses are about the same size as a domesticated horses, but with shorter legs.
Baboons use over 10 different vocalizations to communicate with each other.
Baboons are not picky eaters and will eat almost anything that comes across them.
A mature baboon have canines that are longer than those of the lions.
Bactrian Camels have two humps on their back.
Nearly all of the estimated 1.4 million Bactrian Camels alive today are domesticated.
Bactrian Camels have an even number of toes.
The wingspan of a bald eagle can measure up to 7.5 feet.
The largest nest was measured six meters deep, four meters wide, and weighed nearly three tons. It was built by two bald eagles from Florida.
The bald eagle can see four to seven times better than humans.
Throughout history, Barn Owls have been associated with witchcraft, death, and omens.
Barn Owls have shown that they use their hearing skills to catch prey in absolute darkness.
Barn Owls can associate complex sounds with specific types of prey and also compared to other owls, has the best ability to detect exactly where the sound is coming from.
Beavers are clean animals and do not go to the bathroom in their living area.
The front teeth of beavers never stop growing.
Beavers are family oriented animals, somewhat similar to a human family. Older offsprings help parents by taking care of younger siblings. They also work together when building nests.
Beluga whales have an average IQ of 155, making them the smartest animals on earth.
Unlike most whales, beluga whales can swim backwards.
The name 'beluga' for the beluga whale comes from the Russian word 'belukha' which means 'white'.
Stories and sightings of Bigfoot originated in the Pacific Northwest of the US.
In 1958 Jerry Crew took the well-known picture of the Bigfoot footprint. After Ray Wallace died, his children came forward with a pair of wooden feet used to make the prints.
Skamania County in Washington passed a 1969 law declaring the slaying of any Bigfoot creature a felony.
Binturongs are also commonly called the Asian Bearcat
Binturongs can turn their ankles backward so their claws can still grip when climbing down a tree. They also use their tail as an extra hand.
Binturongs have a very distinctive smell
Birds of Paradise are known for their unique coloring and spectacular courtship displays compared to other birds.
Birds of Paradise were first recorded in European literature in 1522.
Bird of Paradise chicks experience their first flight 20 to 30 days after birth but will stay close to the parents for weeks until flying out on their own.
Bisons can reach a speed of up to 30 miles per hour.
Bisons travel in herds of up to 50 bisons.
Black Caimans have a life expectancy of fifty to eighty years.
Black Caimans lay 30-65 eggs. The female guards the egg until they hatch.
Black Caiman are the biggest predator in the Amazon Basin.
Black Mambas are fast, nervous, lethally venomous, and when threatened, highly aggressive. They have been blamed for numerous human deaths.
Black Mambas are among the fastest snakes in the world, slithering at speeds of up to 12 miles per hour.
Panthers are very solitary creatures who live and hunt by themselves in an area called their home range.
Panther cubs start hunting with their mothers when they're only 2-3 months old.
Panthers have large furry paws with soft pads that enables it to walk silently while catching its prey.
In caterpillar form, swallowtails emit smelly secretions when threatened. The organ which allows this is called the 'osmeterium'.
The swallowtail is very popular in Japanese culture, often appearing in anime or manga.
Swallowtails are the state butterfly and insect of Oregon, Virginia, Georgia, Delaware and South Carolina.
The female black widow spider eats the male after mating.
Black widow spiders are not aggressive but when touched or pressed, it will bite out of instinct.
Adult female black widow spiders are venomous, but males and young spiders are harmless.
Female Blue Crabs mate only once in their lives.
Blue Crabs are named so due to their sapphire-tinted claws.
Blue Crab males are called
Blue Jays are very territorial and aggressive. They will fight off anything that comes near their nest or feeding area.
Female and male Blue Jays are hard to distinguish just by physical appearances.
Blue Jays are known to mimic sounds of hawks to inform other jays that a hawk is near by.
The blue marlin uses its long and sharp bill to slice or stun their prey.
The blue marlin can grow up to 11 feet and weigh over 2,000 pounds.
Female blue marlins can grow up to four times the weight of males.
According to legends, unicorns are extinct today because Noah excluded them from the ark.
A group of unicorns is called a blessing.
The unicorn's horn was thought to neutralize poisons.
Female blue whales are longer than males.
Blue whales sleep during the middle of the day.
The blue whale is the loudest animal in the world.
When a pair of blue and yellow macaws fly together, they fly very close with their wings almost touching.
Blue and yellow macaws mate for life.
Blue and yellow macaws make their nest in dead palm trees.
Blue-billed Firefinches are found in and around South Africa.
Blue-billed Firefinches are very shy animals and are quick to fly is discovered.
Both male and female Blue-billed Firefinches incubate eggs and feed the young.
The Blue-footed Booby derives its name from the Spanish word bobo, which means stupid or silly.
A group of boobies are collectively known as a 'congress', 'hatch', and 'trap' of boobies.
Male Blue-footed Boobies take great pride in their feet and during mating rituals, show them off. The bluer the feet, the more attractive the male.
Bobcats are good swimmers, but they barely go into the water.
Bobcats can kill prey that are eight times their own weight.
Bobcats are small but they have a very deep and fearsome growl.
Bongos are excellent high jumpers but they prefer to go under or around obstacles than to jump over it.
Native people stayed away from bongos and left them untouched because they believed that if they ate or touched one, they will suffer from seizures.
Bongos eat burned wood from trees after it had been struck by lightning. It is believed they eat it to get salt or other minerals.
Humans share 98% of our genetic material with bonobos.
Bonobos cannot swim.
The bonobo's natural habitat in central Africa is restricted to an area south of the Zaire river.
Brontosaurus was discovered in 1874 by the paleontologist O. C. Marsh.
Though people thought the Brontosaurus was a new species when discovered, years later it was identified as the Apatosaurus, an existing dinosaur species already discovered.
Brontosaurus fossils have been found in North America in Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming.
Newborn brushtail possoms stay in the mothers pouch for five months.
The brushtail possom is one of Austrialia's most common marsupials, even though they are hunted for its fur.
The brushtail possom can digest large amounts of highly toxic flowers and leaves.
Buddy Bear learned to cartwheel before he could walk!
Buddy Bear enjoys swimming with his penguin friends and racing dolphins.
Buddy Bear sleeps in 5 minute intervals every hour.
California sea lions have better hearing underwater than above.
California sea lions do not grow lionlike manes around their neck like other sea lions do.
California sea lions slow down their heart rate when diving deep into the water to allow them to stay underwater longer.
Camels can eat plants with thorns without hurting its mouth.
Camels have two thick layers of eyelashes to protect their eyes from dust and sand.
A newborn camel does not have a hump.
Capybaras are the largest rodents in the world. Females can weigh up to 150 lbs.
Capybaras can stay underwater for up to five minutes at a time to hide from major land predators such as Jaguars.
An adult Capybara can eat 6 to 8 pounds of grass per day.
The name flamingo comes from the latin word for flame.
Flamingos eat with their bills upside down.
Flamingos make their nests out of mud. They drag the mud towards their feet with their bills to build the nest.
The caribou does not have any front top teeth.
The caribou's main enemies are wolves.
The name caribou comes from the Micmac Indians. It means snow shoveller.
Caterpillars are boneless but have over a thousand muscles.
Caterpillars shed their skin about 5 times before entering the next stage in life, which is the pupa stage.
Caterpillars sometimes eat their old skins after shedding.
Chameleons react to hot and cold weather by changing colors. They can change their skin color in as fast as 20 seconds.
Chameleons sway back and forth to mimic a leaf blowing in the wind to protect itself.
Some chameleon's tongues are longer than its body.
Cheetahs have spots all over their bodies except their bellies.
Cheetahs have the ability to turn in midair while sprinting.
Cheetahs are extremely shy animals.
Chilean flamingos are four to five feet tall and weigh anywhere from 13-16 pounds.
At birth, the bird is born with a straight beak, so parents can feed by regurgitation. After a few months the beak curves.
Chinchillas have the softest fur in the world. It is 30 times softer than human hair.
Chinchillas groom themselves when they are happy and relaxed.
To keep their fur extra soft, chinchillas need to bathe in dust or volcanic ash regularly and remove oil and moisture from their fur.
Clouded Leopards are named so because their fur markings look like clouds.
Male Clouded Leopards can be more than twice the size of females.
Clouded Leopards are excellent climbers and their grip is so firm, they can even hang upside down from tree branches.
The female Cotton Harlequin Bug is orange with patches of metallic blue. The males are metallic blue with red patches.
Cotton Harlequin Bugs suck on sap from hibiscus plants.
Female Cotton Harlequin Bugs lay their eggs around stems and guard them until the eggs hatch.
Although classified as a large cat, the cougar is more closely related to smaller felines.
The cougar holds the Guinness World Record for animals with the most names, including puma, mountain lion and mountain screamer.
Mother cougars are fiercely protective of their young and have bene known to fight off grizzly bears.
Coyotes select a mate when they are about two years old and stay with that mate for life.
A coyote's tail will become bushier and turn sideways when it is aggressive.
A coyote will catch and bring live mice to their pups and let them practice hunting with them.
Cutie puffs can float by filling up their already puffed up bodies with more air.
When cutie puffs need to escape, instead of floating away, they roll away.
Main source of food for cutie puffs is oxygen. They will occasionally inhale helium from balloons as dessert.
Dall Sheep stay near steep slopes and rugged ground so they can escape from predators who can't maneuver the terrain.
Male Dall Sheep live in bands and seldom fraternize with females except during the mating season.
Dall sheep will travel many miles to visit mineral licks during the spring.
The tails of the desert iguana are about 1.5 times longer than the body.
Although desert iguanas have pale bellies, the sides turn pinkish during breeding season in both sexes.
Desert iguanas often use the creosote bush for both food and shelter.
Dik-diks are named so because of the sound it makes when frightened.
Dik-diks mate for life. A Dik-Dik is said to die of stress if its partner is killed.
Dik-diks do not need to drink water and can get all the moisture it needs from leaves and shoots.
The dingo was a domestic dog but has reverted to a wild state for thousands of years.
Dingoes are nocturnal in warmer regions and more active during the day in cooler areas.
Dingos are very territorial and have structured packs. Intruders are usually killed.
The dodo bird became extinct in the mid-to-late 17th century.
Dodo birds were flightless birds related to pigeons and doves. Unable to fly, they were only found on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius.
The tambalacocque, also known as the dodo tree, only germinates after passing through the digestive system of the dodo bird.
Dollar sunfish are carnivorous and prefer live food.
The male dollar sunfish is very protective of the eggs and young.
The male dollar sunfish is covered with blue iridescent scales.
Dolphins let one half of their brain sleep at a time because they must stay conscious to breathe.
Each dolphin has its own unique whistle to identify itself.
Dolphins use echolocation to hunt.
A male donkey is called a Jack. A female donkey is called a Jennet or Jenny. Their offspring are foals.
If well cared for, Donkeys can live for more than 40 years.
George Washington owned the first donkeys born in the United States.
Dragonflies are born in a larvae state and without wings. Eventually they grow wings during a partial metamorphosis process.
Dragonflies are ancient insects. They have existed on Earth for approximately 300 million years. They lay their eggs by water.
Because of their large, multifaceted eyes, Dragonflies can see nearly 360 degrees around it at all times.
Both sexes of the East African Oryx has ringed horns.
The female East African Oryx leads the herd and the males are at the end guarding the herd.
Dominance among the East African Oryx herd is based on age and size.
The Easter Bunny brings baskets filled with brightly colored eggs, candy, and toys to the homes of children on the night before Easter.
An eland is the largest species of antelope but are behaviorally quite bovine.
Elands are sometimes farmed or hunted for their meat.
Both sexes of the eland antelope have horns.
Elephant Birds are flightless birds, native to Madagascar, who have been extinct since the 17th century.
Elephant Birds were the world's largest bird, standing over 10 feet tall and weighing close to 880 pounds.
The egg of the Elephant Bird have a circumference of over 3 feet and measure up to 13 inches in length.
Emerald Boas are bright green in color and can reach more than 6 feet in length.
Emerald Boas have a life expectancy of approximately 20 years.
Unlike other snakes that hatch from eggs, the Emerald Boa gives birth to live young.
Emperor Penguins are the tallest and heaviest of the penguin species.
Emperor Penguins are only found in the Southern Hemisphere.
Emperor Penguins can hold their breath for up to about 20 minutes.
Emus were farmed for their meat, oil and leather.
Emus eat pebbles and stone to assist in digestion.
The male emu incubates the eggs for 8 weeks, during which time he does not eat, drink or defecate.
Fennec Foxes have excellent hearing and can hear prey from underground.
Fennec fox is the smallest of all the foxes in the world.
Fennec foxes have fur on the soles of their feet to protect them from hot sand.
Fire salamanders are deaf, so they do not make any sounds either.
Fire salamanders are poor swimmers.
Fire salamanders may overheat in temperatures 75 degrees fahrenheit and over.
Fireflies change their intensity and frequency of their glow when they are disturbed.
Fireflies are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Fireflies have light organs located under its abdomen. When the firefly breathes in oxygen, it mixes with a substance called luciferin within their cells and this produces light.
Some flying fox bats drink sea water to get vital minerals.
Flying fox bats cannot stand because they do not have much muscle in the legs.
Flying fox bats play a major role in spreading seeds and pollinating plants in rain forests.
Flying pigs are so legendary that Amsterdam has a famous hostel named after them.
The resilient wings of flying pigs are lightweight and reflect sunlight to keep them cool during flight.
Flying pigs are very reclusive animals and only emerge for visible flight the day before a blue moon.
Gazelles do not drink much water because they extract moisture from their food.
Gazelles can reach up to 60 miles per hour.
Most gazelles are only found in Africa.
The Gharial has the longest snout and is the largest of living crocodilians.
Gharials frequently bask in the sun to increase their body temperature for better digestion.
Gharial is derived from the Hindi word 'ghara,' which means mud pot.
If a giant octopus loses one of its arms, it can grow it back.
The male giant octopus dies after impregnating about six females.
Giant octopus have blue blood.
The giant panda's teeth are about 7 times bigger than human's teeth.
Giant pandas that are even only a year old can still climb up large trees.
Fully grown pandas can reach up to 6 feet.
Giant Sable Antelopes are very brave. If threatened by a lion for example, it will confront it using their horns. They have won many times.
There are about 15-20 individuals in a herd of Giant Sable Antelopes. Within each herd, there is only one adult male.
Young males Giant Sable Antelopes are exiled from the herd at about three years old.
An adult giraffe's hooves are about the size of a dinner place, which is about 12 inches.
All giraffes have their own unique markings. No two giraffes have the exact same markings.
Giraffes have excellent vision and can perceive color.
A group of unicorns is called a blessing.
The unicorn's horn was thought to neutralize poisons.
Golden Eagles build their nests out of sticks and on cliffs or in trees.
When eating tortoises, the golden eagle will grab the tortoise from the ground while flying, then drop it on a rock to crack the shell open.
A golden eagle's dive can go as fast as 200 miles per hour.
Gorillas have 98% of the same DNA as humans.
Gorillas build its own nest or sleeping areas and are not used for more than one night.
Gorillas are naturally found in Africa only.
Grey wolves are the largest wild member of the dog family.
Grey wolves are survivors of the ice age.
Some grey wolves roam alone, but most of the time they are found in packs.
The great egret was killed in large numbers to use their plumes to decorate hats.
Great egrets use their long, sharp bill to spear their prey.
The great egret is on the reverse side of the New Zealand $2 coin.
Great white pelicans are strong swimmers.
Great white pelicans fish during early mornings and spend the rest of the day preening and bathing in the sun.
The bills of great white pelicans can reach up to 18 inches.
The Great Horned Owl has 14 vertebrates and can turn their head 270 degrees.
The Great Horned Owl has the most identifiable that sounds like, 'Hoo-hoo, Hoo-hoo'.
The Great Horned Owl's eyes are fixed in a forward position and cannot look side to side.
In China, the dragon is the symbol of the emperor and is associated with fertility and prosperity.
Dragons are mythical beasts depicted across multiple cultures. In some cases, dragons are guardians of treasures, while in others, dragons are associated with evil.
Dragon bones are hollow, so they can fly with ease.
A group of unicorns is called a blessing.
The unicorn's horn was thought to neutralize poisons.
Gremlins are an English folkloric creature with an interest in aircrafts.
Gremlins are known to be mischievous and mechanically oriented.
The concept of gremlins responsible for sabotaging aircraft was popularised during World War II.
On Tuesday January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude hit Haiti.
The earthquake affected 3 million people, about a third of Haiti's population.
You can donate $10 to the Red Cross Haiti relief by texting 'Haiti' to 90999.
Some hammerhead sharks are 5 feet long, but some can be as long as 20 feet.
The hammerhead shark's lifespan is about 25 years.
Hammerhead sharks are rarely seen with other sharks.
Harbor Porpoises can dive as deep as 650 feet, but need to come up for air about every 25 seconds.
During the Middle Ages, Harbor Porpoise meat was considered a delicacy suitable for a royal feast.
Harbor Porpoises are among the smallest of the marine animals, reaching an average size of about 5 feet.
When threatened, Hedgehogs roll into a tight ball, protecting their face, eyes, limbs, and bellies.
Hedgehogs are born with its spines lying just under the skin. The spines will 'sprout' 2-3 days after they are born.
Hippos have thin skin so they need to stay in the water for long periods of time to avoid overheating and dehydration.
Hippos consume 88 pounds of grass per night in nearby grasslands.
Hippos' mouths are two feet long across.
The reindeer has broad hooves that act as snowshoes.
Reindeer are good swimmers.
Reindeer shed their antlers annually.
Honey Badgers are known to be fearless. They regularly eat poisonous snakes and raid beehives for honey.
Honey Badgers have a great sense of hearing and smell, but poor eyesight.
The honey badger is very aggressive and have few predators.
Some horned toads have the ability to squirt blood from the corner of its eyes when attacked or alarmed.
A new born horned toad buries itself in the sand immediately after hatching.
Horned toads are only found in the western part of the United States and Mexico.
The Humpback Whale's courtship rituals take place during the winter.
When Humpback Whales come up to the surface to blow out water through their blowholes, the water can rise up to 10-13 feet above the surface of the water.
The mother Humpback Whale and her young will swim close together and often touch one another's flippers to show affection.
Each impala herd uses a specific area for their excrement.
When a predator is nearby, the whole herd of impalas will leap about to confuse the predator.
They can jump over 33ft in distance and 9ft high.
When rain is approaching, an Indian Peacock will make an eerie call.
Indian Peacocks do not get along with domestic animals.
The Indian Peacock is the national bird of India.
The Irish Elk was also known as the Giant Deer and was one of the largest deer that ever lived. It stood about 7 feet tall at the shoulders.
Irish Elks had very large antlers, measuring about 12
It is hypothesized that the extinction of the Irish Elk was caused by human presence along rivers and decrease in upland habitats.
Jaguars have extremely good eye sight.
The name jaguar means, 'a beast that kills its prey with a single bound.'
Jaguars kill their prey by piercing the skulls with their teeth.
The Jellyfish has no brain.
One type of jellyfish, the Turritopsis Nutricula, are known to be immortal. Once it mates, it reverts back to their younger self.
Jellyfish has been around on earth for over 650 million years, outdating the dinosaurs.
Young kangaroos are called joeys.
Kangaroos can jump about 16 feet across the ground in one single leap.
When a young kangaroo is frightened, it jumps into the mother's pouch head first.
The keel-billed toucan has a loud frog like call.
The keel billed toucan is a poor flyer so it hops from tree to tree to get around.
When the keel billed toucan sleeps, it turns its head around to rest the beak on its back and also folds up its tail over its head and turns into a feather ball.
Though brightly colored, the vulture's head and neck are bald.
King vulture is a scavenger and mostly feeds off the corpses of dead animals.
The kiwi is almost blind. During the night it can only see about six feet and only two feet during the day.
The kiwi has a long beak that has nostrils at the end of the beak.
Although the kiwi is the size of a chicken, it lays eggs that are the size of ostrich eggs.
Koalas are picky eaters.
Koalas sleep nineteen hours a day.
A koala's fingerprint is very similar to a human's.\r\n
Komodo dragons hunt in the daytime.
Komodo dragons will eat any meat, but prefer rotten meat.
Komodo dragons can see as far away as 300 meters, which is about 984.25 feet.
Kookaburras get their name from its manic, laughter-like call done during the early morning and evening hours. Kookaburra lends its name to the famous Austrailian Kookaburra licorice treat.
Kookaburras are very territorial and will sing as a chorus to mark their territory.
Kookaburra chicks are born blind and naked, and it takes a month for their feathers to fill in.
Leafy Sea Dragons get their common name from the leaf-like appendages on their bodies. They resemble floating pieces of seaweed, which makes them difficult for predators to find in their natural habitat.
Leafy Sea Dragons are able to change color to match their surroundings.
Leafy Sea Dragons have eyes that can move independently of one another, so while one eye looks one way, the other can look in a completely different direction.
Leatherback turtles are 4th largest modern reptile, only behind 3 crocodilians.
Instead of a bony shell, the Leatherback turtle's body is covered with thick, oil flesh and miniscule bony plates.
Unusual for reptiles, leatherback turtles can swim and survive in cold, deep ocean waters.
The snow leopard does not roar, it meows and purrs like cats.
Though the smallest of the large cats, leopards can still take down large prey because of their massive skulls and powerful jaw muscles.
A melanistic, or all black, leopard is called a black panther.
The lions that do not participate in the hunt stay and baby sit the cubs.
A lion's roar can travel up to 5 miles away.
A thirsty lion can drink water for as long as 20 minutes after eating.
Lobsters actually come in many colors, such as blue, light yellow, greenish-brown, grey, dusty orange, calico and even have spots. However, they all turn red when cooked.
During Colonial times, Lobsters were considered
Lobsters can regenerate body parts, which means that they can grow new legs and claws at will.
The Loch Ness is often, and more affectionatly, also known as Nessie.
The very first tale recounting a sighting of the Loch Ness was in 565 A.D., when Saint Columba saved a swimmer from a mysterious lake monster.
The Loch Ness is reputed to inhabit a large lake in the Scottish Highlands.
Lovebirds can be happy being single as long as they receive a lot of affection from its owner.
Lovebirds are stubborn and strong willed birds.
Lovebirds keep their youthful look; therefore, it is difficult to tell their age. Owners usually place a band with the date of their birth to keep track of their age.
Contrary to popular belief, manatees and dugongs are not the same animal, though they are related.
Manatees are herbivores and eat over 60 variations of plants.
The manatees' main predator is man because of hunting and boat strikes. You can often see scars from motor boats on their backs.
Mandrills are the world's largest monkey species.
At night mandrills sleep in trees for safety.
Adult mandrills throw sticks and stones at enemies to protect their young.
Marmots belong to the squirrel family.
Marmots mainly feed on grass and other green plants.
Marmot babies have a full set of fur and can explore outside their burrow after about a month.
Once, the island of Guam was the only home to wild Micronesian kingfishers. But now these birds are found only in zoos and are extinct in the wild.
These birds became scarce in the wild as soon as the brown tree snake appeared in the forests of Guam.
In the mid 1980s, scientists captured the last 29 kingfishers left, as an effort of conservation.
Monkeys do not catch colds.
Monkeys show affection by grooming each other.
Monkeys are threatened greatly by habitat loss.
Monarch Butterflies breathe through its wings.
Monarch butterflies can lay up to 500 eggs.
Female Monarch butterflies have thicker veins in their wings.
Monkeys do not catch colds.
Monkeys show affection by grooming each other.
Monkeys are threatened greatly by habitat loss.
A moose can dive 20 feet under water.
Only male moose have antlers. The moose sheds his antlers in the winter and grows a larger one.
The plural for moose is moose.
Mountain Goats are not true goats
Mountain goats have cloven hooves with two toes that spread wide to improve balance. Rough pads on the bottom of each toe provides excellent grip.
Mountain goats are powerful but nimble and can jump nearly 12 feet in a single leap.
Mountain lions can leap up to 20 feet.
Mountain lions are very territorial and will attack anyone that enters their part of the land.
Only 1 in 6 mountain lion kittens survive.
The Musk Ox is one of the two hoofed animals that survived the end of the ice age.
The Musk Ox has air pockets between their brain and skull to prevent brain damage when they clash heads with another ox.
The Musk Ox's front hooves are larger than the hind hooves. This makes it easier for them to dig through snow for food.
Mustangs are male horses and usually only one will stay with a herd.
Any marking on a Mustang's head is called a 'star' even if it's not shaped like a star.
You can tell how old a Mustang is by studying its teeth. A Mustang gets all its teeth by age 5 and after that age, its teeth continues to grow longer.
Narwhals whales live in groups called pods that can have up to 2,000 members.
Narwhal whales can dive from 2,500 feet to 4,500 feet.
Narwhal whales have excellent hearing and vision.
Ocelots are found in Mexico and also Central and South America.
Ocelots are very territorial and may fight to the death.
Ocelots are listed as endangered and are now legally protected.
Orcas come up to the surface of the water every 30 seconds to breathe.
Orcas have 9 times more myoglobin, what carries oxygen to the body, in their blood than humans that help them stay under water longer.
Although not visible from the outside, the bone structure of an orca leads to the possibility that they used to walk on land.
A female ostrich has the ability to tell which egg is hers when they get mixed up in other nests.
The saying that the ostrich hides its head in sand is false. They actually just place their head on the ground so they are not seen.
Ostrich skeletons and fossils have been found that were 120 million years old and did not show much of a difference to present time ostriches.
A grown otter can have as much as one billion hairs on their fur.
Instead of having blubber like most marine mammals, otters have fur.
Otters have poor vision under water so they rely on their sensitive whiskers to hunt by picking up vibrations of nearby fish.
Pegasus was captured by Zeus and is thought to have carried his thunderbolts through the sky.
Pegasus was born from the blood of Medusa when her head was severed when Perseus killed her.
Pegasus carried many mythological heroes to their battles.
Peregrine falcons can reach speeds of over 200mph in a stoop, making it the fastest animal on the planet.
Peregrine falcons can be found nearly everywhere on earth; its name means 'wandering falcon'.
Peregrine falcons have distinct 'moustache' markings on their faces.
In many cultures, the phoenix is a symbol of immortality and rebirth.
The phoenix played an important role of saving lives in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.
When the phoenix reaches the end of its life, it sets itself and its nest on fire and burns to ashes. Shortly after, the phoenix is said to rise from the dead.
Pikas bark when they are scared to warn others of the danger.
The Pika is only seven to eight inches from head to toe.
Pikas stay active year round even through the winter.
A group of unicorns is called a blessing.
The unicorn's horn was thought to neutralize poisons.
The platypus swims with its eyes, ears, and nostrils shut.
The platypus spends about 12 hours looking for food each day.
The platypus is one of the few mammals that are venomous. They deliver poison through a spur on its hind foot.
Poison dart frogs in captivity lose their toxicity due to their restricted diet.
Poison dart frogs rest during the night unlike other frogs.
Poison dart frogs in captivity can live for about 10 years.
Polar bear cubs learn to freeze and stay still while their mother hunts.
Polar bears tend to overheat more than to be cold.
A polar bear that is trying to blend in with the ice will sometimes cover its black nose with its paws.
A newborn porcupine's quill hardens about thirty minutes after birth.
When a porcupine is spotted, instead of running away it will continue to shuffle and waddle along.
A baby porcupine is called a porcupette.
Pigs have poor vision but excellent senses of smell and hearing.
Herd members communicate with a variety of squeaks, grunts, and other sounds, including different sneezes.
If the tail curls at all, then this curl is a sign of cross breeding.
Besides penguins, Puffins are the only birds that swim with their wings, rather than their feet. They can dive deeper than 80 feet to catch fish.
Female Puffins lay a single egg each year and both parents take turns incubating it.
Puffins have penguin-like coloring but their colorful beak has earned them the nickname as the 'sea parrot.'
A group of unicorns is called a blessing.
The unicorn's horn was thought to neutralize poisons.
Pygmy hippos produce oil on their skin to protect it from water loss.
When a pygmy hippo feels threatened, it will go in the water.
Pygmy hippos only have hair on its lips and tail.
Pythons swallow their food whole, even large animals such as deers and gazelles.
To allow food to digest completely, pythons must be in warm temperatures or else the meal will decompose and poison the python's stomach.
The female python coils her body around the eggs to keep them warm until they hatch.
Rainbow Butterflies's main diet consists of colorful candies and sweet cupcakes.
When Rainbow Butterflies are threatened, they glow very brightly to blind their predators and quickly fly away
Rainbow Butterflies have the most vibrant wings and largest wingspan of all butterflies.
Peacocks enjoy peace and harmony and try to avoid commotion.
A group of peacocks is called a party.
Peacocks are sociable birds.
Baby rattlesnakes are born venomous, but they cannot rattle.
Rattlesnakes do not lay eggs because the eggs hatch inside the mother and she gives live birth to her babies.
Rattlesnakes are deaf.
During the winter red pandas often lose up to 15% of their body weight.
A red panda can eat about 200,000 bamboo leaves a day.
The red panda is actually the original panda. It was found 48 years before the giant panda was found.
A Red Uakari troop contains a mix of 10 to 20 females and males.
Red Uakari's red face may be attractive to other mates because sick Uakari's will develop a pale face.
Red Uakari's only live in the Amazon River basin.
The red-bellied wallaby is found in Tasmania, Australia.
The new born red-bellied wallaby stays in its mother's pouch for 6 months before weaning at 8 months.
The red-bellied wallaby depends on sound rather than sight. When they hear danger, they thump their foot on the ground.
The reindeer has broad hooves that act as snowshoes.
Reindeer are good swimmers.
Reindeer shed their antlers annually.
Rheas grow to become about 6 feet tall.
Rheas roam around in Argentina and Brazil. The greater rhea is the largest of all South American birds.
Rheas are opportunistic eaters and will enjoy almost anything they can find.
The horn on a rhinoceros grows throughout its life.
The rhinoceros can sleep standing or lying down.
The rhinoceros rolls in the mud to avoid getting sunburnt.
Groups of ring-tailed lemurs spend many hours sun bathing, sitting on the ground and facing the sun with their arms spread out.
Wild ring-tailed lemurs are only to be found on the African island of Madagascar and a few neighboring islands.
The ring-tailed lemur's main predator is the fossa.
Ruffed lemurs are the only primates to build nests for their newborns.
Ruffed lemurs have special adaptations for grooming, including a 'toilet claw' on its second toe.
Ruffed lemurs spend most of their time in the upper canopy of the Madagascar rainforest.
Sabertooth Tigers are most known for their enlarged canines that measuered up to 9 inches.
Sabertooth Tigers were excellent hunters and hunted animals such as sloths, mammoths, and other large prey.
Sabertooth Tigers went extinct approximately 11,500 years ago.
St. Paddy Bears are most recognizable due to the balloon they always carry.
The hibernation period of St. Paddy Bear ends on March 17th.
The Saint Paddy Bear diet mainly consists of four-leafed clovers.
The Sandhill crane dances during courtship by bowing and jumping into the air.
Young Sandhill cranes learn to fly about 10 weeks after hatching typically in early May.
Sandhill crane nests are two to three feet in diameter.
Macaws can blush. White patches on their face can turn bright red when excited.
A Macaw's tongue is dry, slightly scaly, and has a bone inside it.
Macaws have dark eyes when they are born. As they age, their eyes lighten up.
The Scottish Highland Sheep is the most numerous breed of sheep in the British Isles, making up about 30%.
Scottish Highland ewes are excellent mothers and most often try to defend their lambs from predators.
The wool of the Scottish Highland Sheep is one of the best mattress fillers.
Seahorses mate under a full moon.
Seahorses cannot curl their tail backwards.
Seahorses like to link their tails with another seahorse and swim together.
Siberian tigers can survive through heavy frosts.
Siberian tigers eat over 20 pounds of meat a day.
Siberian tigers can drag a prey that would take more than a dozen men to move.
Skunks are resistant to snake venom.
Skunks can spray its musk up accurately up to 10 feet away.
Skunks can spray up to 5 times a week.
Sloths are slow moving creatures, so it is easy for mites, ticks, and moths to live in their fur.
Sloths spend most of their time in trees, only coming to the ground once per week to defecate.
Sloth diets consist mainly of leaves, which are hard to digest. It takes a whole month for a sloth to digest a stomach full of leaves.
The snow leopards' teeth can be over four inches long.
The snow leopard doesn't live in snow the whole year. It actually spends about six months in the warmer areas.
Snowshoe rabbits stay close to their birthplace. It helps them escape from enemies because they are familiar with the area.
A snowshoe rabbit pounds the ground with its hind feet warn others.
In the spring, snowshoe rabbits have brown fur. In late fall, they grow a new coat which is white.
Snowy owls make their nests on the ground, sometimes using abandoned eagle nest.
Snowy owls swallow their prey whole and regurgitate the indigestible parts, which are compacted into oval pellets.
In J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, Hedwig is a snowy owl.
After catching a prey, the Spanish lynx will drag its food to a distance to eat it. Then it buries the remains.
There are only about 300 Spanish lynx left in the wild due the decrease in wild rabbits which are the lynx's main food source.
The Spanish lynx are shy and solitary animals.
The Specked bear is the only bear in South America.
The Speckled bear spends much of its time high up in the trees where they may sometimes even build a nest with branches and leaves and stay for a couple days feeding on fruit.
The Speckled bear's predators are Mountain lions and Jaguars.
The Orange-spotted day gecko has immovable eyelids.
White spotted geckos lay their eggs buried in sand to protect them from the sun.
Some geckos have immovable eyelids but the spotted leopard gecko has movable eyelids.
The female spotted hyenas dominate over the male hyenas.
The baby spotted hyenas are born with their eyes open.
Hyenas may look more like dogs, but they are more closely related to cats.
Stegosauruses are herbivores whose diets consisted of ferns, mosses, cycads, conifers, horsetails, and more.
A Stegosaurus is a quadrupedal with 17 bony plates lining its back and tail. The largest plate is about 2.5 feet tall and wide.
Though it is the size of a bus, a Stegosaurus' head is the size of a horse's head.
Stingrays spend the majority of their day inactive and partially buried in the sand.
Stingrays prefer warm tropical water.
Stingrays are usually not aggressive and will swim away from threats.
Sugar Gliders get their name from their love of sugar and ability to glide long distances.
In the wild, Sugar Gliders live in trees and rarely, if ever, touch the ground.
Sugar Gliders have opposable fingers and toes.
Sun Bear is one of the smallest bears weighing up to 100 pounds.
Sun Bears live in tropical temperatures; therefore, do not need to hibernate and can mate at any time of the year.
Sun Bears have loose skin so that when they are bitten they can twist around and bite back the attacker.
The Sunda Loris produces a toxin mixed with their saliva to use as protection against enemies. The mother licks this toxin onto their newborns before leaving to search for food.
The Sunda Loris moves slow and quietly and creeps on on their prey and then quickly snatches them with both of their hands.
The Sunda Loris has excellent sense of smell, but have poor color vision.
Swifts are some of the fastest flyers in the animal kingdom. Common swifts can reach up to 60 meters per second.
Swifts glue their nests with saliva. This saliva, a delicacy in some cultures, is harvested for Bird's Nest Soup.
Swifts cannot pick nest material from the ground, so they must grab them from branches while in flight.
Tyrannosaurus fossils have been found in a variety of rock formations dating to the last three million years of the Cretaceous Period.
The full name of Tyrannosaurus is Tyrannosaurus rex, which means 'king of the tyrant reptiles.
Tyrannosaurus fossils have been found at many sites in North America, including Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada, and Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and New Mexico in the U.S.A.
When a Tasmanian devil feels scared or uncertain, it will open its mouth very wide.
Tasmanian devils have bad eyesight which causes them to walk clumsily.
Tasmanian devils store their fat in its tail.
During courtship, some male Tiger Salamanders will impersonate females to sneak in and deposit his spermatophore on top of his rival male's.
Tiger Salamanders spend most of their lives underground.
Tiger Salamanders have to keep their skin moist at all times.
Tiger Sharks will eat anything they find, including garbage, which has earned them the nickname 'wastebasket of the sea.'
The Tiger Shark is one of the larger shark species. It can reach up to 18 feet and 2,000 lb.
The Tiger Shark gets its name from the dark stripes down its body, which fade as the shark matures.
There are about 40 different types of tortoises.
The largest tortoises are the giant Galapagos and live in the Galapagos Islands.
The Aldabran tortoise can weigh up to 660 pounds.
The tree frog spends the majority of its lifespan in a tree.
The tree frog can jump up to to 40 times its own length.
Tree frogs hunt insects at night.
Tree Kangaroos live in mountainous rainforests.
Tree Kangaroos can jump 60 feet to the ground from trees without injuring themselves.
Tree Kangaroos spend most of their time in trees feeding on tree leaves.
Trumpeter swans do not need to worry about getting cold. Their down feathers are 2 inches thick with about 35,000 feathers.
Trumpeter swans have 25 neck vertebrae, which is about twice as much as giraffes.
Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl in North America.
With $1, UNICEF can provide a child with access to clean, safe water for 40 days, or 40 children with access to safe water for 1 day.
Since 1990, UNICEF has helped 1.6 billion people gain access to clean water and sanitation.
About one out of five people in sub-Saharan Africa rely on a clean drinking water source that is more than 30 minutes away.
A group of unicorns is called a blessing.
The unicorn's horn was thought to neutralize poisons.
A group of vampire bats are called a colony.
Vampire bats are the only mammals that feed only on blood.
Vampire bats land near their prey and strike them from the ground.
The Walrus uses its tusk to pull itself from the ocean onto the ice.
The Walrus is one single species but there are two subspecies, the Pacific and Atlantic Walrus.
Walrus calves are sometimes crushed during stampedes for open water when the group is startled by a predator.
Warthogs can reach up to a speed of 55 km\/hr.
Warthogs got their name through the wart-like feature on its face.
Warthogs hold up their tails to stay in contact with other warthogs.
Shark Whales are the largest fish in the sea, reaching more than 40 ft in length.
Shark Whales are suction filter feeders, which means they sucks in a huge volume of water and then strain it to eat the plankton caught in their mouth.
Whale Sharks are largely solitary and are rarely seen in groups unless feeding at locations with lots of food.
A White Rhino's horn is not a true horn that is attached to the skull, but rather grows from the skin and is made up of keratin fibers, the same material found in hair and nails.
A White Rhino's horn grow as much as three inches a year, and have been known to grow up to 5 feet long.
White Rhinos can reach galloping speeds of up to 25 mph.
The white tiger scratches trees to mark their territories.
The white tiger's night vision is six times better than that of humans.
White tiger cubs fully develop their canines by 16 months, but will not begin killing until about 18 months of age.
White-tailed deer's coat color changes depending on season. In the spring and summer, they are reddish-brown, while in the fall and winter, they are gray-brown.
The White-tailed deer male will regrow a set of antlers every year.
White-tailed deer will raise its tail to expose the white underside to warn other deer of danger.
Wildebeests are also called 'gnus' because when they make noise it sounds like 'gnu' or 'new'.
A new borm wildebeest can stand and run within 3 to 7 minutes after birth.
Wildebeests and zebras graze together because each animal prefers different parts of the same grass.
Wolverines are very strong and are thought to be the strongest animal among mammals their size.
Wolverines can travel up to 15 miles a day looking for food.
Wolverines have great hearing and sense of smell, but have poor eyesight.
A wombat will kick back with both of its hind legs if it is picked up from its back.
A newborn wombat only weighs one gram.
Wombats have a slow metabolism, so it can take them 14 days to digest one meal.
Woolly Mammoths combated the cold most famously with their thick layer of shaggy hair, which grew up to a meter in length.
Woolly Mammoths can weigh up to 8 tons and have tusks that can grow up to 17 ft.
Woolly Mammoths are herbivores, who ate mostly grasses, sedges, and rushes.
Yellow anacondas spend most of their lives near or in water.
Yellow anacondas breed during the rainy season.
Sometimes yellow anacondas can give birth to up to 100 babies in one litter.
Yellow mongooses are also known as 'Red Meerkats' and are smaller than most other mongooses.
Yellow mongooses are usually quiet and communicate through tail movements.
Yellow mongooses cohabit with meerkats and ground squirrels. They work together on the maintenance of burrows by adding new tunnels when necessary.
The mythical Yeti inhabits the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet.
The Yeti has alternatively been known as the Abominable Snowman since 1921 after a confusing translation from the Tibetan language.
Stories of the Yeti originate from the late 19th century.
Zebras can recognize other zebras through the different stripe patterns on their bodies.
Zebras only sleep when other zebras are around them to warn them of predators.
When a family member is injured, the other zebras will circle around it to protect it.

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