Animals are very common here on our planet. Some are very unique while others are very common. But, if you think that you already knew the common aspects of animals, think again. There are still a lot of details that scientists have not been able to determine in animals. Some might not even be discovered while others are still currently under the protection and understudies. Here are the top 5 bizarre animal facts.
1. The Venom of a King Cobra
King Cobra is known to be one of the deadliest snakes on Earth. A single gram of its venom can kill a person 150 times or it can kill 150 people in a matter of minutes. King Cobras can grow to as long as 18 feet and have been known to be able to constrict their prey until suffocation aside from the pain of getting bit by a venomous snake. The King Cobra is usually found in Southeast Asia along with the jungles but has been known to scour the city landscapes as well. King cobras are highly intelligent creatures. They can sense their prey through their forked tongue and be able to tell of incoming predators through a sensitive earth-borne vibration that they can feel on the ground.
King cobras hunt throughout the day. It is known that a single bite of the king cobra can lead to certain death and large quantities of anti-venom are needed to reverse the progression of the symptoms instantly.
2. Man’s Best Friend
Dogs have been our best friend for over 14,000 years. Studies have shown that dogs have been domesticated for several millennia and have been our partners in hunting and foraging for food. The earliest known dog domestication was around the Ice Age where men used dogs to scout for food and protect their own family. Another interesting fact about dogs is that their nose print is different from one another. It is similar to a human’s fingerprint. No other nose print is the same. Humans are always fond of dogs. A poll by the American Animal Hospital Association showed that dog owners usually talk to their dogs either personally and on the phone while they are away. That is how humans and dogs have been attached to each other.
A certain breed of dogs called Greyhounds is known to be the fastest breed of dogs. They can travel up to 45 miles per hour. There is also a known breed of dog that does not bark. Instead, the Basenji dog is known to yodel. Another great fact about dogs is that they are mentioned over 14 times in the Bible but cats were never mentioned.
3. A Pink Fairy
There is a creature known as a Pink Fairy Armadillo. This small creature resembles its cousin the great armadillo. It has a scaly armor on its back and can curl up to form a defensive ball to protect itself from predators. The name Pink Fairy Armadillo was termed for the animal’s distinctive pink color of its protective armor.
Pink Fairy Armadillos spend most of their time underground as they are also called sand swimmers. They are nocturnal creatures and they only come out at night to hunt for insects, snails, and various plant roots.
4. The Blob Fish
The blobfish is a hideous creature found in the depths of the ocean in Australia and Tasmania. They are rarely seen by humans and those who are not familiar with the blobfish might find it to be a monster of the deep. Blob fishes live at the bottom of the ocean at 600 to 1,200 meters deep. The pressure makes it unable for predators and other fishes to survive in the depths.
The blobfish is able to maintain its form due to the fact that the fish is made up of a gelatinous mass that has a slight density with water. This way, they can float just near the bottom of the ocean floor where they eat edible materials that come near them. They usually feed on crabs and other invertebrates.
5. Lampreys
Lampreys or lamprey eels have been thought to be just a product of monster movies. But, after scouring the world, lampreys are discovered to be alive and flourishing on Earth. They are well known to feed by sucking the blood out of their chosen victim. There are lampreys that are not parasitic creatures nor do they feed on other fishes. Parasitic lampreys on the other hand attach themselves to their chosen host and gnaw their way into their host’s body until they reach the source of blood and bodily fluids until they are full.
Lampreys generally will not attack humans unless they are hungry. They live mainly in coastal and fresh waters but are also known to travel in great distances towards the ocean. Lampreys are currently studied by scientists to determine the lineage of evolution.
There is still a lot of animals that are left undiscovered. Some might be hideous just like the blobfish while others can be as friendly as our dog. The earth is truly a wonderful blessing for us humans in bringing such amazing life forms for us to study and discover.