17 facts about foxes: habits, bloodless hunting and other interesting unknown things

People became closely acquainted with koalas only 200 years ago. Still, during this time, the cute eared creature managed to become the most famous Australian animal, eclipsing even the kangaroo and one of the most famous animals worldwide. Everyone, at least once, was touched by this creature that looked like a tiny bear cub with cute ears and a curious look.

 

What are some interesting facts about koalas?

 

In nature, koalas live only in Australia, and in zoos, where they take root well, they are real stars not only because of their appearance but also because of their elegant and, at the same time, leisurely manner of moving. If there are koalas in the zoo, you can predict with a high degree of probability that the most significant number of visitors, tiny ones, will be near their enclosure. The appearance of koalas is deceptive: an angry animal in a rage can attack a person. Let's try to state a few more facts about these fascinating animals.

 

15. Europeans first met koalas in 1798. 

One of the employees of the governor of the colony of New South Wales, John Price, reported that in the Blue Mountains (they are located in the extreme southeast of Australia) an animal similar to a wombat lives. Still, it does not live in holes but on trees. After four years, the koala remains were discovered, and in July 1803, the Sydney Gazette printed a description of a recently caught live specimen. Surprisingly, koalas were not seen by members of the expedition of James Cook in 1770. Cook's voyages were extensive, but the solitary lifestyle of koalas prevented them from making a discovery. 

 

14. Koalas are not bears, although they are very similar. 

Not only does the appearance of a funny animal contributes to the confusion. The first British settlers in Australia called the animal "Koala bear" - "Koala Bear." For former convicts and people from the lower classes of British society at the end of the 18th century, it was difficult to expect ordinary literacy, let alone biological. Yes, and scientists reached an agreement on the belonging of the koala to the class of marsupials only at the beginning of the next century. Of course, in everyday life, the combination “Koala Bear” will be understandable to most people. 

 

13. Koala is a particular species in terms of biological classification. 

The closest relatives of the inhabitants of the eucalyptus forests are wombats, but they are both in terms of lifestyle and biologically very distant from the koala.

 

12. Except for nature reserves and zoos, koalas live only in Australia and only on its east coast and adjacent islands. 

The example of the koala clearly shows that the negative experience of settling animal species on the continent does not teach Australians at all. Having burned themselves on ostriches, rabbits, and even cats in the 20th century, they enthusiastically undertook to resettle koalas. Not only restored the deforested population of these marsupials in the state of South Australia. The koalas have been relocated to the Yanchep National Park and several islands off the northeast coast of the country. The geography of the settlement of koalas has expanded to 1,000,000 km2, but one can only hope that the slowness and good nature of koalas will help avoid the following environmental problems. Although on Kangaroo Island, where koalas were forcibly brought, their number reached 30,000, which exceeded the food supply. The proposal to shoot 2/3 of the population was rejected as damaging the country's image. 

 

11. The maximum body length is 85 cm, the maximum weight is 55 kg. 

The cost differs depending on the habitat - its color varies from silver in the north to dark brown in the south. This gradation suggests that two different subspecies live in the north and south, but this assumption has not yet been proven.

 

10. The diet of koalas is unique. 

Not only does it consist exclusively of plant foods. Vegetation is slowly and poorly digested, forcing the animal to devote most of the day to feeding. The diet of koalas consists only of eucalyptus leaves, which are poisonous to all other animals. They contain terpene and phenolic compounds, and young shoots are also rich in hydrocyanic acid. It is surprising how koalas absorb such a hellish mixture of tens of kilograms (500 g - 1 kg per day) without harming their health. After genetic research, it turned out that in the genome of these animals, there are particular genes responsible for the breakdown of poisons. The same studies showed that the tongue of koalas has unique taste buds that allow you to instantly assess the moisture content of a eucalyptus leaf - a fundamental property of its absorption. In fact, by lightly licking the leaf, the koala already knows if it is edible. And yet, even with such unique abilities, the koala spends at least 20 hours a day on food and the subsequent digestion of food in a dream.

 

9. The fact that a koala sleeps a lot and can sit on the same tree for days does not mean that the motor abilities of this animal are limited. 

Koalas just have almost nowhere to rush. In nature, Dingoes are their enemies, but for an attack, the marsupial needs to get out into the open, and the dog gets close - a koala can quickly accelerate up to 50 km / h at short distances. During the mating season, males can arrange a bloody duel in which they will demonstrate sharpness and speed of reaction; in this case, it is better not to fall under the arm, or rather, under the long sharp claws. Also, koalas are very clever at jumping from tree to tree and even know how to swim. Their ability to climb trunks and branches and even hang on one paw for a long time has long been the hallmark of these cute animals.

 

8. Koala parasites are much more dangerous than external enemies. 

Many young male koalas die in fights with more experienced individuals or due to falls from trees (and they happen - a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull is often explained by the need to soften the concussion from a fall from a height). Many koalas suffer from pathogens that cause conjunctivitis, cystitis, sinusitis, and other diseases. Even with a slight long-term decrease in temperature, koalas can get pneumonia caused by a runny nose. Koalas even have their analog of AIDS, the Koala Immunodeficiency Virus. 

 

7. The brain's weight is only 0.2% of the total weight of koalas. 

Excavations, and the current size of their skulls, show that the brains of the ancestors of these animals were much larger. However, with the simplification of the diet and the disappearance of enemies, its size became excessive. Now about half of the internal volume of the koala's skull is occupied by cerebrospinal fluid. 

 

6. Koalas breed at about the same pace as they live. 

Sexual maturity occurs in the third year of their life, lasting only 12-13 years. At the same time, females mate once every 1 - 2 years, exceptionally rarely bearing two cubs, usually one. Males call them with sharp-smelling secretions of glands and characteristic cries. Pregnancy lasts a little more than a month; the cub is born very small (weighing a little more than 5 grams) and sits in the mother's bag for the first six months. He also does not come off his mother for the next six months but already outside the bag, clinging to the fur. At the age of one year, babies finally become independent. At the same time, females look for their territory, and males can live with their mothers for a couple more years.

 

5. Male koalas have unique vocal cords that allow them to make loud sounds of different tones. 

Like humans, the voice develops with age. Young males, frightened or injured, make cries similar to the cries of human babies. The call of a mature male has a lower timbre and is more informative. Scientists believe that the screams of a koala can frighten competitors and attract females. Moreover, the tone of the cry contains information (often exaggerated) about the size of the individual. 

 

4. Koalas survived their genocide. 

At the beginning of the 20th century, they were shot by the millions; the beautiful thick fur was so valued. Hunting was banned in 1927, but the population never recovered. Later, several koala parks and even a particular hospital were organized in Australia. However, due to climate fluctuations, human deforestation, and wildfires, the koala population is constantly declining. 

 

3. Private ownership of koalas is illegal worldwide, although there may be some kind of underground trade - the forbidden fruit is always sweet.

 But to see these marsupials, it is not necessary to fly to Australia - there are koalas in many zoos around the world. They live longer in captivity than in the wild with proper nutrition and care and can live up to 20 years. At the same time, despite their low level of intelligence, they show a touching affection for the staff, having fun or being capricious like small children. 

 

2. By the end of the 20th century, the koala surpassed the kangaroo as the animal symbol of Australia. 

In 1975, a survey conducted among tourists entering the continent from Europe and Japan showed that 75% of the guests would first like to see koalas. The income from visits to parks and reserves with koalas was then estimated at $ 1 billion. The image of the koala is widely used in the advertising industry, show business, and logos around the world. Koalas are characters in many films, television shows, cartoons, and computer games. 

 

1. Australia has an exceptional Wildlife Rescue Service.

 From time to time, its employees have to rescue animals in dangerous or incidental situations. On July 19, 2018, the service crew went to the electrical substation "Happy Valley" of SA Power Networks in South Australia. The koala was stuck in an aluminum fence that he could have crawled under. Rescuers quickly released the animal, which behaved remarkably calmly. This calmness was explained simply - the unlucky marsupial had already dealt with people. On his paw was a tag saying that the koala had already been rescued once after being hit by a car.

 

Which animal is lazier, a koala or a panda?

The sloth shares the first place among the laziest creatures with the koala. The time of wakefulness of this marsupial animal does not exceed two hours a day, while their sleep can last from eighteen to twenty-two hours. During it, a koala can pick eucalyptus leaves from trees and eat while half asleep.

 

Panda belongs to the bear family. But its main difference is that it does not fall into hibernation, but it can sleep up to fifteen hours a day. This huge animal, the rest of the time, is engaged in the extraction and eating of food. Since all representatives are in enclosures due to the threat of extinction of the species, they do not have to get food on their own, so the wakefulness time has decreased significantly.

 

So, of course, a koala is much lazier than a panda.

 

 

Mighty hippos, they are hippos, only seem to be such clumsy bumpkins. These massive animals have a quick temper and are very dangerous, especially if someone has the imprudence to disturb them. On the other hand, hippos do not harm anyone - they only protect themselves and their territory, which is steadily shrinking due to the expansion of human civilization.

 

The common hippopotamus is an artiodactyl animal that belongs to the hippopotamus family. Hippopotamuses prefer to live near freshwater reservoirs, where they spend most of their time, only occasionally leaving the water to feed. Hippos are also often called hippos, which means "river horse" in Greek. The name is very accurate, given the craving of hippos for water and the impressive dimensions of these animals.

 

Hippopotamuses are one of the largest land animals. The mass of an adult male often exceeds three tons; some sources claim that there were also four-ton giants. Until about ten, the group of males and females does not differ much, but males begin to gain weight much faster in adulthood. In the wild, the life expectancy of a hippopotamus rarely exceeds 40 years, and in captivity, animals can live up to 60 years with proper care.

 

Interesting facts about Hippos

 

1. In the African country of Sudan, hippos are considered evil creatures, so the locals fear them and bypass them.

 

2. There are pygmy hippos worldwide, which are 12-15 times inferior to their full-sized counterparts. 

 

3. True, they still weigh about two hundred kilograms.

 

4. Hippos have stronger teeth than any other living creature on Earth.

 

5. Once upon a time, pygmy hippos were found on the Mediterranean islands, particularly in Cyprus, but they died out there long ago (see 33 interesting facts about Cyprus).

 

6. Hippo meat is entirely edible. Moreover, paleontologists have established that the ancestors of modern humans hunted them for meat several million years ago.

 

 

7. Although hippopotamuses spend most of their lives in the water, they only eat vegetation that grows on land but does not eat aquatic plants.

 

8. An enraged hippopotamus can develop tremendous speed, so even a professional athlete will not be able to escape from it.

 

9. The only living creature in the world that poses a threat to an adult hippo is a person.

 

10. The skin of hippopotamuses is unique in that it secretes a particular enzyme that helps to disinfect wounds. An excellent natural mechanism, considering that hippos often fight and inflict more or less severe injuries on each other.

 

11. A newborn baby hippo weighs an average of about 50 kg.

 

12. Hippos often ravage the fields in the countryside. In ancient Egypt, they, and not locusts, were considered the scourge of the areas.

 

 

13. In the stomach of an adult hippopotamus, up to 200 kg of digestible food can be simultaneously located.

 

14. The female hippo cannot become pregnant for 15-18 months after the cub's birth.

 

15. Some tribes in Africa make dentures from hippopotamus teeth.

 

16. Although hippos are fiercely protective of their offspring, they can quickly kill other people's cubs.

 

17. The skin of an adult hippopotamus weighs up to 500 kg, up to one-eighth of the mass of its entire body.

 

18. Hippos can sweat, and their sweat is reddish-pink.

 

19. The pupils of these animals are unique in that they are T-shaped.

 

 

20. In Africa, hippos kill more people than crocodiles.

 

21. even though hippos constantly eat when possible, if necessary, they can go without food for 15-20 days.

 

22. Hunting for hippos is officially banned in all countries, but some African tribes, leading a lifestyle close to the primitive, continue to hunt them.

 

23. The skin of these animals reaches 3.5-4 cm in thickness.

 

24. In well-fed hippos, the stomach sags so much that it can touch the ground when walking.

 

25. Their life expectancy can reach approximately 50 years.

 

26. Hippos, on occasion, do not mind eating a gaping antelope or even a crocodile.

 

27. Their skin is more challenging than that of any other animal. It is even more challenging than elephants.

 

 

28. An adult hippopotamus eats 50-60 kg of food per day.

 

29. Hippos can develop a running speed of up to 30 kilometers per hour. Accurate, from such efforts, they quickly fizzle out.

 

30. Older individuals often starve to death after their teeth have been completely worn down and they can no longer grind plant foods.

 

31. Hippos grow throughout their lives.

 

32. Hippos usually wait out the heat of the day in the water and go out to graze on land at night. 

 

33. Often, during the night, they walk more than 10 kilometers in search of food.

 

34. Usually, females of these animals give birth to cubs on land, but sometimes they do it in the water. Why is it unknown?

 

35. If an adult hippopotamus opens its mouth, the distance from its upper to lower jaw can reach one and a half meters.

 

 

36. Hippos have relatively poor eyesight but excellent hearing. And in the water, they hear no worse than on land.

 

37. Hippos live only in freshwater.

 

38. If necessary, hippos can hold their breath for up to five minutes while diving underwater.

 

39. Even adults and large crocodiles avoid attacking hippos.

 

40. An adult hippopotamus can weigh over 4 tons.

 

41. From the point of view of zoology, the closest relatives of these animals are whales.

 

 

42. Some African tribes treat the skin of hippopotamuses in such a way that it is used for polishing diamonds. But this is a long process that takes up to five or six years.

 

43. Currently, you can meet a wild hippopotamus only in Africa, and in recent decades their numbers have been declining. Biologists estimate that the total number of animals does not exceed 150,000, a quarter of them live in Zambia. But on the territory of South Africa, wild hippos completely disappeared several decades ago; they can only be found in the national park.

 

44. The main enemy of hippos is the man. Among the animals, few dare to attack this giant. Sometimes lions and crocodiles decide on this. But, even these ferocious predators do not always manage to defeat the hippopotamus, which in appearance seems lazy and clumsy. Crocodiles attack hippos in the water and lions on land.

 

45. A hippo's mouth can open almost 180 degrees, and its scope in adult animals reaches one and a half meters. The strength of the jaws of a hippopotamus is such that it can bite the spine of an adult crocodile. 

 

46. With such a vast mass, the animal needs up to 50 kg—of feed per day. The main diet of the hippopotamus consists of grass. But, hippos can also eat the meat of other animals.

 

 

47. In zoos, hippos began to appear in the middle of the 19th century. The first animal was delivered to the London Zoo on May 25, 1850. The townspeople's delight knew no bounds, up to ten thousand people a day came to see such a miracle. Now hippos successfully breed in captivity, but keeping these animals is not cheap.

 

48. Since ancient times, people have hunted hippos for meat, skins, and bones. The heart, especially a young animal, is tasty and tastes like veal. 

 

49. a healthy skin, up to four centimeters thick, was often used by warriors for sheathing shields, and the bone is used to make souvenirs. Given the sharp decline in the number of animals, the trade-in hippopotamus bones are limited by hard quotas.

 

50. When a hippopotamus goes to land, his body quickly dehydrates; therefore, in search of food, they prefer to go out at night when the heat subsides. In search of food, the hippopotamus can overcome up to ten kilometers, and with the onset of heat, they again plunge into the reservoir. Despite their impressive mass, hippos can reach speeds of up to thirty kilometers per hour over short distances.

 

 

51. For people, hippos are very dangerous. They often settle near sown fields, and in a short time, they can destroy a significant part of the crops since these animals have an excellent appetite. At this time, hippos are aggressive and can attack people passing by. In the water, animals sometimes attack passing boats. Most often, females do this, fearing for their cubs. In South Luangwa Park, located in Zambia, more than 100 people become victims of hippopotamus attacks yearly.

 

52. Most hippos prefer not to leave their native waters. Therefore, they suffer significantly during a drought, when the water level drops rapidly. But among these animals, there are lovers of travel. For example, in three years, a female named Hubert, from 1928 to 1931, decided on a desperate step - she covered 1,600 kilometers in southern Africa. She was shot dead by the hunters, who were then sentenced to a $25 fine.

 

These animals deserve to know them better and learn more about their features, lifestyle, and character. Take, for example, the fact that their stripes, like human fingerprints, are unique - could you imagine this?

 

What do we know about zebras other than they are striped?

 

The facts we at Bemorepanda have collected for you will tell you many exciting things about zebras, these great representatives of the African continent.

 

So, could you get acquainted: with zebras?

 

 

1. If you've ever wondered if there are crossbreeds between a horse and a zebra, the answer is yes. These are the so-called Zorses, descended from a zebra stallion and a mare. This hybrid was mentioned several times in George Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels. Like most hybrids, Zorses are sterile.

 

2. Zebras have a strong sense of community and are not afraid to stand up for their fellow herds. When one of them is injured due to a predator attack, other zebras immediately come to the rescue, circling the injured fellow and helping to drive away the attacker.

 

3. All zebras come from Africa, but depending on their species, they have their specific habitat. Plains zebras can be found in East and South Africa; Grevy's zebras live in Ethiopia and Kenya; mountain zebras usually live in South Africa, Namibia, and Angola.

 

4. Zebras can communicate both verbally and non-verbally. The most striking example of non-verbal communication is the expression of the muzzle, in particular, the ears. They prick their ears and stretch their muzzles forward when greeting each other. Feeling threatened, they press their ears to their heads.

 

5. Along with horses and donkeys, zebras are the only living animals with only one toe.

 

6. Fossils from China and Uzbekistan and a two-million-year-old fossil found in South Africa suggest that the ancestors of Grevy's zebras once roamed Africa and Eurasia.

 

7. There are albino zebras in Mount Kenya's forests, and their dark stripes are light.

 

 

8. Mountain zebras live on slopes and plateaus at an altitude of up to 2000 meters above sea level.

 

9. Zebras have a habit of rubbing against various objects and even rolling in mud. Rolling coats their fur with sand and earth, which helps zebras keep themselves clean by rubbing off dead skin and removing mites, biting insects, and pests. Zebras also help keep each other clean.

 

10. In 1882, the government of Ethiopia, then known as Abyssinia, sent a zebra as a gift to French President Jules Grevy. In the same year, the French naturalist Émile Ustale named this species of zebra "Grevy's zebra" in honor of the president.

 

11. Zebras have evolved the ability to sleep standing up, and they do it most of the time. If predators attack, they can immediately run away and not waste precious seconds getting up.

 

12. Zebras are herbivores. In particular, they feed on grass, leaves, and stems of shrubs. Chewing wears down their teeth, so these teeth continue to grow throughout their lives. When the dry season arrives, zebras go elsewhere in search of food; this is why most species are considered nomadic.

 

13. Although zebras are not very fast (they can run at about 64 km per hour), they are incredibly dynamic and rely on their agility and endurance to outwit faster predators. They can zigzag to confuse attackers and evade most predators.

 

14. Have you ever wondered why zebras have stripes? There are many reasons for this, but the most interesting is the phenomenon of disruptive (torn) coloration. To a lion, a herd of zebras does not look like a bunch of individual animals gathered together but rather like a vast camouflaged striped mass, which makes it difficult for a predator to choose a specific zebra to attack.

 

 

15. Zebras are not picky eaters. Instead of just chewing short grass, they eat a wide variety of herbs, leaves, and young trees. As a result, they can roam much further than many other species, often venturing into wooded areas. They are known as pioneer animals, preparing the plains for other herbivore species that require shorter, more nutritious grasses.

 

16. Grevy's zebras have a low calf survival rate. Habitat loss, competition for resources, and hunting by humans have reduced the species' population by 54% in 30 years. Grevy's zebras are listed in the Red Book of Threatened Species, the most comprehensive archive of data on the global conservation status of biological species.

 

17. Zebra stripes can make them unattractive to some smaller predators, such as blood-sucking horseflies, which can spread disease.

 

18. The dominant stallion in the herd guards the group and is the first to sense danger, uttering a high-pitched snort to warn his comrades. He then quickly takes a defensive position at the group's rear while the mare (usually the mother of the youngest foal) leads the rest of the herd away.

 

19. Zebras are among the mammals with the most extended gestation period. Females can carry cubs for 12 to 14 months.

 

20. Zebras are considered mature at 3 to 6 years, and their average lifespan is 25 years.

 

 

21. Despite belonging to the same family as horses and donkeys, the independent nature of zebras makes them impossible to tame. They panic easily and have a much more aggressive nature than horses. They are known for attacking people.

 

22. Just as no two people have the same fingerprints, no two zebras have the same stripes.

 

23. Zebras use bites and kicks to protect themselves.

 

24. Zebras have completely black skin under black and white fur.

 

25. Night vision of a zebra is about the same as that of an owl.

 

26. Zebras were the subject of rock art in South Africa, dating from 28,000 to 20,000 years ago.

 

27. Unfortunately, it is well known that humanity is responsible for the disturbance of the natural habitat of many species. Agriculture, grazing, hunting, and habitat loss are the leading life-threatening causes for plains zebras.

 

28. Plains zebras regularly travel from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to Kenya in search of food and water. Their annual migration leaves them vulnerable to various dangers, including attacks from lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and crocodiles.

 

 

29. Grevy's zebras are fast learners: newborns can be seen running just an hour after birth.

 

30. Adult mountain zebras can be 116 to 150 cm tall and weigh 240 to 372 kg.

 

31. Plains zebras usually have a height of 1.1 to 1.5 m and weigh up to 350 kg.

 

32. All zebras are close to their mothers, but males also form strong bonds with their fathers.

 

33. Grevy's zebras often live in harmony with other herbivores - wildebeests, ostriches, and antelope - nibbling off-dry, hardened grass tips that other herbivores cannot digest.

 

34. Grevy's zebras spend 60% of their day eating. In the dry season, when food is scarce, the percentage increases to 80%.

 

35. Newborn foals only take six minutes to stand on their own.

 

36. Mountain zebras are considered crepuscular animals, primarily active in the early morning and late afternoon until sunset.

 

 

37. Today, three zebra species roam the Earth: Grevy's, plains, and mountain zebra.

 

38. Zebras are born with brown and white hair, but brown turns black with age.

 

39. Plains zebras have been recorded to cover the 500 km between Namibia and Botswana, the longest land migration of a mammal in Africa.

 

40. Grevy's zebras can go without water for almost a week, but if possible, they will drink every day.

 

41. The plains zebra is the official national animal of Botswana.

 

42. When it's cold, mountain zebras take refuge in forests or caves and warm themselves in the morning sun, heading for the slopes facing east.

 

43. The main predators attacking Grevy's zebras are lions, cheetahs, hyenas, hunting dogs, and leopards.

 

44. Hunting is the main reason for the decline in the number of Grevy's zebras in Ethiopia.

 

 

45. Plains zebras are the most common type of zebra.

 

46. At birth, foals weigh between 25 and 40 kg.

 

47. Each species of zebra has its general stripe pattern.

 

48. Mountain zebras are skilled climbers and have sharper hooves than other zebras and horses.

 

49. Unlike plains zebras and horses, Grevy's zebras do not form long-term bonds. The composition of their group can change hourly.

 

50. In total, Grevy's zebras have about 80 stripes.

 

 

 

“A dog is a man’s best friend” is a good old quote, the most popular phrase, and the truest! But how much do we know about our friends? A variety of breeds, specific behavior, and endless devotion to the owner - are not all that can surprise pets. Today we will reveal 50 interesting facts that will help you understand our pets even more.

 

Top facts about dogs

 

 

1. Dogs love to sleep on their owner's bed, and there are 50% of them. 

 

2. The most common problem among dogs is obesity. So, if you have a “strong man” growing, this is an occasion to think about it and take action! 

 

3. For the first time, animal rights were written into the legislation of Japan in the 18th century. According to the law, the death penalty was awarded for the murder of a dog, and people are required to address stray dogs as “Your Honor”. 

 

4. Dogs are mentioned 14 times in the Bible. 

 

5. The tallest dog is a Great Dane. Its height on its hind legs reaches 2.2 meters. 

 

6. Be aware that the dog perceives you as the leader of the pack. 

 

 

7. Your dog is uncomfortable with your hugs. For her, this is a signal of dominance. 

 

8. A large dog has a hard time in the house. The smallest breed is the Chihuahua. The smallest weighs 900 grams, and its growth is like a can of Coca-Cola.

 

9. The oldest dog is 30 years old. In relation to human life, this is more than 200 years. In 2013, the venerable terrier reached 30 years old. 

 

10. Sometimes dogs behave like people: they can drink very quickly, and even hiccup at dinner.

 

11. Did you know that the number of teeth in an adult dog is one and a half times more than in a puppy? For information, a puppy has 28, an adult has 42 teeth. 

 

12. An experiment was conducted in New Zealand. As it turned out, the three dogs had a good ride behind the wheel of a car on a straight road and even learned how to turn! 

 

 

13. We all know the symbol “@” is called “dog”, but this is only with us! For example, in the Czech Republic it is a herring, in Kazakhstan it is a moon ear, in other countries it is a strudel, a snail, a monkey. 

 

14. The total number of genuine breeds is 703 varieties. 

 

15. Long-nosed dogs have a more efficient internal cooling mechanism. 

 

16. A puppy's vision begins to develop well only at the age of 1 month. 

 

17. Taste buds in dogs are much poorer than human ones: 1700 compared to 9000 - a significant difference! 

 

18. Keep in mind, a dog's sense of smell is hundreds of thousands of times stronger than a human's, so keep your goodies in a safe place. 

 

 

19. Speaking of goodies. Chocolate is a dangerous sweet for dogs. The substance contained in it destroys the nervous system of the animal. Yes, it is detrimental to the heart. In the human body, it is broken down by enzymes. 

 

20. Like newborn babies, Chihuahua puppies are born with fontanelles. This is a soft spot in the upper cranial region that gradually hardens with age. 

 

21. Intellectual development of dogs, like a two-year-old child. They can count up to 5, understand about 300 gestures and words, and even successfully cope with elementary arithmetic tasks. 

 

22. A large dog has a normal heartbeat of 70-100 beats per 1 minute - just like a person. In small breeds - from 100 to 140. 

 

23. It is thanks to a wet nose that the dog easily determines where the smell comes from. 

 

 

24. The exotic name of the breed “Chihuahua” appeared in honor of the Mexican state, where they found these miniature crumbs. 

 

25. The Boxer dog loves to play with its front paws, which is where the name of its breed comes from. 

 

26. First-class seats in the Titanic saved three dogs from death. Pekingese, Newfoundland and 

Pomeranian miraculously survived. 

 

 

27. On the paws of thoroughbred dogs "Lundehund" six fingers. 

 

28. Dog owners are 65% more mobile than those who do not have a favorite pet. 

 

29. Dogs are the direct descendants of wolves.

 

30. When a dog drinks, its tongue resembles the shape of a spoon, but only wrapped down. 

 

31. Before embarking on an important action or deed, the dog instinctively demands approval and praise from the leader. 

 

32. In Russia, stray dogs have learned to use the subway for their own purposes. To get food, they confidently ride from one station to another in search of the most populated areas.

 

 

33. Once upon a time in Greece, spiked collars were invented that protected dogs from wolf aggression. 

 

34. The dog evaluates the object first by observing the movement, then pays attention to the brightness and only in the end to the form. 

 

35. In the name of the dog, the Canary Islands got their name. The inhabitants of the dog were on a par with the gods. By the way, in honor of the same islands, birds were also named canaries. 

 

36. The dog has 3 pairs of eyelids - lower, upper and nictitating. 

 

37. In 1988, in America, at customs, the dogs Barco and Rocky patrolled the border between Mexico and Texas (the so-called cocaine alley zone) so effectively that they delighted the drug lords, who then offered 30 thousand dollars for them. 

 

38. A dog hears ultrasound well. With this in mind, Paul McCartney added this sound to his beloved dog at the end of “A Day In The Life”. 

 

 

39. In 1994, the record for the fastest Greyhound breed was recorded. Its maximum is 67.3 km per hour. To this day, the record remains the same. 

 

40. In ancient China, the emperor had a mini-dog Pekingese as a spare defensive “weapon”. Hiding in the sleeve of her leader, feeling the danger, she immediately attacked the enemies. 

 

41. In the days of Ancient Russia, according to the law of the XIV century, a dog was a very valuable animal - it could be exchanged for 3 best horses, a flock of sheep or 1 ox. 

 

42. A Korean scientist cloned a dog for the first time in 2005. Today, the procedure can be repeated for 100 thousand dollars. 

 

43. When the dog of the outstanding future poet Lord Byron was not allowed into Cambridge College, he staged a kind of protest, bringing a bear cub with him. 

 

44. Women from Mississippi were extremely outraged by the fact that happened in the USSR. After all, everyone knew what fate awaited Laika, who flew into space. Housewives wrote a letter to the UN with a proposal to use Negroes for scientific experiments: “We have as many of them as our heart desires,” they protested, “but for the experiment, as it turned out, it makes no difference whether these creatures are alive or not!” 

 

 

45. “Get out of the water” is an expression that actually refers to Newfoundland dogs. And in fact, they do not get wet in the water, and the webs on their paws allow them to swim perfectly. 

 

46. ​​Is a Hollywood star a dog? Sounds strange, but it's a fact! In the collection of the German Shepherd Rin Tin Tin, there are as many as 22 film agreements. And he signed them himself with a paw print. 

 

47. The specific smell from your pet, reminiscent of chips, is not a reason to punish him for theft. The reason may be microbes accumulated on the paws that smell like chips. So first of all, take care of your hygiene! 

 

48. A dog is a predator by nature, therefore, food should be predominantly protein of animal origin, and less carbohydrates (cereals, potatoes, etc.) accidents. The goose did not leave the animal in trouble, but became a guide for it, directing it with cries and neck. 

 

 

49. Dogs have a larger range of sizes than any other mammal.

 

50. A dog's hearing is 10 times more sensitive than a human's, which is why 70% of owners believe that their pets successfully predict a storm.

 

The living nature of our planet is surprising - both in its diversity and in the characteristics of each creature. Some animals appeared on the earth relatively recently. One of the youngest species can be called humanity. But other inhabitants of the planet are exceptionally ancient creatures that have lived here for millions and hundreds of years, practically not changing at all. Which of today's living creatures can be called the most ancient? You can list many creatures whose ancestors lived in very ancient times. Many of them are surprised by their appearance.

 

First mammals - marsupials

Due to its isolation, Australia has preserved the most ancient mammals - marsupials and cloacae. The first category includes the koala and kangaroo, and the second - is the platypus and echidna. Such creatures flourished in the Mesozoic, and they first appeared 190 million years ago. The evolutionary process led to more complex mammals that could produce fully formed young that did not need a pouch. They displaced their primitive ancestors, who remained only in Australia. Echidna and platypus lay eggs but are not birds. And kangaroos and other marsupials give birth to young in an embryonic state, which then grows to the nipples in the pouch, thus continuing the development in utero in other mammals.

 

Ants, and in particular, Martialis heureka

Ants appeared a long time ago, using the collective mind as they do today. The species Martialis heureka differs from most of its contemporaries, retaining its archaic features. He does not even have eyes, but there is a well-developed system of hairs on the body. Each inch is sensitive to vibration, pressure, and other indicators, allowing insects to move confidently and engage in their activities.

 

Sharks, including the frilled shark

Sharks appeared more than 150 million years ago. These fish were and remained successful predators because their anatomy has changed little. Today, there are no vast megalodons left in the oceans, but there is a frilled shark that can live at a kilometer depth. The creature looks like an eel. Like all other sharks, it has a cartilaginous skeleton, and the only full-fledged bones in its body are its teeth. The anatomy of megalodons almost completely corresponds to the structure of the modern great white shark, only the size of our contemporaries is 2-3 meters more modest.

 

Shields

Even more ancient creatures are shields, which are rightly attributed to the ancestors of modern crustaceans living in fresh waters. These creatures inhabited the fresh waters of Pangea when all the continents were brought together. The creatures are distinguished by their small size, which ranges from 2 to 4 mm, and their fantastic vitality also determines them. Laid eggs can remain in the mud for years, waiting for optimal conditions for hatching; adult shield bugs are omnivorous up to cannibalism.

 

Sturgeon fish

Sturgeon fish Continuing the consideration of freshwater inhabitants, it is necessary to note the antiquity of sturgeon fish species. Their age is more than 200 million years, and they have acquired an expansive habitat, including Europe and North America. Of all freshwater fish, they remain the largest. This is one of the oldest branches of bony fish, and today many of its species are on the verge of extinction due to valuable caviar, even though the law protects ancient and rare creatures.

 

Crocodiles

Crocodiles - contemporaries of dinosaurs, appeared 250 million years ago. But dinosaurs died out, and crocodiles are alive - they turned out to be more tenacious and adapted to changing environmental conditions. Crocodiles have not changed much over the past millions of years. They can hibernate under adverse conditions and not eat for six months, but if there is food, eat it in tens of kilograms. The giant crocodiles of the past have died out, but there are three-meter Nile crocodiles that were the embodiment of one of the local ancient gods. They live on different continents and miniature caimans.

 

Coelacanth fish

Latimeria is an even more ancient creature with about 400 million years. It has an old body structure that can tell about the times when the oceans' inhabitants were just trying to conquer the land. This fish was considered irretrievably extinct, but then it was rediscovered in the Indian Ocean.

 

Coelacanths grow to almost two meters in size. They have a developed system of electrosensory organs that allow them to study everything around them. The bladed fins have no analogs in the modern world. In the distant past, many fish had just such a structure, and then some of them became lungfish, began to explore the land, continuing to develop fins in their limbs. So evolution began to bring living beings to new territories hitherto unknown.

 

Horseshoe crab

Horseshoe crabs could have appeared before dinosaurs. Officially its age is equated to 450 million years. An unusual creature, also called a horseshoe crab, is classified as an arachnid, and a trilobite is recognized as its relative. The creature grows up to 50-60 cm and has a shell, protective coloration, and a tail with a unique device that helps maneuver and search for food. The appearance of horseshoe crabs surprises and amazes.

 

Nautiluses

Nautiluses can be up to 500 million years old. These creatures have lovely and durable shells, which have allowed them to survive today. Nautiluses feed by helping themselves with numerous tentacles, which also help cope with enemies.

 

Jellyfish

Another ancient creature living today is the jellyfish. They are arranged very simply. They do not have a brain, and the nervous system is diffuse, but they can be poisonous. Their age is estimated at 550 million years. These jelly-like creatures have sensory organs and a digestive system but are 90 percent water.

 

Sponges

Sponges appeared on Earth, whose age is estimated at 580 million years. These creatures are so primitive that they look more like plants. They have no organs as well as body parts. All the cells that make up such a structure are of the same type. These creatures live in fresh sea water. Today their diversity is estimated at 8 thousand species.

 

Cyanobacteria

The most ancient inhabitants of the planet should be considered cyanobacteria - this is the conclusion scientists have come to. They have existed on Earth for about 3.5 billion years, remaining the most ancient inhabitants. The bacterium can release oxygen during photosynthesis. It is a by-product of vital activity. It was likely cyanobacteria that saturated the planet's atmosphere with oxygen, preparing it for the existence of all subsequent inhabitants who needed this gas for breathing. Without them, all those fantastic creatures that ruled land and seas at different times would not have arisen. There would be no people either. Thus, many ancient animals that have survived from past eras live on the planet. Each of them is worthy of study because they were able to survive and survive the epochs only thanks to their perfection.