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.
We all know tigers as striped predators. But what else? They live in Africa. And you will be wrong because most tigers live in Asian countries, especially India. Did you know that despite their ferocious appearance, tigers are considered vulnerable due to habitat loss and poaching for illegal trade? Or can you name any of their physical characteristics besides the fact that they have a tail, fangs, and stripes on their skin? In the meantime, they are pretty impressive. For example, tigers are so strong that they can kill a person with one blow of their paw.
Facts about tigers prove how little we know about wild cats
So if you're not a feline expert, you might be interested to know some of the facts Bemorepanda found about these majestic animals. Putting together information from various sources will help you get a much better understanding of tigers and save you a lot of time because you don't have to hunt for them yourself.
So, who are they really - tigers? Dangerous predators or an endangered species? Or both?
1. White tigers have enzymes that are activated at low temperatures and can make their fur darker.
2. Carnivores such as tigers have an easier process of converting meat into protein, providing them energy compared to herbivores that need to process grass. This is because carnivores don't need as many gut microbes to break down plant cellulose. As a result, tigers and other predators have small and light stomachs that do not slow them down when chasing prey.
3. Tigers hunt alone, not in groups. Even though they can live alongside other tigers, they prefer to hunt on their own. Their hunting style is quiet and stealthy, so it's better for them to be alone.
4. When tigers feel safe, they close their eyes as a sign of satisfaction or calm, as they cannot purr.
5. Tigers and other cats cannot taste sweetness because their taste buds do not recognize it. Even if they are given sweet food or treats, they will not be able to taste the sweetness on their tongue.
6. Despite the fact that tigers are endangered, they still make up the largest population among big cats. The lions are in second place, and the jaguars are third.
7. Tigers can interbreed with other wild cats, creating hybrid breeds such as tigons (male tigers and female lions) and ligers (male lions and female tigers). In addition, scientists believe that many other feral cat hybrids have yet to be discovered.
8. The belief that Bali tigers were evil spirits led to their hunting and eventual extinction along with the Caspian and Javanese tigers. This is a terrifying fact about these majestic creatures.
9. The tiger's skull is strong and rounded, which helps support its powerful jaws.
10. India has the highest population of wild tigers, with about 3,000 individuals living in the country.
11. Although seeing black tigers is rare, there have been cases of tigers with very thick stripes that give the impression of a completely black coat.
12. The Bali tiger was last seen in the mid-1930s. A few individuals probably survived into the 1940s and possibly 1950s.
13. Tiger saliva contains an antiseptic protein that helps prevent infection when the animal licks a wound. This helps tigers heal wounds quickly and speed up recovery.
14. While lions don't usually share their prey with others, tigers tend to be more cooperative and share their prey with other group members, even taking turns eating to give others a chance to get food.
15. The roar of a tiger is heard at a distance of three kilometers.
16. One hit of the paw can break your bones and kill you. Just in case you need a reminder not to get into a fistfight with a tiger.
17. Tigers, of all the wild cat species, are the most reserved and tend to roar loudly only for long distance communication or when defending their territory. They also display more nurturing behavior, allowing their young and females to eat ahead of them.
18. One of the amazing features of tigers is their ability to imitate the sounds of other animals. This skill allows them to trick their prey into approaching while hunting.
19. India initiated Project Tiger in the 1970s to protect the Bengal tiger population and continues to work towards the conservation and rehabilitation of these animals.
20. The speed at which tigers can move varies from 49 to 65 km/h.
21. There have been reports of blue tigers, although there is limited evidence to support the existence of such a color variation in this species. However, since the blue color trait is indeed present in some lynx families, this is not entirely ruled out as a possibility.
22. Tigers are one of the oldest animals on our planet.
23. Each tiger has a special fur pattern that is different from all other tigers. This is similar to how humans have unique fingerprints. Even if a tiger loses all of its fur, its stripes will still be visible.
24. Tigers are big cats and eat a lot. They can eat about 40 kg of meat at a time and feast on their prey for several days or bury it to eat later.
25. Adult Amur tigers are about 3.3 m long.
26. Tigers have eye-like markings on the back of their ears. There are two theories behind this: some believe that these markings help the tiger look larger and scare off predators approaching from behind. Others think that they help the tiger in aggressive communication.
27. The Bengal tiger subspecies has the most stable population of all tiger subspecies, with about 2,500 living individuals.
28. The fur of many tigers varies from light yellow-orange to dark reddish-orange.
29. Tigers have the largest fangs of any species of big cat. These teeth can be 6.3 to 7.6 cm long. The fangs also have nerves that help the tiger feel where to bite in order to gnaw through the neck of its prey.
30. Female tigers often give birth in a litter of 3-4 tiger cubs during their lifetime. These cubs are born blind and rely on their mother to care for them until they are old enough to hunt on their own, which usually takes about 2-3 years.
31. Tigers mark their territory, which can be as long as 100 km, using scent to let other tigers know they are in the area.
32. In the wild, tigers can live up to 26 years.
33. The Sumatran tiger is the smallest of all tiger species.
34. The length of the tiger's tail is about one meter, and it helps to maintain balance when the animal makes quick turns in pursuit of prey.
35. The surface of the tiger's tongue is covered with papillae which give it a rough and rough texture. These papillae allow the tiger to easily strip feathers, fur, and flesh from its prey.
36. Female Amur tigers usually weigh between 100 and 167 kg.
37. The bones in the paws of a tiger are tightly connected by ligaments, which help soften the impact of landing when running and jumping.
38. Tigers have a small clavicle. This helps them take longer strides while running because the small collarbone allows the shoulder blade to move more freely and with a wider range of motion.
39. Reports of white tigers seen in the wild date back to the 1800s. The first white tiger was captured in India by Maharaja Marthand Singh, then the ruler of the state of Rewa. The tiger was named Mohan and used to breed more white tigers. Some experts believe that all white tigers living today can trace their ancestry back to Mohan, but this has yet to be proven.
40. Tigers are known for their love of swimming, which is unusual compared to other types of cats. They often go to streams and ponds to cool off, and have been seen swimming in the wild after a successful hunt.
41. In the past, there were 9 different types of tigers. Now only 6 remain. These are the Bengal, Sumatran, South China, Indochinese, Malayan and Amur tigers. The remaining 3 species - the Bali, Caspian and Javan tigers - no longer exist. Human activity, like industrialization, has affected tigers over time.
42. Tigers are more active at night as this is when they usually hunt and patrol their territory. They tend to avoid interacting with humans during the day, so they engage in this activity at night.
43. Along the border between Bangladesh and India, there is a swampy forest where the largest number of Bengal tiger attacks on people is recorded. About 100 people die in this area every year.
44. In addition to the pronounced stripes, tigers have glands that secrete unique odors. These glands allow them to mark their territories.
45. Tiger incisors tear off small pieces of meat and feathers from prey.
46. White tigers are rare and used by zoos, circuses and private owners to make money. These enterprises breed white tigers so that their cubs are also white. This is dangerous as the cubs can develop health problems such as strabismus and spinal deformity and tend to be more likely to get sick.
47. Saber-toothed tigers are now extinct felines that many believe were a type of tiger. They became extinct about 10,000 years ago and belonged to a family of feline cousins called the Machairodontinae.
48. The Indochinese tiger lives in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam. They tend to inhabit forests surrounded by hills and mountains, making them difficult to study widely by scientists. Consequently, less is known about this species than about others.
49. The Malayan tiger is very similar to the Indochinese tiger, and apart from Malaysia, they can also be found in Thailand.
50. The Amur (Siberian) tiger is the largest subspecies of the tiger: the body length of males is at least 3.3 m, and the average weight is 300 kg or more. Female Siberian tigers, although usually smaller than males, are larger than other subspecies of tigers.
51. The rear teeth of a tiger are specially shaped to help the tiger cut meat from its prey like a knife. The tiger can then swallow large chunks of this sliced meat whole.
52. Tigers are known to protect prey they have killed and often cover the carcass with leaves, dirt, grass or even rocks before leaving to drink or move to another location. Instead of eating at the scene of the kill, they usually drag the prey to a more secluded place to eat.
53. Tigers use two main methods of killing prey: blood loss and strangulation. They attack the neck, using their sharp teeth to pierce a large artery. This often causes the victim to die from blood loss within seconds. Otherwise, the tiger will choke the victim by the neck until she suffocates.
54. Although it is commonly believed that white tigers are albinos, in fact this is not so. Rather, the white coloration of these tigers is due to recessive genes that affect the pigmentation of their skin, which is slightly different from albinism. Most white-skinned tiger species also have blue eyes.
55. India has a high concentration of tigers - 75% of the world's population lives in the country. Tourists can even visit places in India where large groups of tigers can be seen. Therefore, it is quite logical that in 1973 the tiger was declared the national animal of India.
56. Adult tigers can fetch up to $10,000 on the black market, resulting in ongoing illegal tiger hunting and poaching.
57. Tigers can retract their claws back into their protective skin when not in use, thanks to the ligaments that hold the claws in place, which relax when the claws are retracted. This allows the tiger to keep its claws sharp and ready to use and to move silently while tracking prey, and it also allows the tiger to quickly and efficiently extend its claws when needed and retract them when they are no longer needed.
58. Tigers have fewer teeth than other carnivores. For example, dogs have 42 teeth, while tigers have only 30.
59. White tigers need a lot of space to live, roam and hunt - usually around 20 square miles (32 sq km). This helps them find enough prey to survive. White tigers are easier to spot than orange ones because they stand out more in their surroundings.
60. Siegfried and Roy were German-American entertainers known for performing with white tigers in Las Vegas. However, in 2003, one of the tigers attacked Roy during a performance, ending his career as an entertainer. Roy survived, but suffered very serious injuries.
61. Tigers usually have only one main meal per week, usually deer. However, if given the opportunity, they will also eat other animals such as wild boars, birds, fish, rodents, amphibians, reptiles, and insects.
62. Tigers living in southern China are distinguished by a characteristic stripe on their foreheads. This stripe, reminiscent of the Chinese character for "king"/"king", is a distinctive feature of the South China tiger.
63. It is unclear why white tigers get bigger and grow faster than their orange cousins.
64. Male Bengal tigers typically weigh around 220 kg (480 lb) and are 2.9 m (9.5 ft) long when fully grown. Females are slightly smaller, with an average weight of 140 kg (300 lb) and a length of 2.5 m (8 ft).
65. White tigers sometimes have unusual reactions to anesthesia. For example, a male white tiger named Cheitan died at the San Antonio Zoo in 1992 due to complications from anesthesia during root canal treatment.
66. In 2013, a Bengal tiger mauled his trainer during a circus performance in Mexico. The American trainer later died from his injuries and the tiger was killed. This incident and others like it led some circuses to stop working with dangerous animals.
67. The Caspian tiger, which used to live in Turkey, Iran and Central Asia, became extinct in the 1970s.
68. The South China tiger is probably on the verge of extinction - there are only 47 individuals left, which can only be found in zoos in China. Perhaps some of them remained in the wild, but their number is unknown.
68. The South China tiger is probably on the verge of extinction - there are only 47 individuals left, which can only be found in zoos in China. Perhaps some of them remained in the wild, but their number is unknown.
69. The number of tigers in captivity in the US exceeds the number left in the wild.
70. Tiger urine seems to smell like buttered popcorn.
71. Tiger cubs stay with their mother, following her scent. Unfortunately, this is not always enough to ensure their survival, as many cubs remain on the hunt and do not survive the harsh conditions of cold or starvation.
72. Taiwan has banned the crossing of tigers on its territory in order to preserve the protected species. Those who violate this ban in Taiwan may face fines. The practice is now legal in various countries, including China, Iran, Argentina, the United States, the Czech Republic, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Russia.
73. The Bengal tiger is the most well-known subspecies of the tiger, perhaps due to its depiction as the main antagonist, Shere Khan, in Disney's The Jungle Book.
74. Tigers are responsible for more human deaths than leopards and lions combined. In the 19th century alone, more than 100,000 people were killed by tigers. Tigers generally try to avoid human contact as much as possible. However, certain circumstances can lead them to attack, such as when they are provoked or have a shortage of food, which leads them to seek food from people.
75. Despite all efforts to protect Amur tigers, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are still among the endangered species. Although their numbers have now stabilized, there is a possibility that they may soon become extinct.
76. Tasmanian tigers, once the largest carnivorous marsupials, became extinct in 1936 when the last of them died at the Tasmanian Zoo in Hobart.
77. Tigers have developed the ability to see clearly at night due to their nocturnal hunting habits. They have developed unique eye structures that allow them to see in the dark 6 times better than humans.
78. Tigers have long been revered as symbols of strength and determination. In some Asian cultures, they are also seen as symbols of intelligence and power, and are revered as the undisputed rulers of those territories.
79. Tigers can starve to death in just 2 weeks due to their size and appetite.
80. Unlike other types of cats, tigers have thick, spiky bristles on their tongues.
81. Tigers can inhabit a wide variety of environments, including mangrove swamps, rainforests, savannahs and grasslands. As long as they have access to basic resources, they can survive.
82. Tigers can jump at least 30 feet (9 m) forward in a single jump.
83. The subspecies of the tiger determines the density of its stripes.
84. Tigers have two types of coat: outer coat and undercoat. The outer hair is longer and stronger than the undercoat and primarily performs a protective function. The main purpose of brindle fur is to keep the animal warm, and the undercoat helps achieve this by trapping air and insulating the body.
85. Male South China tigers typically weigh about 150 kg and are about 2.5 m long, while females are smaller, weighing about 110 kg and measuring about 2.3 m in length.
86. Tigers have four claws on each paw and a special claw called a dewclaw. The dewclaw is located farther on the paw and does not touch the ground when the tiger walks. It functions similarly to the human thumb and is used for prey capture and climbing.
87. The curved claws of the tiger allow them to effectively grab and hold large prey, as well as easily climb trees head first. However, the combination of curved claws, size, and weight can make it difficult for tigers to climb down trees. As a result, they must either slide down the tree or jump down, making them the least skilled climbers among the big cat family.
88. In tigers, powerful jaw muscles are attached to a bony ridge on the top of the skull called the sagittal crest. These muscles allow the tiger to quickly grasp its prey with crushing force, helping it to subdue and kill it.
89. White tigers are often found in zoos and can be very popular with visitors. However, many zookeepers do not allow these tigers to breed and they may also be neutered to prevent this. In the wild, white tigers are sometimes illegally hunted for their valuable white fur. There are programs to protect white tigers from illegal hunting and provide them with proper living conditions.
90. It is widely believed in China that various body parts of tigers, such as whiskers, bones and tail, have medicinal properties. These beliefs have greatly contributed to the illegal trade in tigers.
Who are the crocodiles? Everyone knows them, even children. After all, from our early years, we read stories about crocodiles. People have probably heard that if you ever meet this reptile, you should hit it in zigzags (although if you want to live, it's better not to engage in a fight, and just try to run as fast and further as possible). But do you know how crocodiles differ from alligators? And what can they do... climb trees? Or where did the expression «crocodile tears» come from?
Facts about large predatory reptiles
Even if you already know the answers to these questions, we are sure that in the selection that we at Bemorepanda have collected for you, you will find many fascinating facts that you have not heard about before. Moreover, they will be interesting for both adults and children.
1. When the female crocodile lays eggs, the temperature of the nest, in which the eggs are laid, actually determines the sex of the young. If the temperature is below 32 degrees Celsius, the baby crocodiles will be females, and if it is higher than this temperature - males.
2. Crocodiles have the most perfect heart in the animal world, and they actively change the direction of the blood flowing through it depending on their needs.
3. Crocodiles have very sharp hearing. So much so that they can hear their babies screaming from their eggs.
4. The expression «crocodile tears» (to show an insincere or false manifestation of emotions) comes from the fact that crocodiles shed tears while eating their prey.
5. Crocodiles like to have fun – play with random objects (floating trash, noisy ceramics), swim on ocean waves or slide down slopes.
6. Crocodiles have a second tooth, which is in reserve under the outer tooth, which can replace a lost tooth. That's a spare tooth row.
7. Crocodiles can change 4000 teeth in a lifetime.
8. The lifespan of crocodiles in different species varies from 25 to 70 years. It is known that captive crocodiles reach 100 years of age.
9. Crocodiles – the largest reptiles on Earth.
10. The longest crocodile caught alive in Agusan del Sur province, Philippines, was 6.17 m long and weighed 1075 kg.
11. It is known that crocodiles sometimes eat smaller crocodiles.
12. According to estimates, crocodiles kill about 1000 people a year in the whole world.
13. The feeding ratio of crocodiles varies greatly depending on whether they are in a limited space or not.
14. Crocodiles are not as agile as monkeys, but they can regularly climb trees.
15. The eyes of the crocodile are located very close to each other and are directed forward. This allows them to estimate the distance very precisely so that they can determine the exact location of their prey before the attack.
16. A simple way to distinguish a crocodile from an alligator: when the crocodile closes its mouth, all the teeth are visible, as the upper and lower jaws have the same width.
17. Crocodiles can hold their breath under water for more than a hour.
18. Crocodiles can sleep with their eyes wide open.
19. The eyes of the crocodile are protected by the third eyelid, and the eyeballs themselves can be pulled into the eyeballs during the attack.
20. Black spots around the alligator's mouth are the sensory organs it uses to detect changes in water pressure caused by the movement of potential prey.
21. Crocodiles kill and eat their prey, drowning it.
22. Crocodiles are carnivorous animals, which usually means that they eat only meat. However, a recent study showed that they also sometimes like the taste of fruit.
23. Crocodiles swallow small stones to improve digestion. These stones help to digest food in the stomach.
24. Crocodiles can be found on all inhabited continents, except for Europe and Antarctica.
25. Crocodiles can hold their jaws open under water.
26. Crocodiles can find their home at a great distance.
27. Sea crocodiles can ignore excess salt.
28. Alligators annually kill about one person in the United States, while crocodiles annually kill about 1,000 people in Africa alone.
29. The crocodile's tongue is attached to the bottom of its mouth, so it never moves.
30. Crocodiles don't sweat. To preserve cold blood, they open their mouths, which is known as "open mouth", which is very similar to difficulty breathing.
31. Crocodiles perform a «death throw» to defeat the prey, clamping its jaws and powerfully rotating.
32. Crocodiles are quite universal reptiles, which means that they can live in the most diverse environments, including lakes, rivers, freshwater bodies, salt water and brackish water (combination of salt and fresh water).
33. The ancestors of crocodiles (prehistoric crocodiles) were much larger.
34. Crocodiles have good night vision..
35. The heart of the crocodile has four chambers.
36. Crocodiles have a keen sense of smell, an evolutionary advantage that makes them very successful predators.
37. Crocodiles are closely related to dinosaurs and birds.
38. Crocodiles carry their babies in their mouths.
39. An average crocodile egg is about the size of a goose egg.
40. The ancient Egyptians and some tribes of New Guinea are just two cultures that revered crocodiles.
41. Crocodiles are very fast in the water - they swim at speeds up to 35 kilometers per hour.
42. Crocodiles hunt from ambush; even large mammals such as small elephants, hippos, sharks or large felines can become their victims.
43. Crocodiles make sounds to communicate. The young of some species squeak and grunt, while adult crocodiles may growl, hiss or roar at each other.
44. Larger crocodiles can go without food for more than a year.
45. Most young crocodiles are eaten in their first year of life by other predators such as lizards, other crocodiles, hyenas and even fish.
46. Crocodiles coexisted with dinosaurs.
47. Crocodiles wake up from hibernation when it starts to warm up, and live their lives until it gets cold again.
48. These giant geniuses can use tools to trick prey, such as holding branches with their snouts to attract birds building nests.
49. Hunting crocodiles for their skin is illegal.
50. Crocodiles are aggressive by nature and even more aggressive during mating season.
51. Crocodiles have relatively weak jaw opening muscles and can be kept closed with a rubber band or bare hands.
52. The key difference from the alligator is the shape of the muzzle. Alligators have a wider, U-shaped muzzle, while crocodiles have a more pointed, V-shaped muzzle.
53. Crocodiles have the most acidic stomach of all vertebrates.
54. There are 24 recognized species of modern crocodiles, divided into three families.
55. Ancient species of crocodiles probably hunted human ancestors.
56. Crocodiles eat without chewing. Their jaws work in such a way that they cannot move sideways, so they cannot grind food with a traditional chewing movement. That is, they do not know how to chew!
57. There is a species of crocodile called "dwarf crocodile" - the smallest crocodile in the world.
58. Saltwater crocodiles have the strongest bite - they close their jaws with a force of 1680 kg per 6.5 square meters. cm.
59. Each species has a unique combination of snout proportions, dorsal bony structures, and scale arrangement.
60. The oldest crocodile was a freshwater crocodile named Mr. Freshy, who lived to be 140 years old.
61. Crocodiles mate during the rainy season.
62. Like most reptiles, crocodiles are cold-blooded animals and prefer to settle in tropical areas near wetlands. They cannot generate heat on their own, so they go into a period of long sleep until it gets warmer again.
63. Crocodiles are mostly nocturnal.
64. Male crocodiles can use their tails to get attention, and when attacking, they can wag their tails to knock out their targets.
65. The brain of a crocodile is capable of learning to a greater extent than that of any other reptile in the animal kingdom.
66. A crocodile can only swim with its eyes and nostrils open.
67. Despite the thick skin, crocodiles are surprisingly touchy.
68. Crocodiles can run on land at speeds up to 17 kilometers per hour for short distances.
69. Crocodile paws are webbed.
70. If the temperature is below 32 degrees Celsius, the cubs of crocodiles will be females, and if above this temperature - males.
Rabbits are not only fluffy animals that are massively bred in many countries. They are also surprisingly tenacious creatures that have successfully survived in the wild for many thousands of years of evolution, despite the fact that they are willingly fed by all predators that surpass them in size. By the way, contrary to the common stereotype, rabbits and hares are by no means the same thing. There are enough differences between them.
Facts about rabbits
1. Rabbits are not rodents, they belong to the hare family
They are not included in the group of rodent mammals because they have an extra pair of incisors and other skeletal features.
2. Rabbits and rodents like hamsters and rats have a common ancestor that lived many millions of years ago. However, rabbits still do not belong to rodents.
3. Rabbits are often confused with hares. But there are many differences between these animals, despite the fact that they are relatives in a biological sense.
4. Rabbits in general are not very intelligent, but nature has perfectly adapted them to survive.
5. Rabbits have been successfully surviving in the wild for many thousands of years of evolution, despite the fact that they are willingly fed by all predators that surpass them in size.
6. More than 50% of all rabbits in the world live in North America.
7. Rabbits reproduce so quickly that they successfully capture vast habitats, and many people also keep them as pets. And it's not just about farmers - some breeds of rabbits are popular as pets.
SILVER RABBIT
8. Despite the existence of more than 150 rabbit colors, they have only five different eye colors: brown, blue-gray, blue, pink and marble.
9. Rabbits actually have a lot more teeth than it seems at first glance - as many as 28.
10. There are about 17 thousand taste buds on the rabbit tongue.
11. They chew very quickly. When a rabbit feeds, its jaw makes an average of two chewing movements per second, and it can chew for a very long time without getting tired.
12. Nature has adapted rabbit eyes to a magnificent view so that they can always see a creeping predator. So, rabbits can even see what is happening behind them without turning their heads.
13. A hare can reach a running speed of 72 km/h, while a rabbit can only reach 56 km/h.
14. All 16 species of American rabbits live in forests and swamps and do not dig holes for themselves. In addition, they are great at climbing trees.
15. And outside of North America, all rabbits live exclusively in burrows, and they don’t know how to climb trees.
16. Wild European rabbits dig deep and branched burrows, which sometimes combine into entire underground cities.
17. Rabbits are social animals, that is, in the wild they live in groups. This distinguishes them from hares, which exist more alone.
18. Only American rabbits can live alone, and all other species usually exist in groups.
19. All kinds of rabbits, except for one, live in underground burrows. This distinguishes them from hares that build nests on the surface.
20. Previously, rabbits were specially released on deserted islands so that the shipwrecked would have a source of food before they were rescued.
RABBIT - PYGMY
21. The smallest breed of rabbits is called Little Idaho or pygmy rabbit. The weight of an adult individual reaches a maximum of only 450 grams, and the length is from 22 to 35 centimeters.
22. A rabbit has 18 claws: 4 on the hind legs and 5 on the front.
23. A female rabbit usually feeds her cubs for about 5 minutes a day.
24. Rabbits can snore. Not all rabbits snore, but some do so with great pleasure.
25. Rabbits are very quiet animals, but they are not dumb. They mutter, hiss, squeak, and the male makes a short but rather loud sound immediately after the act of mating.
26. A two-kilogram rabbit can drink as much water as a ten-kilogram dog.
27. In summer, male rabbits can become sterile, reproductive function is restored with the onset of cool weather.
28. Introduced to Australia, rabbits have bred so much on the territory of this mainland that they have become a threat to the entire Australian ecosystem. To contain their spread, the government of this country even had to erect a special fence around places abounding with rabbits.
29. In the Australian state of Queensland, it is illegal to keep rabbits, even decorative breeds. Violators face a fine of 30 thousand Australian dollars.
30. Rabbits are most active at dawn and dusk of the day.
31. Rabbits are known to be good jumpers. Rabbits easily jump to a height of a meter and a half.
32. And the longest officially registered jump of a rabbit in length is three meters.
33. On average, rabbit ears are 8-12 centimeters long, but a domestic rabbit entered the book of records, whose ears reached a length of 80 centimeters.
34. Rabbits have tiny teeth behind their front incisors.
35. A cornered rabbit resorts to its last weapon - a blow with its hind legs. With a blow of powerful hind legs armed with sharp claws, a harmless rabbit may well kill or seriously injure a predator.
36. When a danger is detected, for example, a predator, rabbits warn their relatives by drumming with their front paws on the ground or on a tree.
37. A predator can literally scare a rabbit to death.
38. In nature, rabbits live an average of about a year, and in captivity - ten times longer. This is due to the fact that almost all rabbits sooner or later become someone's prey.
39. The record for longevity belongs to the Floppy rabbit, who was born in 1964 on the island of Tasmania and died in 1983 at the age of 18 years 10 months. However, this record is already being broken by another rabbit from Nova Scotia, who recently turned 24 years old.
40. Rabbits are massively bred in many countries.
BREEDING OF RABBITS
41. The history of rabbit breeding began about 4000 years ago. The remains of the first rabbit farms of this age have been found during archaeological excavations in Spain and Portugal.
42. President Lincoln allowed his son to keep many pets in the White House, including rabbits.
43. The Prussian king Frederick kept a whole colony of rabbits on a small island in the river near Berlin.
44. Napoleon 3, nephew of Napoleon 1, was one of the most famous rabbit breeders.
45. In one of the myths of the North American Indians, the rabbit, like Prometheus, stole the fire from the "fiery people" and gave it to people.
46. Rabbits bring many offspring at one time, but the female herself usually cannot take out all the newborn rabbits. If you help her, they can all survive. The official litter record is 24 rabbits at a time. Such a record was recorded only twice - in 1978 and 1999.
47. A rabbit can bear two offspring at the same time, conceived at different times and from two different males, since she has a bifurcated uterus. This partly explains the fertility of these animals.
48. Some of their breeds become sexually mature as early as 3 months of age.
49. By law in the United States, rabbits under 8 weeks old are not allowed to be sold because until then they cannot be weaned from their mother. And in order to buy a rabbit there, you need to be at least 18 years old, and in some states they even require a certificate from the police stating that the potential buyer was not convicted of animal husbandry.
50. If rabbits were given the opportunity to breed as freely as possible, then after 90 years the number of rabbits would become equal to the number of square meters on our planet.
It is difficult to imagine a more graceful, noble, and delightful animal than a horse. It has served man from time immemorial, fairy tales have been written about horses, poems have been dedicated - for example, “My horse is moving quietly”, “Horse and rider”, “Boyar stables are red for everyone”, etc. Very often the horse became the savior of heroes in an unequal battle.
What are the top ten most expensive horse breeds?
There are a lot of types of horses - some of them are inexpensive, while others exceed the cost of even a modern apartment in the city center. What caused such a price? - you ask. Everything is simple. A good horse is a profitable investment because there are not many breeds of horses in the world that can be called racehorses, they have been bred for decades. Horses are rare, hence the high cost.
Whether you are connected with horses or you are just interested in the headline is not so important. If you are here, then the topic is of interest to you.
Do you want to know how much is the most expensive horse in the world? We present to your attention photos and prices of rare and beautiful breeds of horses that can participate and win in sports competitions.
10. Appaloosa - up to $15,000
The motley horse with spots is recognized as one of the most unusual colors! Appaloosa is characterized by: striped hooves, variegated color, white conjunctiva.
The horse attracts attention not only with its bright color, but also with its character - this breed is very quick-witted, kind, and devoted. Mostly horses of this breed are common in the United States and make an excellent companion for those who participate in horse racing or rodeos.
It is known that the Spaniards brought the Appaloosa to America, and the Indians domesticated them in the 16th century. By crossing, they received a breed that is distinguished by speed and endurance.
9. Morgan - up to $20,000
The Morgan is one of the first breeds bred in the USA. This is a wonderful horse with increased efficiency, harmoniously built, hardy.
The breed of horses is distinguished by complaisance and tractability. Morgan can be seen in circus performances - compact horses quickly learn tricks and do not require a spacious arena.
By the way, the horse got its name in honor of Justin Morgan. In 1790, the musician Morgan received a one-year-old colt of unknown origin, whose name was Figure, as a repayment of a debt. According to assumptions, his ancestors were Dutch, English, and Arabian horses. Later, the horse began to bear the name of its owner - Justin Morgan.
8. Clydesdale - up to $30,000
The homeland of Clydesdale is Scotland. The horse belongs to the heavy draft variety, its weight can reach 1 ton, so it is not surprising that today the breed continues to be used as a carrier of goods.
Hardy and strong Clydesdales existed in the Middle Ages, but in XVII they underwent changes on the orders of Hamilton IV. He decided to improve the exterior and working abilities of the horses, for which he crossed Scottish mares with Flemish priests, who were brought from Holland.
After the population of this breed, the Clydesdales began to be massively acquired by famous horse breeders to breed new breeds. This horse is used for sports, and in particular for competitions.
7. Friesian - up to $ 30,000
The Friesian horse breed is one of the oldest in Europe. In the West, they are sometimes called "black pearls", because the Friesian is an incredibly beautiful black horse.
They were first heard about in the 13th century because at that time these hardy horses carried knights with their armor.
By nature, these horses are very calm, peaceful, thanks to which companionship is favorable, but if we talk about sports riding, the Friesian is not very suitable for these purposes. You can make friends with these beauties, take pictures, ride on horseback, but their lynx is rather weak.
6. Orlov trotter - up to $ 30,000
Orlov trotter is a famous Russian breed of light draft horses. There is not a single analog of this horse in the whole world. The horse was created at the Khrenovsky stud farm at the beginning of the 19th century, and named after the owner of the plant, the famous Count A.G. Orlov.
Today, elegant and stately Orlovites are called the living brand of Russia, they are used in almost all types of equestrian sports. The nature of the Oryol trotter is kind, peaceful, cautious. Breeding stallions are temperamental and frisky, but with proper training, they are able to obey the commands of the rider.
5. Sorraia - up to $35,000
The Sorraia is a well-known breed among equestrians and horse lovers, but those who are not fond of horses are unlikely to have heard of it. This is not at all surprising, since the barn is one of the rarest and most expensive breeds. Horses have a rather modest appearance - a mouse suit.
This rare breed is in the status of "endangered species", which, of course, cannot but be frustrating. The horse, originally from Portugal, has been captured by local farmers for centuries, tamed, and used to work in the fields.
Gradually, this breed began to be domesticated, and their descendants began to lose their characteristic features. In appearance, the Sorraia is rather fragile: it has a thin skeleton, a small head, and a long neck, but elegance has never prevented the horse from surviving in places with a difficult climate, so the breed can be classified as one of the most enduring.
4. Mustang - up to $60,000
This beautiful horse has been known to many since childhood from books about the American prairies. The Mustang is quite capricious and cannot be trained. However, the beauty, incredible speed, grace of the horse cause delight and attract attention to it. Due to the mixed origin, the features of this breed are blurred, but they are all equally strong, hardy, and strong.
All mustangs are currently protected by US law. In the 16th century, mustangs were brought from the Old World to the continent by the Conquistadors. Many of the horses fought off the herd, running away to the deserted American steppes, where they crossed with other free horses. They easily adapted to wild natural conditions due to the climate that is comfortable for horses on the continent.
3. American Trotter - up to $100,000
This breed of horse is considered the fastest. The American Trotting Horse was bred in the United States in the early 19th century for specific purposes: ambling on racetracks and trotting. The main thing that they paid attention to was the speed of the horse (the animal ran a distance of 1 mile (1609 m.)
The Yankees did not pay much attention to the appearance, because the horse does not have an exterior standard. The nature of the horse is quite balanced. Standardbred horses are not capricious, so even novice riders can easily handle them.
2. Arabian horse - up to $ 130,000
Arabian horses are one of the most ancient breeds of horses. They have been valued at all times due to their good disposition, endurance, frisky temperament.
As for endurance, this is an indisputable fact, because during the Crimean War (1851-1854), with a rider on its back, this horse covered a distance of 150 km, and at the same time it never stopped.
The Arabian horse is a long-liver and can serve its owner with good maintenance for about 30 years. The horse has excellent muscles, strong graceful legs, and a developed chest, which can be seen in the picture. The most expensive horses of this breed are ravens.
1. Thoroughbred – up to $10 million
The Thoroughbred is a horse bred in England, a born racing champion. It is valued more than any other breed. A horse that is present in someone's stable emphasizes wealth and is a sign of nobility. Her physical abilities are a real delight!
The Thoroughbred has a hot choleric temperament and is very agile and energetic. The nature of this breed can hardly be called calm, on the contrary, it is explosive and even naughty. It is difficult for a beginner in equestrian sports to manage a thoroughbred horse, in open areas it can even be dangerous, but the horse shows excellent strength, high performance, and endurance.
What are the most prestigious horse races in the world?
Since ancient times, horse racing has been a popular entertainment among aristocrats and the rich. The scale of money turnover in this area is sometimes simply amazing: this also applies to entry fees for participation in some competitions, and the prize fund. We present to your attention the most expensive horse races in the world.
Pegasus World Cup
The title of the most expensive horse racing in the world since 2017 belongs to the Pegasus World Cup, which is the epitome of American extravagance. The total length of the track is 9 furlongs (British and American distance units), which corresponds to 1.8 km. The race takes place at a racetrack called Gulfstream Park, Florida. Only very experienced horses of at least four years of age are allowed to participate.
Dubai World Cup
With the former record holder Pegasus World Cup essentially split into two separate events, The Dubai World Cup will be able to regain its title as the most expensive race. The competition has been held annually since 1996 in the UAE at the Meydan Hippodrome. In March 2019, another race will take place with a prize pool of $12 million, and the winner will take home an incredible $7.2 million.
The Everest
Australia hosts the most luxurious turf race ever, The Everest. The 1.2 km course is located at the Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, which attracts the best racehorses from around the world. Everest has only existed for two years, but this time was enough for the event to beat the previous record holder and the most expensive race in Australia, the Melbourne Cup. In both 2017 and 2018, the Australian Thoroughbred Redzel was the winner.
Breeders' Cup Classic
Another event in the USA, but this time in the sprint category, the Breeders’ Cup Classic has been held in a new location every time since 1984, for all these years the only time the race was outside the USA was in Ontario, Canada in 1996. Only thoroughbred horses older than three years old are allowed to participate, and the winner receives half of the $6 million prize pool.
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The entire elite of the European racing world once a year gathers at the richest race of the continent, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The horses must cover 2.4 km, and the owner of the fastest and toughest of them will receive $3.2 million out of a total prize pool of $5.6 million. l'Arc has been held at the Longchamp racecourse in Paris for 150 years, with the exception of 2016 and 2017, when the racecourse was undergoing restoration, when the famous racecourse of the Chantilly residence, which is located near Paris, took over the races.
Did you know that the Federal Republic of Nigeria (better known in the world as the country of Nigeria) is one of the most developed countries on the African continent today?
Interesting facts about Nigeria
And although perhaps, with its economic potential with GDP, this African country will not be able to capture the imagination of the inhabitants of the Western world, Europeans can undoubtedly be surprised by others - the traditions and way of life in Nigeria, where residents sometimes lead a very unusual way of life from the point of view of Westerners. Peace.
We have selected for our readers 20 examples of facts from Reddit about Nigeria, which people on the Web call authentic and which can be called unique to Nigeria. Some Nigerians even refer to these behaviors as the "Nigerian mentality."
1. “In Nigeria, all meetings and activities begin with prayer. They even pray before meetings of the Federal Council of the country and football matches.”
2. “More than 1 million students annually apply to universities in Nigeria, but since there are only 122 universities in the country for 206 million people, no more than 30% of applications are accepted.”
3. “Mourning at the funeral. In most regions of the country, funerals are celebrated (if the person has been successful in life and has not died at a young age). Sometimes you can't tell if it's a party or a funeral."
4. “The person standing at the door of the minibus is called agbero. People like him can stand like this in the picture all day long. Undoubtedly, they are hardy. But the job is not safe."
5. “Reluctance to have children: A married couple is expected to have a child in the first nine months of marriage. . If a couple declares their desire to remain married without children, they automatically become a source of shame for their family.”
6. “Almost all Nigerians are forbidden by their parents to eat outside the home as children. Their families specifically teach children not to take food from strangers and do it for safety purposes.”
7. “Going to a hospital here is a luxury: millions of Nigerians have never been in a hospital in their lives!”
8. “Shaking hands with parents as a greeting is a big disrespect.”
9. “Announcing your pregnancy to the public, mentioning the sex of the baby, names, and due dates are taboo among Nigerians.”
10. “It’s unacceptable to refuse food cooked by mom! If you say, "I don't want to eat this," get ready for a beating."
11. “Gifts and rewards. From a young age, we are taught that it is wrong to accept gifts or gratuities from people (especially from strangers) for good or other deeds.
12. "Because the temperature in the country is higher than usual, you can see people sleeping in the bathroom or other places where it can be cooler."
13. “Due to living conditions and financial hardship, the average life expectancy for Nigerians is 55 years. Most deaths are caused by diseases such as malaria and drinking water poisoning…”.
14. “Nigeria has the highest number of twins in the world. Don't be surprised if you keep walking around feeling like you're always seeing the same people."
15. “I would advise you not to call your friend's parents or anyone older than you by their first names. In Nigeria (and other African countries), it's disrespectful to address someone older than you by your first name."
16. Another oddity objects / things with the left hand.
17. “Nigerians call people not only by their names, but also by their titles: sir, madam, chef, teacher, doctor… If you call someone without using their title, they won’t even respond to you.
18. “Nigerians don't like having pets. We are especially surprised when foreigners keep dogs at home, while in our country dogs are used only for hunting or guarding.”
19. Ladies can propose to a guy or invite a guy on a date.
20. It is considered socially unacceptable to say: "I'm sick" or "I have no money (ruined)." Nigerians prefer euphemisms like "I'm strong", "I'm very rich".
