The animal world surprises with its diversity. How can representatives of the fauna strike, what are its most unusual species, and is there anything special in those animals that have been neighbors of humans for more than a thousand years?

It turns out that even familiar pets, cats and dogs can demonstrate something unusual. And exotic species will seem even more surprising if you look at them closer.

What will surprise cats and dogs?

Surely everyone remembers the statement of the cat Matroskin: “mustache, paws and tail - these are my documents!” But not everyone knows that cats do have their own identification marks that allow each individual to be identified. And this is not about smells at all - because a person does not have such a sense of smell as the four-legged brethren.

Each cat has its own unique nose print - just like human fingerprints. Two identical cat noses do not exist. And cats can move their front paws in almost any direction - the animal is striking in its flexibility. But on the other hand, the jaw of a cat cannot move sideways, the lower jaw can only lower or rise, acting like a trap.

But dogs are the only species of animals that looks into a person’s eyes, studying behavior and trying to predict it. A dog looks into the owner’s eyes and understands his emotions. A domestic dog, even of an average mind, eventually begins to become aware of many things without words and commands.Dogs have better eyesight than humans, but they do not distinguish colors and shades.

Interesting facts about animals and colors

• The polar bear has black skin under a white skin. The fur provides him with a disguise in the snow, and the skin allows you to more effectively receive heat from the meager sunlight. In addition, all polar bears are left-handed. But for tigers, everything is different - they have a striped skin and skin the color of stripes.
• All dogs have a pink tongue; only Chow Chow has a black tongue. Giraffe also has a black tongue; in this animal, it reaches a length of 45 cm and helps to feed on leaves from trees. The animal literally wraps its tongue around a branch in order to rip off the foliage from it.
• The record holder for mimicry and color change speed is an octopus. He needs only a second to appear in a different guise. Interestingly, their pupils are rectangular, like goats.
• Pigs can get a tan. Other animals are not capable of this - only pigs and people sunbathe.
• For some unknown reason, mosquitoes like the color blue. They are also attracted to the smell of banana, which is completely strange.
• In almost all animals, milk has a whitish hue. Only in yaks it is pink.

Can animals speak or distinguish speech?

There are several types of animals that can use speech for the purpose of communication, on the same principle as people do. First of all, it should be noted chimpanzees. These monkeys have a specific device of the larynx, different from the human one, which prevents them from pronouncing articulate sounds. However, they perfectly master the sign language used by deaf and dumb people.

A chimpanzee trained since childhood is able to learn several thousand words - gestures, so that they can be used out of place, reporting not only some facts, but also their emotions. This was repeatedly tested by scientists who “adopted” chimpanzee cubs, transferring them for training and observation in their own homes. Chimpanzees communicate with pleasure, they even learn to call names.

In the wild, chimpanzees have a complex communication system that allows them to live in a group, act effectively together, and even compete with each other. These are surprisingly quick-witted animals - it is not for nothing that the credentials say that their genetic code differs from the human one only in tenths of a percent.

These small monkeys perfectly manipulate dozens of objects that serve as their tools, and are able to make the thing necessary for a particular purpose from improvised objects, sticks and stones. If you look for the main difference between these primates and humans, many would point to the increased “hairiness” of monkeys. But in fact, the hair on the body of a chimpanzee is not at all bigger than that of a human, just the hairs are better developed.

Crows can also master speech for informed communication. They master up to 140 words a year, know how to pronounce them, use them at the right time. Many parrots, especially large ones, can also learn a certain number of words, but they can not always use them consciously. These birds are limited to normal onomatopoeia.

Almost all animals are able to master the commands given by humans.And rats demonstrated the ability to distinguish between languages. At least they distinguish Japanese from Dutch with ease, which was proved by experiments. It’s a pity that they don’t know how to speak. Manatees have a vocal apparatus, very similar to the human one, but they have a weak hearing, which is typical for marine inhabitants. So they will not be able to master the speech.

Interesting facts about animal nutrition

• There are animals that pollinate plants. The Ballerian lizard eats nectar while pollinating local flowers.
• Some snakes eat only a few times during their lives.
• A leech can feed once every 9 months, and crocodiles can starve for six months.
• People eat avocados, but parrots, dogs and most other animals cannot eat this fruit. This plant is a representative of the laurel family, it is poisonous, and to this day it is not known why a person can eat it without risk.
• Insectivorous bats can eat medium-sized birds - this fact has been clarified recently. And if the bat gets sick, it is fed by other representatives of the flock.
• Penguins do not drink fresh water, they need salt water - they have glands that secrete salt, removing it from the body.

Interesting facts about fertility and reproduction

• Chicken can bring up to 200 eggs per year.
• A female monitor lizard may delay delivery for up to 2 years if the circumstances for the breeding of offspring are unfavorable.
• Attaching one’s offspring to others - not only the cuckoo is distinguished by this behavior.Bumblebees, ants and many other insects, and even some species of fish tend to get rid of parental care in this way.

An ordinary house mouse can breed all year round without a break, its pregnancy lasts only 20 days, about 3-12 cubs are born. The most prolific individuals manage to bring in a year up to 14 broods of gray babies who are born blind and naked, opening their eyes only by the 9th day. In the third week of life, they leave the nest and begin to eat and survive on their own. At this moment, their mother may be ready to bring new offspring, the nest is not empty for a long time, because already a day after the birth the mouse is ready for reproduction again.

Thus, animals definitely have something to surprise mankind. After all, this is far from all the unusual facts. Talking about our smaller brothers is endless, the planet is full of amazing creatures.