About This Quiz
The animal kingdom is a huge empire of creatures that are very different from each other. As humans, we also belong there, and we even identify ourselves as the "top of the food chain." But even though we like to think we're on top, we can also take a closer look at the other species in our vast kingdom and see just how special, unique and weird they are as well - just like humans!
Imagine how some species of birds behave when they mate or start a family, or imagine how four-legged forest creatures adapt to survive their environments and the earth's changing seasons. How about certain species that can also adapt to living quarters, and they have the liberty of choosing to go "underground" or "aboveground," sometimes underwater or above water, actually. And there are specific subcategories for those kinds of creatures! Isn't nature wonderfully adaptive?
But aside from these obvious evolutionary quirks and details, even our most common animal species could exhibit some unique traits that we may not be aware of. So come and take this quiz, and let's discover some of these facts that abound in the animal kingdom. It may be a difficult quiz, but it's also commonsensical if you know your animal kingdom basics! Try it and see!
Octopus blood uses copper instead of iron to carry oxygen. That's because copper stores oxygen better when it’s cold or in high pressure.
It's interesting to know that squirrel bodies aren’t anatomically designed to vomit. They’ve evolved in a different way, including knowing that eating clay can reduce food poisoning.
Owl eyes aren’t really eyeballs like with humans, as they are tube-like in form. Their eyes are made that way so that they could become very good at seeing movement and changes in light.
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Flies actually see the world in slow motion. Studies show that smaller animals see the world at a slower pace than larger ones. Some researchers say this also applies to children and adults.
Polar bears have evolved to have black skin because they need it to survive. Black skin helps to absorb heat from the sun’s rays more efficiently.
Some reptiles come out male or female based on the temperature inside their eggs when they were still growing inside. For example, American crocodiles turn out female if the temperature is not too hot or cold.
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Mantis shrimps are the assassins of the crustacean world. Their attacking limbs can hit prey at up to 50 miles per hour in one strike. And yes, the mantis shrimp that researchers observed was really named Tyson.
Spider silk is one of the strongest natural materials within mother nature’s collection. Aside from being many times stronger than steel, it can also stretch very far, and can also stick to flat surfaces.
Pigeons can be trained to recognize math values on the same level as some monkeys. They were taught to figure out the differences between groups of objects with different amounts of objects in them.
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Sea otters have figured how to use rocks as tools. They use different kinds of rocks to pry food from the seabed, and as “can openers” for the crustaceans they love to eat.
Reindeer eye color changes to blue in the winter as an adaptable measure. This helps them see better during dark winter days and nights. Now that’s a great way to evolve and adapt.
Sloths may seem like a lazy bunch, but they’re slow for a good scientific reason. Their leafy diet doesn’t provide much energy, and they have such slow metabolism, so they move like they’re always in first gear.
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Axolotl salamanders are found in Mexico, and they are known for their ability to regrow body parts. Growing a new tail or legs is not a problem for them, and axolotls can even repair brain and spinal injuries if needed.
Anteaters primarily use their long tongues to eat ants. Their long tongues are very sticky, and can move around like miniature whips or tentacles to catch as many ants as possible.
Chameleons have eyes that can rotate and look around independently of the other. Some researchers think that the chameleon is still evolving stereo vision. Others say it is specialized for their environment.
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Butterflies can taste anything they land on using the equivalent of taste buds that are actually located on their feet. This determines if what they’ve landed on is edible or not. So it’s not a totally bad omen if this happens.
Vampire bats are highly specialized when it comes to drinking blood. Their saliva prevents blood from clotting, so that blood will keep on flowing freely while they feed.
Wombat feces are unusual in that they are cube-shaped. For practicality, cubes won’t roll around like round objects, so their feces help them mark their territory with fixed “signposts.” Such a smarter way to evolve!
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Some species of horned lizards have evolved in a way that they can actually squirt blood from their eyes. They can use this act to surprise and drive away predators, and at the same time remove dirt from their eyes. Great multitasking!
Male emperor penguins can go without food for months while guarding the eggs, so their mates can get back into shape. They can lose up to 26 pounds when they do this, so that’s great commitment right there.
A study in Guinea revealed that chimpanzees there drink fermented palm sap, which has 3% alcohol. This fact makes these animals probably the only animals to enjoy a bender like some people do. Bottoms up!
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If you think about it, the clue for a peacock’s sex is in the name itself. Peacocks are guys, and the girls are called peahens. In their species, they can figure out who’s a better mate depending on who has a better set of feathers.
When sea otters hold hands, it’s not because they’re such romantic creatures. Otter mothers will usually hold the hands of their pups or anchor them with seaweed to prevent them from drifting away while sleeping. So the act is basically a protective measure for survival.
All clownfish are born male. However, when breeding season comes, some of them will turn into true females to mate. It’s a natural adjustment for them.
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Cats don’t have many taste buds, which limits their ability to taste food. In this case, cats do not have a sense of taste for sweetness, so sugar isn’t something special for them.
The narwhal’s horn is an oversized tooth that can reach up to nine feet long. Researchers think that it may be used for hunting, or for impressing potential mates.
When people think of the bald eagle, they think of the big, screaming call these birds make, which we always hear portrayed at the movies. Real bald eagle calls, however, sound more like chicks, or a piping call from a smaller bird.
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Allergies are common, even in animals. Just as some humans are allergic to cat dander, or those small particles of hair or fur, some cats can also be allergic to human dander, which is made up of shed dead cells from our bodies. So yes, your pet cat can get allergic to you, too, human!
Bulls don’t really get angry or agitated when they see red, because they are colorblind when it comes to red. The red cloth’s movements are the actual temper triggers, that’s why bullfighters wave them about.
The myth about elephants fearing mice goes back to stories about mice getting stuck in elephant trunks. There has been no strict study done yet, though a famous reality TV show had an episode where they “proved” the story is true. We’ll leave this one to real scientists for the final word.
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Cows do fall asleep while standing up. But the truth is, cows are actually very light sleepers. Thus, trying to tip them over is probably not such a good idea.
The platypus bill has many cells that can actually detect electric currents. This gives them the power to locate prey by their weak electrical fields.
When the oxygen levels in an area of water get very low, fish can actually suffocate. The levels dip due to different factors such as pollution or having too many organisms in one area.
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Dogs do have sweat glands, but not as many as humans do. Most of their sweat glands are around the nose and the footpads, which don’t have fur.
Bird’s nest soup is made from the nests of birds called the edible-nest swiftlets, a species endemic in Southeast Asia. Their nests are almost exclusively made from the bird’s hardened saliva.