17 Unnerving Facts I Learned About Adorable Animals This Week, And Now I Really Don’t Like How My Dog Looks At Me When He Has A Squeaky Toy – MASHAHER

ISLAM GAMAL13 August 2024Last Update :
17 Unnerving Facts I Learned About Adorable Animals This Week, And Now I Really Don’t Like How My Dog Looks At Me When He Has A Squeaky Toy – MASHAHER


Nature is amazing, nature is beautiful, but sometimes, nature can be downright disturbing. Deep down inside, no matter how cute an animal is, it’s still wild. From vampire butterflies to psychologically manipulative jungle cats (yes, you heard that correctly), the animal kingdom is, no pun intended, a truly wild place.

Two brown bears stand on rocks by a river, appearing to roar at each other

Richard Mcmanus / Getty Images

So, without further ado, here are 17 mildly terrifying facts I recently learned about adorable animals:

1.Female emperor penguins often kidnap (or chicknap, if you will) other penguins’ babies.

Two adult penguins touch beaks while standing on snow, surrounded by four fluffy penguin chicksTwo adult penguins touch beaks while standing on snow, surrounded by four fluffy penguin chicks

However, there’s not typically a happy ending for the kidnapped chick, as the kidnapper penguin will often lose interest within hours or days. Most kidnapped penguin chicks die from the cold or predation.

An emperor penguin chick peeks out from under the protection of an adult penguin in a snowy environmentAn emperor penguin chick peeks out from under the protection of an adult penguin in a snowy environment

Sylvain Cordier / Getty Images

2.Who doesn’t love ladybugs? Apparently, other ladybugs. Some species of the insect are cannibalistic. The behavior is called intraguild predation and happens when the food supply is scarce.

Two ladybugs on opposite sides of a thin branch, facing each other closely against a blue backgroundTwo ladybugs on opposite sides of a thin branch, facing each other closely against a blue background

Ladybugs eat the eggs and larvae of other species as well as their own siblings. Research has shown that ladybugs that eat their unhatched family members develop faster than those that do not.

Tsvetan Ganev-CECLII via Getty Images

3.Ever wanted to snuggle a koala bear? You might want to think twice, considering the marsupials are currently experiencing a raging chlamydia outbreak.

Sleeping koala resting on a tree branch with eyes closed. Surrounding foliage is visibleSleeping koala resting on a tree branch with eyes closed. Surrounding foliage is visible

However, the STI now spreads sexually and is also passed from mother to joey. It is a significant threat to the koala population, which is already an endangered species. It has been estimated that the species could be extinct by 2050 if many problems, including the chlamydia outbreak, are not solved.

Two koalas, an adult and a young one, embrace while sitting among eucalyptus leavesTwo koalas, an adult and a young one, embrace while sitting among eucalyptus leaves

4.Flipper lied to us all…Despite their adorable reputation, dolphins are actually considered among the biggest bullies of the sea. While they do many questionable things, one habit they are known for is torturing their prey.

A dolphin gracefully leaps out of the ocean water against a clear sky, showcasing its agility and beautyA dolphin gracefully leaps out of the ocean water against a clear sky, showcasing its agility and beauty

In some cases, this behavior is seen as a defense mechanism that allows dolphins to ensure their prey is limp and safe to swallow. Yet, the marine mammals have also been spotted flipping their food as a way to show off in front of their fellow dolphins or intimidate their rivals.

Three dolphins swimming underwater, facing the camera with their snouts slightly above their bodiesThree dolphins swimming underwater, facing the camera with their snouts slightly above their bodies

Stuart Westmorland / Getty Images

5.Mother kangaroos will often sacrifice their joeys, in an effort to save themselves or their other babies.

Two kangaroos stand closely together in a natural, arid environment with red soil and sparse vegetationTwo kangaroos stand closely together in a natural, arid environment with red soil and sparse vegetation

In the second instance, during periods of food scarcity or if a mother has multiple joeys at the same time, she will pick one to sacrifice in order to increase the others’ odds of survival.

A kangaroo hops across a field, followed by a joey. Forest background visibleA kangaroo hops across a field, followed by a joey. Forest background visible

Tobias Titz via Getty Images

6.Have you ever noticed just how much dogs love squeaky toys? The squeak mimics the sound of distressed prey and allows domesticated dogs to tap into their natural hunting instincts.

A brown dog holds a plush toy in its mouth while a person's hand pulls on the other end of the toyA brown dog holds a plush toy in its mouth while a person's hand pulls on the other end of the toy

The high-pitched sound triggers our canine pals’ prey drive and provides them with instant gratification. This is also why many dogs will not quit chewing on a toy until the squeaker goes silent, as only then do they feel that they have sufficiently “killed” their prey.

Petra Richli / Getty Images

7.Snails have anywhere between 1,000 and 25,000 razor-like teeth. The flexible band of microscopic teeth and jaw are called radula. The jaw is used to cut off large pieces of food, which is then scraped by the band of teeth.

Close-up view of a snail's head with two extended tentaclesClose-up view of a snail's head with two extended tentacles

8.Pygmy slow lorises have poisonous elbows. The often illegally domesticated primate is equipped with glands on the inside of its elbows that create venom when mixed with saliva.

A slow loris is perched on a tree branch, looking curiously at the camera with its large, round eyesA slow loris is perched on a tree branch, looking curiously at the camera with its large, round eyes

9.If you asked most people what the most dangerous breed of bear was, they probably wouldn’t say a polar bear…even though it’s true. Often considered a cuddly wintertime creature, polar bears are more vicious than grizzlies.

A polar bear stands in a grassy field, looking directly at the camera with a rocky background behindA polar bear stands in a grassy field, looking directly at the camera with a rocky background behind

10.Margays, aka tree ocelots, hunt using psychological manipulation. In order to secure prey, these jungle cats will use “aggressive mimicry” to imitate the sounds of their prey.

A clouded leopard is perched comfortably on a tree branch, looking directly at the camera amidst a lush, green, forested backgroundA clouded leopard is perched comfortably on a tree branch, looking directly at the camera amidst a lush, green, forested background

11.It’s not just a meme…Cows, on average, are responsible for more human deaths per year than sharks. Although generally docile, it is still best to remain cautious around the bovines, as they are easily spooked.

Three Holstein cows stand in a green pasture, with trees and blue sky in the backgroundThree Holstein cows stand in a green pasture, with trees and blue sky in the background

12.When times are tough, mice will eat literally anything…including other mice.

A white mouse is nibbling on a piece of food against a dark backgroundA white mouse is nibbling on a piece of food against a dark background

13.Vampire butterflies? Some species of butterflies are known to drink blood, including sulfur butterflies and tiger swallowtails.

Person looking at a butterflyPerson looking at a butterfly

14.Tasmanian devils fight so often that they are actually spreading contagious mouth cancer to each other. In 1996, scientists first discovered the transmissible cancer known as devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) in the northeastern region of Tasmania.

Two Tasmanian devils peering out from inside a hollow tree trunkTwo Tasmanian devils peering out from inside a hollow tree trunk

15.For much of the past century, beaver butt secretions were used in food and perfume to achieve a vanilla flavor or scent.

A beaver stands on a pile of sticks and logs near the water's edgeA beaver stands on a pile of sticks and logs near the water's edge

16.Cat scratch disease (CSD), more commonly known as cat scratch fever is a real disease that humans can catch through contact with an infected cat or kitten.

A curious kitten peeks from behind a scratching post, hugging it tightly with its pawsA curious kitten peeks from behind a scratching post, hugging it tightly with its paws

17.And finally, otters just being themselves is disturbing enough. The marine mammals have been known to attack humans, assault baby seals, commit necrophilia, and hold other otters’ pups hostage for food.

Two sea otters floating on water, one adult and one pup, both looking towards the cameraTwo sea otters floating on water, one adult and one pup, both looking towards the camera

Simply put, the entire species belongs in a supermax prison.

Arthur Morris / Getty Images

Which one of these unnerving animal facts surprised you the most? Do you know any shocking facts about adorable animals? Let us know in the comments!


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