Aquariums aren’t allowed to pay to acquire animals from other aquariums as it encourages poaching. Instead, there is a barter system in place where they swap animals and each has their own fish or similar “base currency” they prefer to trade in. – WTF Fun Facts
Animals
Our random animal facts are a both fun and a little bit weird but they will keep you entertained for days!
WTF Fun Fact – Hummingbirds That Double Their Size
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are able to fly across the Gulf of Mexico, ~500 miles, in one 20-hour non-stop flight. This flight requires more calories than the bird’s weight of ~3g, so they prepare by doubling their fat mass. They then expend their entire caloric reserve during the migration. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – Lady Wonder
Born in 1924, Lady Wonder was a horse many believed was psychic. She made predictions and answered questions for over 30 years and more than 150,000 people. She is credited with helping solve several crimes. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – Owl Head Rotation
An owl can rotate their head the farthest of any animal. They can rotate their heads through 400 degrees in full rotation and 200 degrees in half rotation. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Farthest head rotation by a mammal | Guinness World Records
WTF Fun Fact – Number 16
“Number 16” was the oldest known spider at an estimated 43-years-old. She was a wild trapdoor spider who lived in an Australian burrow and was studied by researchers from birth in 1973 until 2016. She likely died from a parasitic wasp attack. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Number 16 (spider) – Wikipedia
WTF Fun Fact – Cows And Super Seaweed
A company called Future Feed has created an Australian ‘super seaweed’ food supplement which can reduce 99.9% of the methane gas emissions from cattle by replacing just .2% of their diet. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – How Can Fish Magically Appear In Bodies Of Water?
Researchers found some fish eggs can survive after being digested by waterfowl and remain viable after being pooped out, which may explain how fish ‘miraculously’ appear in bodies of water where they otherwise never existed. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Mallards Ferry Fish Eggs Between Waterbodies Through Their Poop | Audubon
WTF Fun Fact – Clams Testing The Water
A water plant in Poland uses eight clams with sensors attached to their shells to test water cleanliness. If the clams close because they don’t like the taste of the water, the city’s supply is automatically shut off. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: How clams help keep Polish water clean | The Economist
WTF Fun Fact – Vampire Moths
In 2006, Vampire Moths were discovered in Russia. The bloodsuckers may have evolved from a purely fruit-eating species. The insects use their hook-and-barb-lined tongues to get under the skin and suck blood. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Vampire Moth Discovered—Evolution at Work (nationalgeographic.com)
WTF Fun Fact – Nodosaur Mummy
In 2011, two Canadian miners accidentally discovered a 110-million-year-old Nodosaur with its skin intact, making it one of the most well-preserved dinosaur fossils ever found. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Nodosaur — Miners Accidentally Found Armored Dinosaur ‘Mummy’ With its Skin Intact (buggedspace.com)
WTF Fun Fact – Hokkaido’s Monster Wolf Vs Brown Bears
The Hokkaido town of Naie has deployed a “monster wolf” robot that can roar and flash its eyes red to scare brown bears away from its residential areas. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Hokkaido city deploys ‘monster wolf’ robot to scare bears away from residential areas – The Mainichi
WTF Fun Fact – Why Hexagon Honeycombs?
The holes in honeycombs start as circular tubes staggered with one another. The heat formed by the activity of the bees then softens the wax, which connects the gaps between the holes. Finally, the wax hardens into the the most energy efficient shape, the hexagon. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – The Deadly Cone Snail
The Geography Cone snail is one of the most venomous animals on Earth. It releases a cloud of insulin when a fish swims by causing it to go into hypoglycemic shock. Once immobilized, it injects the fish with a cocktail of up to 200 toxins. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: What is the most venomous animal in the world? – Museums Victoria
WTF Fun Fact – Male Orb Weave Spiders Detachable Genitals
Male orb weave spiders have detachable genitals which work even after being detached. When mating, he will abandon his “palps” inside his (cannibalistic) partner and flee, knowing she will try to eat him. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Spider’s detachable penis still works without him – CBS News
WTF Fun Fact – Green Sea Urchin Helmets
Green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) are often found covering themselves with the shells of hermit crabs, rocks, and other debris. Scientists don’t fully understand why they do so. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – Slow Blink To Communicate With Cats
By narrowing your eyes and slowly blinking, you can communicate with cats that you are friendly and improve your chances that they approach and are receptive to you. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Study Confirms ‘Slow Blinks’ Really Do Work to Communicate With Your Cat (sciencealert.com)
WTF Fun Fact – The Reason For The Giraffes Dark Tongue
The tongue of a giraffe is a dark black or purple color due to the extra melanin in it, which protects the tongue from getting sunburn. This is a necessity since their tongues are so long (up to 2 feet) and exposed from eating nearly 12 hours a day. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – Paint From The Pope’s Cow’s Milk
The Vatican is painting it’s famous buildings, like the Belvedere Palace which was built in 1484, with milk from the Pope’s cows which are kept at his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. The milk is mixed with slaked lime and natural pigments and hand-patted onto the building. – WTF Fun Facts
Source:Why the Vatican is using milk to paint its buildings – CNN Style