11 Cool And Interesting Facts People Learned About Animals

Even if you're not a huge fan of animals in real life, you have to admit that there's always something new we can learn about them. Even if you spent every weekend of your childhood watching wildlife documentaries, there are probably some things about the animal kingdom that can surprise you.

We've collected the most interesting and adorable facts about animals that folks have shared on Quora over the years—from friendships between tarantulas and frogs, why quokkas are endangered, why chow chows don't have pink tongues, to the fact that sea otters hold hands while they sleep so they don't drift away.

Do you need a pick-me-up in the form of cute animals? Scroll down and "aww" at the cutest things that these patooties from the animal kingdom do!

11 PHOTOS

#1

Even if you're not a huge fan of animals in real life, you have to admit that there's always something new we can learn about them. Even if you spent every weekend of your childhood watching wildlife documentaries, there are probably some things about the animal kingdom that can surprise you.

#2

Last picture of Hachiko, the faithful dog who waited for over 9 years outside Shibuya station for his master to return even after he had died.

#3

Squirrels adopt other squirrels’ babies if they are abandoned.

Just as there are many adorable facts about animals, there probably are just as many hyped-up myths that are not entirely true. There are many things about animals that people have misinterpreted over the years, so, let's go through some of them and debunk them!

Since childhood, everyone kept telling me that bats couldn't see. The consensus was that they are blind, but that's totally untrue, it turns out! "Blind as a bat" is only a witty saying, as most bats have functional eyes and can see pretty well. This misconception probably formed because of their acute hearing. Bats use echolocation to find prey in dim environments, but they are certainly not blind.

#4

Ravens have the ability to mimic things just like parrots. They’re actually considered one of the world’s smartest species of birds. Ravens have been observed mimicking other sounds such as car alarms, wolf howls, flushing toilets, and clever individuals who’ve taught them to recite Edgar Allen Poe.

#5

Sea otters hold hands while sleeping so that they don’t drift away in the swirling sea from their group.

#6

Like humans, cows have best friends too with whom they like to hang out more often. And studies have revealed that they get stressed when they get separated from their besties.

Has anyone ever warned you not to touch a baby bird because then his mother would no longer accept him as hers? Birds don't have such strong smell receptors to notice human scent, but disturbing baby birds and their nests still shouldn't become a hobby. The warbler, for example, has no sense of smell, so they can't really detect your scent at all.

But what if you come across a baby bird on the grass who's fallen off his nest? Educator Elizabeth Manning writes that it's best to leave as quickly as possible. Humans can pass diseases to wildlife, and vice versa. "In most cases, the parents are nearby and may be waiting for you to leave the area," Manning claims.

#7

While they have the reputation of being loathsome, disgusting, trash-eaters, black vultures are actually the “barbers” of the bird world. They are known to groom other birds who visit their roosts - as it turns out, their highly-dextrous beaks are not just good for picking apart carcasses, but also for finagling parasites and debris out of hard-to-reach areas.

#8

Crows and ravens troll other birds by pulling on their tail feathers. While some have proposed that this is a tactic to distract larger birds and steal their food, it does seem that, overall, they just do it for fun.

#9

Prairie dogs greet each other by kissing. This behavior allows them to know who their family members are and helps them to avoid interactions with strangers.

Here's another myth about wildlife for you: ostriches only bury their heads in the sand in children's books. Because they have relatively small heads, it only seems that they put their noggins under the dirt. In reality, when an ostrich is scared, he or she will flop to the ground and remain still to blend in with the environment. Ostriches only dig into the sand to turn the eggs in their nests.

#10

New born pandas are no heavier than a cup of tea

#11

Quokkas, often called "the world's happiest animals," have a natural smile that makes them look friendly and approachable. They are found on some islands off the coast of Australia and are known for their curious nature.