The animal world is full of surprises. You don’t have to look far to see creatures doing truly amazing things. From quirky habits to actions that seem almost human, animals constantly capture our curiosity. They play, work together, and even form surprising friendships. Let’s explore ten of the most fascinating and downright badass things animals do that will leave you in awe.
Play Isn’t Just for Pets
Think play is just for your dog at the park? Think again! Animals all over the world love to play. You might see white-winged choughs playing follow the leader or chimps in Uganda having fun with stick dolls. Crocodiles have been seen giving piggyback rides, and young elephants even use riverbanks as waterslides. Even an octopus might playfully wave its tentacles at fish, not to hunt, but just for fun.
Animals play for many reasons. It helps them learn skills for hunting and mating, prepare for surprises, and build friendships. Play is key for their growth, but they need to tell play from real fights. Chimps make a “play face,” and dogs do a “play bow” – butt in the air, front legs down – to show it’s all in good fun. You know an animal is playing if they do something over and over, willingly, and when they’re relaxed. Play often looks a bit different from the serious version of the action. For instance, some spiders pretend to mate before they’re grown up. The cool part? The female spiders are less likely to eat the males after these play sessions compared to real mating!
They Forge Surprising Friendships
Ever heard of a bobcat kitten and a fawn being best buddies? Or an elephant and a stray dog hanging out? These unlikely friendships happen! Think of Koko the gorilla and her kitten, Ball, or Humphrey the Hippo and a pygmy goat in South Africa. These surprising bonds often form when animals are in captivity because they aren’t struggling to survive, so their emotional energy can go elsewhere. But these friendships can happen in the wild too. Any animal can make an unexpected friend.
Why do animals make friends with different species? Scientists think it might be to help keep pests away, watch out for danger, stay warm, or find food. Sometimes, one animal just feels like protecting another. There isn’t always a simple reason, just like with people. But one thing is certain: these animals are often happier, stronger, and more confident because they found each other.
They Shatter Our Stereotypes
It’s easy to think animals always act a certain way. But just like people, animals can surprise us and act differently than we expect. Think otters are just cute and cuddly? They can also produce a very strong, unpleasant smell and have surprisingly stinky poop. It’s best to keep your distance if you see one in the wild – their bite is no joke!
Animals we might think are scary can also have amazing qualities. Sharks, for example, aren’t as dangerous to humans as movies suggest. We’re not their usual food, and attacks are often mistakes. Sharks are incredible navigators, using Earth’s magnetic field, and they help keep oceans clean. What about pigeons? Some call them “rats of the sky,” but pigeons are surprisingly smart. They can be better at math than many people and navigate without GPS! And pigs? They roll in mud not because they’re dirty, but to cool off since they don’t have sweat glands.
They Bend Gender Norms and Show Same-Sex Affection
In the animal world, it’s not always the females who show off to attract a partner. Often, it’s the males! Male peacocks display their stunning, colorful tails to impress. Male blue-footed boobies do a special dance to show off their bright blue feet. During mating season, male quetzals grow tail feathers up to three feet long! Female birds also often choose a mate based on how well he sings.
Beyond that, same-sex behavior is common in many animal species. This includes animals like bluegill sunfish, bison, goats, koalas, and ostriches. For instance, about 90% of sexual activity seen in giraffes is between males, who rub their necks together for hours. Amazon river dolphins have been seen engaging in group sex with other males. Male bottlenose dolphins in Western Australia often hang out in male-only groups after mating season. Elephants also show affection by grooming, kissing, and locking trunks with animals of any gender.
They’re Master Problem Solvers
Humans aren’t the only ones who can solve tricky problems. Animals show amazing brainpower too! Just because they don’t speak our language doesn’t mean they aren’t smart. A study found that young cows’ heart rates went up when they figured out a puzzle, and some even jumped for joy! Clark’s Nutcrackers, a type of bird, collect thousands of pine nuts each year and bury them in many different spots. They remember exactly where each stash is and the best way to get to them. Crows are also incredibly clever; they can strip bark from a tree and bend it into a hook to dig out food.
Pigs have shown they can play video games, matching shapes correctly. They are so intelligent that some farmers must give them puzzles and activities to keep them from getting bored, which can make them aggressive. These animals prove that braininess comes in all shapes and sizes.
They Have Unique Ways to Stay Clean
No shower? No problem! Animals have their own special ways to keep clean. Bees clean themselves while flying, using all their legs to brush off pollen. Capuchin monkeys use things like limes and onions to keep pests away. Sometimes, they even cover themselves in ants and millipedes for a deep clean! Elephants and rhinos enjoy mud baths, which help protect their skin. Chickens take dust baths because dust helps get rid of parasites. Chinchillas, with their fine fur, also take dust baths to avoid getting too cold from water.
Some animals, like bears and tigers, bathe in water. Tigers are interesting because most cats clean themselves with their tongues. Grooming isn’t just about hygiene, though. Animals also groom each other to build stronger friendships. This social grooming is seen in ponies, vampire bats, lions, and meerkats. It can even lower stress and reduce ticks!
Their Reproductive Habits Are Wildly Unique
The animal kingdom has some truly unusual ways when it comes to making babies. For example, both male and female birds have an opening called a cloaca. During mating season, these swell up. Male birds store sperm there, and females receive it there. Birds also lay eggs and get rid of waste from this same opening. Here’s a surprising fact: female ducks can actually push out sperm if they decide they don’t want that particular male to be the father of their ducklings!
Seed beetles have another strange feature: the males have penises with sharp spikes. While this can harm the female, scientists think these spikes might help the male hold on during mating or remove sperm from a previous partner. It’s a tough world out there for seed beetles!
They Are Masters of Disguise for Hunting
Stingrays are amazing hunters. They don’t have bones, just cartilage, and their flat bodies let them hide perfectly under the sand. Their eyes are on top and mouths underneath, so they can’t see their prey once caught. Instead, like sharks, they use their sense of smell and special sensors that detect electricity to find food. Both stingrays and sharks love to hunt in coral reefs.
Other animals use clever tricks too. Some, like the green lacewing, cover themselves in dirt to blend in while hunting aphids. The alligator snapping turtle has a tongue that looks like a worm. It wiggles its tongue to lure fish close, then snaps them up! Flower mantises pretend to be flowers, tricking insects that come to pollinate them. And some rat snakes use their tails like bait, fooling prey into thinking it’s a tasty meal.
They Excel at Teamwork
Teamwork makes the dream work, even for animals! Hyenas are a great example. Scientists set up a puzzle: a trap door with food inside that could only be opened by pulling two ropes at the same time. The hyenas figured it out and worked together to get the food, without any training! Older hyenas even taught the younger ones how to do it.
Vizcachas, a type of rodent, also show amazing cooperation. The males leave each year, and the females stay, welcoming new males now and then. They live together in large burrow systems and use branches and heavy items to block a burrow’s entrance. If they live near people, they’ve been known to collect garden tools, brooms, and other odd trinkets for their homes!
They Create Their Own Music
Did you know crickets can tell you the temperature? In the cricket world, it’s mostly the males who chirp. They make these sounds by rubbing their wings together. Sometimes they rub their wings and legs together, which is called stridulation. Heat gives crickets energy, so they chirp faster on hot nights. If their chirping is slow, it’s probably cooler outside!
Male singers are also common among birds. Male birds often have longer, more complex songs, while female calls are usually shorter and simpler, though there are exceptions. Many bird species even sing duets together! Other animals that make music include frogs, whales, and dolphins, each with their own unique sounds.
From playful wrestling matches and unexpected friendships to mind-bending problem-solving and peculiar hygiene routines, the animal kingdom is endlessly fascinating. These ten examples barely scratch the surface of the incredible and often “badass” behaviors animals display every day. They remind us that there’s a whole world of intelligence, emotion, and surprising adaptations out there, proving that animals are truly remarkable.
Which of these animal behaviors amazed you the most? Do you know any other cool animal facts? Leave your comment below and share your thoughts!
