The animal kingdom never ceases to amaze! New behaviors are constantly being discovered, often captured through the lenses of trail cameras, dedicated photographers, and insightful research film crews. These glimpses into the wild reveal creatures doing the unexpected, showcasing the incredible adaptability and surprising actions of species we thought we knew. Get ready to be amazed by these ten rarely-seen animal moments!
10. Drone Gets Kidnapped by Eagles
Drones have become ubiquitous tools for surveillance, research, and capturing stunning aerial footage. However, in 2015, one drone in Austria experienced a truly unexpected encounter. Patrick Pircher launched his DJI Phantom 3 over the snow-capped mountains, only to have it attacked by a pair of eagles. The birds struck the drone forcefully, sending it tumbling before one eagle gripped it in its talons. Fortunately for the drone operator, the eagles abandoned their unusual catch after realizing it wasn’t a tasty snack. It remains unclear which eagle species was responsible, but the golden eagle, known to inhabit Austria, is a likely suspect.
9. A Fox Heist
In Tucson, Arizona, Esmeralda Egurrola discovered that three of her motion-activated cameras had gone missing. Checking the final recordings, she caught the thief red-handed: a gray fox! The footage showed the fox brazenly carrying one of the cameras in its mouth. It’s a mystery why the fox stole the cameras, but the fact remains that the cameras are still missing, thanks to this cunning critter.
8. An Elephant Peeling a Banana
Meet Pang Pha, an Asian elephant at the Berlin Zoo. What makes her special? She peels bananas! Having no hands or fingers, Pang Pha developed a unique technique after watching humans. She uses her trunk to rip off the stem, then drops the banana to carefully pinch and shuck the fruit. Interestingly, she isn’t a fan of green bananas, swallowing them whole. Pang Pha’s fruity skills mark the first time an elephant has been filmed preparing bananas in this manner.
7. Weaponized Whale Bubbles
Humpback whales are known for many things, but did you know they use bubbles as fishing nets? In 2019, this bubbly behavior was filmed for the first time. Researchers in southeastern Alaska attached cameras to the whales and flew drones above. When the whales found fish, they circled them while exhaling streams of bubbles, creating a wall of air. With their prey trapped, the whales then swoop through the vortex, grabbing mouthfuls of meat.
6. Orcas Helping a Dying Friend
In 2023, whale watchers in Norway captured a poignant scene. Hunchy, an aging male orca, was struggling to swim. Two younger orcas were seen desperately trying to keep him at the surface so he could breathe. After almost an hour, they seemed to give up, and Hunchy eventually sank. While orca behavior after a calf’s death has been filmed, this was the first footage of its kind depicting a dying adult orca and its impact on its pod members.
5. A Badger Stealing a Cow
In Utah, researchers studying predator and scavenger behavior were baffled when one of their cow carcasses vanished. A camera trap revealed the culprit: an American badger! Known for burying small amounts of food, this badger decided to bury the entire cow. Working tirelessly, the badger dug and pulled until the carcass was completely buried, even giving the camera a cheeky glance from atop its buried treasure.
4. A Grizzly Hunting Horses
Trail cameras set up by the Help Alberta Wildies Society (HAWS) have revealed a surprising and terrifying reality: grizzly bears are hunting wild horses in Alberta, Canada. Footage shows horses fleeing with a grizzly in pursuit. Grizzlies can run up to 28 mph, making them capable of taking down horses. Though the filmed hunt was unsuccessful, HAWS captured similar footage a year prior, confirming that these bears pose a real threat to the wild horse population.
3. A Grizzly and Wolves Hunting Together
In Yellowstone National Park, a rare event unfolded as a grizzly bear teamed up with a pack of wolves to hunt elk. While bears are known to steal food from wolves, joint hunting is almost unheard of. However, this partnership was short-lived; after the wolves killed a female elk, the grizzly double-crossed them and made off with the carcass!
2. A Croc-Killing Tiger Family
In Ranthambore National Park, India, a tiger family has gained notoriety for hunting crocodiles. It started with Machli, who became famous after a battle with a 14-foot crocodile. Her granddaughter, Riddhi, is now passing the skill on to her cubs. Footage from 2024 shows Riddhi and her cubs feasting on a crocodile they ambushed and killed together. Watching a land mammal defeat a prehistoric beast like a crocodile is truly a rare sight!
1. A Killer Tortoise
Anna Zora, on Frégate Island in the Seychelles, filmed an Aldabra giant tortoise as it ambled into view. What she didn’t realize was that she was witnessing a hunt in progress. The tortoise pursued a lesser noddy tern chick for seven minutes before catching, killing, and consuming it. This gruesome footage is the first to show a tortoise deliberately attacking and eating another animal, behavior that’s particularly unusual for the largely herbivorous Aldabra giant tortoise.
From eagles to killer tortoises, the animal kingdom offers endless surprises. These moments, caught on camera, remind us of the incredible diversity and adaptability of life on Earth.
What surprised you the most? Leave your comment below!
