Thursday, December 1, 2016

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Everythings is big for elephant in wild live

Everythings is big for elephant in wild live. They are the large animals in the World and they hve many factoflife. I will show you some elephant facts in my post.

Elephants are the biggestst land mammal on Earth with a long trunk, a biggest ear, tusks, and pillar-like legs. In contrast to their sleek, elephants are adorable and clumsy mammals. Let’s discover these cute animals through our collection of elephant facts for kids with information about two main species of elephants, African elephant facts and Asian elephants.

Elephant facts for kids

No.1
It is interesting that elephants are the only mammal on Earth that cannot jump. This is an interesting information about elephants for kids.
No.2
Each elephant has completely unique ears. African elephant’s ears are about three times biggestr than those of Asian elephants.
No.3
African and Asian elephants use their ears as an air conditioner. It’s interesting that African elephants tend lớn use their long ears for signaling others or protection.
No.4
In spite of their biggest ears, elephants have a poor hearing.
No.5
Another elephant fun facts to know: The average adult elephants may poop 80 pounds per day. This mammal can drink up to 80 gallons of water in just a single day.


No.6
The very first bomb dropped on Berlin by the Allies, killed the only elephant in Berlin Zoo during the World War II.
No.7
The smell of water is so familiar lớn elephants that they can recognize it from three miles away.
No.8
Elephants have a pulse rate of 27. That is one of elephant fun facts for kids.
No.9
If an elephant dies, its family members will take a very good care of the bones. This shows that elephants also have emotion like humans. That is one of interesting information about elephants for kids.
No.10
Elephants can live for as long as 70 years.
No.11
Elephants spend about 16 hours eating in a single day.
No.12
Elephants just sleep about 5 hours a night. They sleep while standing. Another elephant factsthat you should know!
No.13
Elephant’s long trunk has no bones. Over 150,000 muscles and nerves provide the trunk’s flexibility.
No.14
Elephants have a really tough skin, it’s about một inch thick. This is unbelievable!
No.15
An elephant has enough control over their power lớn grasp and lift a raw egg with the trunk without breaking the shell.
No.16
Elephants listen with their feet and their ears. When an elephant speaks, it creates a low-pitched rumbling sound that is almost inaudible but sends vibrations through the earth.
No.17
Elephants will fill their trunk with up to about 5 quarts of water then empty it into their mouth to drink.
No.18
An elephant’s trunk also serves as a straw or a hose.

Check out more topic dog, birds, animals,....

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

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Try to survive in Minecraft game play

Ì you have play Minecraft once you will never forget this game. Special game must had special factoflife for everythings in this game. Keep play Minecraft you will get many short joke of the day in game.
Interesting funny random Minecraft facts
#1
The first version of Minecraft was created in six days back in 2009, when Swedish programmer and designer Markus Persson, widely known as “Notch” to the millions of the game’s fans, decided to create a sandbox game for the launch of his then new company, Mojang AB. However, the full version would be released two years later.
#2
All cows in Minecraft are female, since they can all release milk. However, they can still breed with each other somehow.
#3
If you think it’s bad luck to break glass in the real world, then you don’t want to know what happens in Minecraft when you do it. See, when glass is smashed, the sky behind it turns blue even if there are clouds.
#4
Iron Golems and wolves are the only mobs that can become hostile in peaceful mode. Just as in real life, never trust a hungry wolf, even in the world of Minecraft.

Ender Dragon Minecraft - Minecraft facts
#5
The ender dragon is capable of destroying chests but he can’t destroy minecarts with chests.
#6
And for some reason rain and snow can’t be seen through glass that has been broken.
#7
When the game is paused a hostile enderman will still shake just because they’re weird like that.
#8
Lava pools are pretty common even in the most freezing conditions in Minecraft. That’s why you see them pretty often in taiga and snowy landscapes in the game.
#9
In the real world a cat supposedly has nine lives but in Minecraft it appears to have even more since it suffers no damage whatsoever in falls.
#10
As you’ve noticed, in case you play the gamecreepers might not have hands but they can still climb ladders with ease.

Minecraft characters- Funny facts about Minecraft
#11
If you plant crops in rows with a space between each row the crops grow faster.
#12
Eating has no effect on physical activities in Minecraft. You can still jump as high, ladder travel, and run as fast after you’ve eaten a heavy meal.
#13
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you have to be really careful because if you break the block beneath the cakes, they will disappear.
#14
When looking at the debug screen (F3), the netherworld is called Hell and the End is called Sky.
#15
You don’t need to know any secret recipes or start a barbeque since in Minecraft if you just light a pig or cow on fire it drops a cooked pork chop or steak.
#16
Spiders are friendly during daytime or in a fully lit room. Further, if you’re starving you can eat spider eggs. In the world of Minecraft they are delicious.
#17
Boats won’t break if they crash into soul sand.
#18
In the world of Minecraft just drinking milk will stop all effects of poison. We wish things were as simple in real life.
creeper8
Minecraft creepers - Funny Minecraft facts
#19
If you eat a raw chicken while crouching, you have a smaller chance of getting poisoned.
#20
One in every 10,000 times you play the game, its introductory menu will flash a misspelling of the game’s title, transposing the E and C to read Minceraft.
#21
In 2014 state employees Simon Kokkendorf and Thorbjørn Nielsen of the Danish Geodata Agency completed a scale replica of Denmark within the world-building game to help drive interest in geographic data.
#22
Persson originally wanted to name it “Cave Game.” Thankfully he ended up with Minecraft.
#23
In case you don’t understand what the language of endermans is, the weird sounds thesecreepy things make are the words “Hi,” “Hello,” and “What’s up” reversed, slowed down, and distorted.
You can find somethings cool in my blog animal, facts, dog,....

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

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Kakapo facts you have never heard of

Find out more about animals and nature for kids. Get information about animals & nature and discover interesting facts about Kakapo - an extraordinary and unique bird that is the only flightless and nocturnal parrot in the world – as well as the heaviest!


1. It’s the world’s only flightless parrot. Kakapos can’t fly. They use their short wings for balance and support rather than flapping. Their feathers are much softer than those of other birds because they do not need to be strong and stiff enough to support flight.

2. Even though they can’t fly, they get around. The kakapo has strong legs that make it an excellent hiker and climber. On the ground, they move around with a jog-like gait. They can also climb tall trees and use their wings to help “parachute” to the forest floor. This might be one of the most amazing facts about animals ever seen

3. Kakapos freeze when startled. One of their defenses is to freeze and hope to blend into the background when danger is near. This worked well when their only predators were eagles that use sight to hunt; it is not so successful with introduced mammalian predators that rely on their sense of smell to find prey.

4. They’re nocturnal. Kakapos roost in trees or on the ground during the day and only become active at night.

5. They smell nice. The kakapo has a well-developed sense of smell, useful in its nocturnal lifestyle. It also has what’s described as a musty-sweet odor. This likely helps kakapos find each other in the forest; unfortunately, it helps introduced mammalian predators find them, too.


6. They’re friendly. Both the Māori and early European settlers kept kakapos as pets. Even wild kakapos are known to approach, climb on, and preen people. George Edward Grey, the English ornithologist who first described the kakapo in 1845, once wrote that his pet kakapo’s behavior towards him and his friends was “more like that of a dog than a bird.”

7. They’re critically endangered. The kakapo’s problems began with Māori settlers, and intensified when Europeans arrived. Both groups cleared large areas of the kakapo’s habitat and brought with them predators like cats, rats, and stoats that the kakapo had no defenses against. In the 1980s, the New Zealand Department of Conservation implemented a Kakapo Recovery Plan. The Plan involved the rounding up and relocation of kakapos to predator-free islands, setting up supplementary feeding stations for the birds, and sometimes artificial incubation of eggs and hand-raising of chicks. The effort has averted the kakapo’s extinction, but they are still critically endangered. As of early 2012, there were 126 kakapos in the wild. Let’s find out some interesting science facts that will make your day.

8. They’re possibly one of the longest-lived birds. Kakapos live life at a slow pace. Males don’t start breeding until they are about four years old, and females around six years of age. Their life expectancy is over 90 years.

9. Kakapos are sturdy birds. Unlike other land birds, the kakapo can store large amounts of energy as body fat. It’s the world’s heaviest parrot: at about 24 inches tall, it weighs between 4 and 9 lbs.

10. Males court females with a group song and dance. During the breeding season, male kakapos can walk up to 4 miles to reach a special arena where they compete with each other for the attention of females. Each male digs a bowl in the ground, often in an area next to rock faces or banks to help reflect his mating call. To attract females, the males emit loud, low-frequency “booms” that can travel as far as 3 miles. After 20-30 booms, they switch to a high-pitched metallic “ching.” The booming and chinging can go on for eight hours a night, every night for the duration of the 2-4 month breeding season.
If you are a person who likes to discover nature, let’s follow factoflife to get all wanted info.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

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All about armadillo you should know

There are 20 different species of armadillo, all of which live solely in Latin America, with the exception of the Nine-banded armadillo which has expanded into the USA, animal facts


Size & Description

There are 21 species of armadillo, according to the Integrated TaxonomicInformation System (ITIS). Some armadillos are very small, while others are huge. The smallest is the pink fairy armadillo, which is about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long. Giant armadillos are the largest species, and are about 5 feet (1.5 meters) long, according to National Geographic. 

An armadillo's armor is made up of overlapping plates covering the back, head, legs and tail. The number of armored bands identifies the different species, according to the San Diego Zoo. Only one species, the three-banded armadillo, can roll itself into a hard armored ball to defend itself against predators. Other armadillo species simply dig a hole quickly and hunker down so that their tender stomach is protected and their armor is the only thing visible. 

Armadillos have pointy snouts and long, sticky tongues, similar to anteaters, which are close cousins. Their eyesight is poor, so they hunt with a highly developed sense of smell. They also have wiry hairs along their sides and belly, which they use to feel their way around, like curb feelers on some cars. They also have strong legs and sharp claws for digging.

Habitat

Most armadillos stick to areas closer to the equator because they like temperate to warm areas due to their lack of fat stores. According to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management, armadillos are very picky about where they live based on what type of soil is found in the area. Usually, armadillos prefer sandy or loam soils that are loose and porous. This makes digging for food and creating burrows easier.

All armadillos live in Central and South America, except for one species. The nine-banded armadillo ranges from Argentina to the southern United States, according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW) at the University of Michigan. Since the mid-19th century, nine-banded armadillos have expanded northward. They have been seen in Florida and are now common in Missouri. In 2000, the body of a nine-banded armadillo was found in central Illinois, according to ADW. Do you want to check out our long and rich source of tigers facts in your spare time?

Habits

Armadillos are not social creatures and spend most of their time sleeping. They usually sleep up to 16 hours each day in burrows, according to National Geographic. During the morning and evenings, they forage for food. 

Usually, the only time armadillos get together is to mate or to keep warm. During cold times, a group of armadillos may hunker down in a burrow together to share body heat. Sometimes, a seven-banded armadillo will share its burrow with others of the same gender, though.

Diet

Armadillos are omnivores, which means they eat meat and plants, though 90 percent of an armadillo’s diet is made up of insects and larvae, according to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management. With their long, sticky tongue, armadillos catch ants, beetles, termites and other insects after digging them out of the ground. They also eat plants, eggs, small vertebrates and some fruit. From time to time, they will scavenge for dead animals.
Offspring

After a gestation period of two to five months, the female will give birth to one to 12 young in a birthing burrow. These burrows can be up to 15 feet (4.5 m) wide, according to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage.

Baby armadillos are called pups. According to the San Diego Zoo, twin births are common. Nine-banded armadillos have four identical pups of the same gender in every litter, and the seven-banded armadillo has eight to 15 identical pups at one time. 

Pups mature quickly. They are weaned by two to four months. By nine to 12 months, the pups are mature and ready to have offspring of their own. Armadillos can live anywhere from four to 30 years. The median life expectancy for three-banded armadillos is around 16 years.

Just keep checking out our site everyday to get more updated news and information about everylife aspects as animal, plant or science facts and so on.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

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A collection of bee facts

If you are a person who love to know animal facts and want to know more, you are at the right place. Here is bee facts here along with some funny images that will open your mind

Image result for bees
  • There are 3 kinds of bees in a hive: Queen, Worker and Drone.
  • Only the Queen in the hive lays eggs. She communicates with her hive with her own special scent called pheromones. The queen will lay around 1,500 eggs per day.
  • The worker bees are all female and they do all the work for the hive. Workers perform the following tasks inside the hive as a House Bee: Cleaning, feeding the baby bees, feeding and taking care of the queen, packing pollen and nectar into cells, capping cells, building and repairing honeycombs, fanning to cool the hive and guarding the hive.
  • Workers perform the following tasks outside the hive as Field Bees: Gathering nectar and pollen from flowers, collecting water and a sticky substance called propolis.
  • Not many people know the random facts that bees have 2 stomachs - one stomach for eating and the other special stomach is for storing nectar collected from flowers or water so that they can carry it back to their hive.
  • The male bees in the hive are called drones. Their job in the hive is to find a queen to mate with. Male bees fly out and meet in special drone congregation areas where they hope to meet a queen. Male drone bees don't have a stinger.
  • If a worker bee uses her stinger, she will die.
  • Bees are classified as insects and they have 6 legs.
  • Bees have 5 eyes - two compound eyes and three tiny ocelli eyes.
  • Bees go through four stages of development: Egg, Larvae, Pupae and Adult Bee.
  • The bees use their honeycomb cells to raise their babies in, and to store nectar, honey, pollen and water.
  • Nectar is a sweet watery substance that the bees gather. After they process the nectar in their stomach they regurgitate it into the honeycomb cells. Then they fan with their wings to remove excess moisture. The final result is honey.
  • Bees are the only insect in the world that make food that humans can eat.
  • Honey has natural preservatives and bacteria can't grow in it.
  • Honey was found in the tombs in Egypt and it was still edible! Bees have been here around 30 million years.
Let's with us discover some other animal facts, science facts to widen your knowledge

Friday, September 9, 2016

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Awesome mice facts

Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom. 



Where do mice live?

Mice are hardy creatures that are found in nearly every country and type of terrain. They can live in forests, grasslands and manmade structures easily. Mice typically make a burrow underground if they live out in the wild. Their burrow helps protect them from predators. Their natural predators are cats, birds, wild dogs and foxes.

Mice are nocturnal, meaning they like to sleep during the day. This is why pet mice or house mice can be heard playing or foraging during the night. Most wild mice are timid toward humans and other animals, but they are very social with other mice. Domestic mice are very friendly toward humans and can make good pets for older children and adults.

According to the RSPCA, mice are very territorial. Even domestic mice like to have a large area that they can claim as their own.

Also see elephant facts

Image result for Mice information

What do mice eat?

If you believe what you see in cartoons, you would think that mice eat cheese. Actually, they like to eat fruits, seeds and grains. They are omnivorous, which means they eat both plants and meat, and the common house mice will eat just about anything it can find. In fact, if food is scarce, mice will even eat each other.

Mice have voracious appetites. They eat around 15 to 20 times per day, so they build their homes nearby places that have readily accessible food sources.

Baby mice

When homes are infested with mice, humans will often find chewed up wires, books, papers and insulation around their home. Mice aren't eating these items, they are chewing them into pieces that they can use to make their nests. This is because mice nests are made from whatever the female mouse can find.

Also see penguin facts

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

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Fun facts about a little know bird - Galapagos Rail Bird

galapagos-rail-bird

Birds of the family ‘Rallidae’ are called Rails. The Galapagos Rail Bird is a small rail endemic to the Galapagos Islands. It closely resembles the closely related Black Rail of The Americas. It has been threatened by introduced species, such as goats and cats and is considered vulnerable.

The Galapagos Rail Bird is a small (15 centimetres) nearly flightless ground living bird. It has dark plumage, black overall with a greyer head and breast, and white spots on the back. It has a scarlet eye, a black bill, and short, nearly useless wings. They are very vocal with a wide range of calls.

The Galapagos Rail Birds feed on invertebrates, mostly snails, isopods, dragonflies, bugs, ants, also taking berries and some seeds. They feed during the day, moving along the ground tossing leaves and investigating the leaf litter.

The Rail birds body is usually narrow enough to enable them to slip through dense vegetation, such as in the marshes they typically inhabit.

Galapagos Rail Birds ordinarily remain on the ground and are difficult see. They are secretive and sometimes nocturnal in habit. Commonly heard rather than seen, they emit certain calls and squawks characteristic of the species.

These small to medium sized birds have moderate to long legs and long toes, which are an advantage for walking or running over soft ground.

Galapagos Rail Birds often flick their short tails, which are cocked upwards. Rail birds are usually but not always grey in colour, they are sometimes brown and dull red. Their plumage usually has a loose texture, and male and female look alike.

Rail Birds beaks range from stubby to elongate, depending on the species. Rails are omnivorous, but many species predominantly eat small animals. The Rail birds nests are generally well hidden and well separated. Clutches often contain 6 to 12 eggs, and both male and female usually participate in incubating them. When hatching, the young are covered by a black or brownish down in most species and leave the nest immediately after hatching.

About 132 species are recognized, some of which are important game birds.

Species of the Galapagos Islands have independently evolved flightlessness.
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Everything about Hoopoe Birds you wanted to know

hoopoe-bird


The African Hoopoe (Upupa africana) is an African bird that belongs to the Family: Upupidae which also includes the Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) although these are two separate species.

The African Hoopoe differs from the Eurasian Hoopoe by the colouration of the males, females are similar in appearance. The male African Hoopoe has richer cinnamon colouration on its upperparts, lacks the subterminal white band on the crest and has all black primaries. Habits and vocalisations in both species are the same.

African Hoopoes are widespread throughout Africa except in western and central equatorial lowlands forests. Some populations of African Hoopoes are migratory while others are sedentary.
Use the information below to find out more about the Hoopoe Bird’s characteristics, habitat, diet, behaviour and reproduction.
African Hoopoe Bird Characteristics

The African Hoopoe is an exotic looking bird that is around the same size as a Starling. The African Hoopoe measures 25 – 29 centimetres in length, weighs 57 grams and has a wingspan of 44 – 48 centimetres. Their plumage is a cinnamon colour with contrasting black and white stripes on their wings and tails. Their underparts, head, throat and back are also cinnamon in colour.

The African Hoopoe’s wings are broad and rounded and they have a square shaped tail which is black and shows a wide white band. Their heads have a distinctive crest with long chestnut coloured feathers which have black tips. The crest lies backwards when the bird is resting, however, if alarmed or excited, the crest opens up and displays a beautiful circular shape.

The Hoopoe’s beak is black, long and slender and slightly downward curved. Their eyes are small, round and brown in colour and their short legs and feet are grey. As with most bird species, the female Hoopoe is duller in appearance and chicks resemble the female but have shorter crests.

The African Hoopoe bird has an oil gland which produces a foul smelling secretion.

African Hoopoe Bird Habitat

African Hoopoes live in open, bushy regions, thornveld and riverine woodlands in dry areas. They can also be found in parks and surburban gardens. These birds nest in cavities such as holes or crevices in tree trunks, however, they have also be known to nest in buildings, abandoned termite nests, nest boxes, piles of boulders and even under houses. They may use the same nest for many years. Nests are generally lined with grass, debris or dried manure.

Hoopoes are well known for their dirty nests which are smelly due to non-removal of droppings.

African Hoopoe Bird Diet

The African Hoopoe is a forager and forages through leafs with its long, thin beak. It mainly eats insects and earthworms off the ground, however, before it actually eats the insect, the Hoopoe will bang the insect on the ground to remove legs and wings and then toss it up into the air before catching it in its open beak.

African Hoopoes will also eat frogs, small snakes, lizards and also seeds and berries in small quantities. They also eat insect pupae or larvae which they consume by probing the ground with their beak.

African Hoopoe Bird Behaviour

African Hoopoes are vocal birds and have a distinctive call which sounds like ‘Hooo Pooo’ and is repeated 3 – 5 times each time it calls.

African Hoopoes have there own defence technique whereby they will lie flat to the ground, spreading their tail and wings and pointing their beak straight upwards if they are being attacked by a predator.

In flight, Hoopoes are low fliers with an erratic flight pattern and irregular wing beats, however, if being preyed upon by a bird of prey, it can soar very high in order to escape its predator.

African Hoopoes are not sociable birds are generally found in pairs or singular. The African Hoopoe is monogamous unless its mate dies. In the event of a partner dying the African Hoopoe bird will seek out a new mate.

African Hoopoe Bird Reproduction

The female Hoopoe lays around 4 – 7 eggs which are blue/green in colour but quickly become brown. The female incubates the eggs for 14 – 20 days. Chicks are born helpless, naked and blind with a sparse long white down. The chicks are fed mainly by the male and then later by both parents. The chicks fledge at around 26 – 32 days. one to three broods are produced yearly by Hoopoe birds.
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Amazing Dog Facts you may not know

Bellow are some amazing and funny dog facts. See how much trivia you know about this cute pets. You may not know that…
  • A dog’s heart beats between 70 and 120 times a minute, compared with a human heart which beats 70 to 80 times a minute.
  • A dog’s normal body temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • A female carries her young about 60 days before the puppies are born.
  • According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the smallest dog on record was a Yorkshire Terrier in Great Britain who, at the age of 2, weighed just 4 ounces.
  • The longest lived dog, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was an Australian Cattle Dog, named Bluey, who lived to be 29.
  • An adult dog has 42 teeth.
  • It is a myth that dogs are color blind. They can actually see in color, just not as vividly as humans. It is akin to our vision at dusk.
  • If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could produce over 66,000 dogs in 6 years!
  • The only sweat glands a dog has are between the paw pads.
  • In 1957, Laika became the first living being in space via an earth satellite
  • The world’s smartest dogs are thought to be (1) the border collie, (2) the poodle, and (3) the golden retriever.
  • Chocolate contains a substance known as theobromine (similar to caffeine) which can kill dogs or at the very least make them violently ill.
  • Dogs’ sense of hearing is more than ten times more acute than a human’s
  • More than 1 in 3 American families own a dog.
  • Dogs don’t like rain because the sound is amplified and hurts their very sensitive ears.
  • The ten most popular dogs (AKC, 2007) are in order:
  • Labrador Retriever, Yorkshire Terrier, German Shepherd,
  • Golden Retriever, Beagle, Boxer, Dachshund, Poodle,
  • Shih Tzu, and Bulldog.
  • Dogs were the first animals domesticated by people.
  • A greyhound can run as fast as 45 miles an hour.
  • Spaying/neutering your dog before the age of 6 months can help prevent cancer in your dog.
  • Puppies acquire a full mouth of permanent teeth between four and seven months old.
  • Small dogs live the longest. Toy breeds live up to 16 years or more. Larger dogs average is 7 – 12 years. Veterinary medicine have extended this estimate by about three years. However, some breeds, such as Tibetan terrier live as long as twenty years.
  • Eighty percent of dog owners buy their dog a present for holidays and birthdays. More than half of them sign letters and cards from themselves and their pets.
  • The dog name “Fido” is from Latin and means “fidelity.”
  • The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world.
  • Most pet owners (94 percent) say their pet makes them smile more than once a day.
  • Dogs are mentioned 14 times in the Bible.
  • It has been established that people who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks.
  • All dogs can be traced back 40 million years ago to a weasel-like animal called the Miacis which dwelled in trees and dens. The Miacis later evolved into the Tomarctus,a direct forbearer of the genus Canis, which includes the wolf and jackal as well as the dog.
  • Seventy percent of people sign their pet’s name on greeting cards and 58 percent include their pets infamily and holiday portraits, according to a survey done by the American Animal Hospital Association.
  • A dog’s whiskers are touch-sensitive hairs called vibrissae. They are found on the muzzle, above the eyes and below the jaws, and can actually sense tiny changes in airflow.
  • The origin of amputating a dog’s tail may go back to the Roman writer Lucius Columella’s (A.D. 4-70) assertion that tail docking prevented rabies.
  • Dogs can smell about 1,000 times better than humans. While humans have 5 million smell-detecting cells, dogs have more than 220 million. The part of the brain that interprets smell is also four times larger in dogs than in humans.
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10 Interesting Facts About Tortoises


May 23 is World Turtle Day. Celebrate the ultimate slow and steady land reptile with these fun facts about tortoises.

1. A TORTOISE IS A TURTLE, BUT A TURTLE ISN'T A TORTOISE.


A turtle is any shelled reptile belonging to the order Chelonii. The term "tortoise" is more specific, referring to terrestrial turtles. (Of course, there's always an exception. In this case, the land-dwelling box turtle.) Tortoises are usually herbivorous and can't swim.

One easy way to tell 'em apart: look at their feet and shells. Water turtles have flippers or webbed feet with long claws, and their shells are flatter and more streamlined. Tortoises have stubby, elephant-like feet and heavier, domed shells.

2. A GROUP OF TORTOISES IS CALLED A CREEP.

But you won't see a creep very often. (Not that kind, anyway.) Tortoises are solitary roamers. Some mother tortoises are protective of their nests, but they don't care for their young after they hatch.

3. TORTOISES INSPIRED THE ANCIENT ROMAN MILITARY.



During seiges, soldiers would get in testudo formation, named after the Latin word for tortoise. The men formed rows and held shields in front or above them to completely shelter the unit.

4. "TESTUDINAL" MEANS "PERTAINING TO OR RESEMBLING A TORTOISE OR TORTOISE SHELL."


Go ahead. Compliment your friend's testudinal sunglasses.

5. TORTOISES HAVE AN EXOSKELETON AND AN ENDOSKELETON.

The shell has three main parts: the top carapace, the bottom plastron, and the bridge that fuses these pieces together. You can't see them, but every tortoise has ribs, a collar bone, and a spine inside its shell.

6. THE SCALES ON THE CARAPACE ARE CALLED SCUTES.



Made of the same keratin found in fingernails and hooves, scutes protect the bony plates of the shell from injury and infection. The growth rings around scutes can be counted to determine the approximate age of wild tortoises.

7. THE LIGHTER THE SHELL, THE WARMER THE ORIGIN.


Tortoises from hot places tend to have lighter-colored shells than tortoises from cooler areas. The light tan sulcata originates from the southern part of the Sahara Desert.

8. THEY CAN'T SWIM, BUT TORTOISES CAN HOLD THEIR BREATH FOR A LONG TIME.


They're extremely tolerant of carbon dioxide. It's a good thing—tortoises have to empty their lungs before they can go into their shells. You'll often hear them exhale when they're startled and decide to hide.

9. AND YES, THEIR SHELLS ARE SENSITIVE TO TOUCH.

Shells have nerve endings, so tortoises can feel every rub, pet, or scratch ... and sometimes they love it. Note: This delightful creature is a turtle, not a tortoise.

10. SULCATAS ARE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PET TORTOISES—AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST.


Get ready to move to the suburbs and amend your will. Sulcatas are the third largest tortoise species in the world, behind the Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoise. They can live more than 100 years and weigh up to 200 pounds.