Fascinating Animal Facts

• A polar bear’s hair is not white – it’s colourless. Each thick strand of hair is hollow and reflects the light, making the polar bear appear white. Beneath this transparent fur, the skin is black, to soak up any warmth from the sun and keep the bear as warm as possible.

• A giraffe has seven bones in its neck, which is the same as a human has, but they are much larger.

• The pattern of wrinkles on a gorilla’s nose is unique to each one and is known as a ‘nose print’. Conservation workers use photos and sketches of gorillas’ noses to keep track of individuals.

• There are no male or female earthworms. All earthworms have both male and female parts – but it still takes two of them to reproduce.

• A vampire bat’s teeth are so sharp that its bite may not be felt at all. Their saliva dulls any pain, so a bat may drink its victim’s blood for up to 30 minutes.

• Hippos’ closest living relatives are the aquatic mammals: whales, dolphins and porpoises.

• A chameleon’s tongue is at least as long as its body, but it can grab prey in a fraction of a second.

• Huskies can run at speeds of around 31km per hour (20mph), but their key skill is endurance.

• An eagle’s eyes are at least four times sharper than a human’s.

• Both male and female pigeons produce a substance called crop milk to feed their chicks.

• Sea otters have the densest fur of any mammal: a large male has around 800 million hairs, compared to just five million on a human.

• When they find a source of water, wild Bactrian (two-humped) camels will drink as much as 50 litres (88 pints).

• Cat fleas can jump to a height of up to 60 times their own body length.

• Lion has the loudest roar of all the big cats. It can be heard as far as 5km (3 miles) away.

• Kiwis are a type of bird that has nostrils at the end of their long beaks.

• They are found all over the world, but are especially common in New Zealand.

• Kiwis are unique in that they are the only bird that can swim well with their legs and wings underwater.

• Kiwis are very social animals and live in groups.

Test your knowledge on unique and interesting facts about various animals. From the remarkable features of a polar bear to the special characteristics of a kiwi bird, this quiz will amaze you with the diversity of the animal kingdom.