Facts about the animal kingdom

The relationships different animals with each other in a given ecosystem can be incredibly complicated. It is difficult for us to know exactly how their interactions function to create a stable ecosystem, but the endeavor to study it is worthwhile. It is for this reason, we have categorized different types...

We mostly associated flying animals with birds and we do so for good reason. The list of flightless birds is small compared to those that can fly. The opposite is true when we look at mammal species. Although there is great morphological variety in mammals, we think of them as being mostly terrestrial...

Starfish belong to the phylum Echinodermata and the class Asteroidea. Echinoderms are all marine-based organisms and there are about 7,000 known species with around 1,900 being different species of starfish, also known as sea stars. No species of echinoderms are known to live in fresh water, as they need...

The interactions between plants and animals are very complex. Any disruptions to these relationships can be very disruptive to a given ecosystem. While the relationship between fruit-eating animals and the fruit they eat can seem straightforward, it is usually part of a very complex reciprocal relationship....

So much of biology is spent categorizing animals into different groups. This is based on various physical characteristics and behaviors. One of the most important areas of study in nature is the relationships animals have with other animals. Mutualism is one such example of the fascinating interspecies...

Birds have been inspiring human beings since before we had words, so it is no surprise many of our most common idioms are related to birds. Whether used to inspire, reflect on nature or even highlight deep truths through metaphor or poetry, there are many bird sayings which can help us make better sense...

The opossum is an animal that lives exclusively in the Americas. The opossum belongs to a very diverse group, so there are several species, some of which are more widespread than others. They are the largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere and include over 120 species in 19 genera. Opossums...

Owl is the common name for birds of the family Strigidae of the order Strigiformes, nocturnal birds of prey. Have you ever wondered how these creatures sleep? The sleeping habits of owls vary greatly depending on the species. We know that most owls are nocturnal and usually sleep standing up and on branches....

The guinea pig or pet guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also known as the cavy, is a small rodent native to South America. It was originally domesticated as a livestock animal for meat production and is still consumed in some parts of the world. In Western society, the guinea pig has enjoyed great popularity as a...

Sight is not their most distinctive sense, but guinea pigs can recognize certain colors even better than dogs and cats. In addition, they have a wide field of vision (peripheral vision) because their eyes are arranged very laterally. In this way, they can detect the presence of predators. However, their...

The animals with know as owls belong to the order Strigiformes, which is subdivided into two families. The first is the Strigidae, which are more commonly known as true owls. The second is Tytonidae, which includes the birds we know as barn owls. Colloquially, when we refer to owls we can use the same...

Reptiles are a very diverse group of animals which inhabit various habitats across the world. Although these habitats can have extremely different conditions, they are animals which have adapted to thrive in them all. Many reptiles can survive on land, in water or even between both. Some reptiles live permanently...

The Panthera genus of mammals is one we humans find most fascinating. Found within the Felidae family of animals, they include lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars. It was only recently that genetic analysis found that snow leopards (Panthera unica) also belonged to this genus, but they are perhaps the...

Felines are fascinating animals with often impressive abilities. We find species ranging from very powerful animals like lions and tigers to domestic cats. They are all grouped in the family Felidae, which in turn is divided into two subfamilies: Pantherinae and Felinae. The first includes the species...

Canids are part of the family Canidae, animals which are part of the order Carnivora. These animals include the most diverse type of land mammal, the domestic dog. They also include wolves, jackals, coyotes and several genera known to us as foxes. Only the genera Vulpes contains the animals we know as true...

All jellyfish sting and produce toxic substances, but not all of these substances are equally harmful. Jellyfish, like all cnidarians, have stinging cells called cnidocytes. These cells contain a venom that is usually inoculated into the prey by a spiny thread. Upon contact with the prey, the cells...

It is not uncommon for rabbit owners to not know the actual age of their rabbits. The truth is that this is not easy to determine. While there is no truly accurate method, there are a number of parameters that can be helpful in estimating how old your rabbit is. In addition to taking better care of your...

Jellyfish are invertebrates that, along with corals, gorgonians, and anemones, belong to a group called cnidarians. Jellyfish are marine animals with umbrella-shaped bells and tentacles that contain stinging cells to capture prey and repel predators. The graceful glide of a jellyfish through the water, the...

Elephants are known for being the largest land mammals on earth and having a distinctly massive body, large ears and long trunks. Elephants are impressive not only for their size, but also for their intelligence and complex social structure. There are many interesting facts to learn about these amazing...

Raising the leg to urinate is a typical behavior male dogs, although not an exclusive one. Some females will also urinate in this way. Other males may rarely lift their leg or not at all, but they are in the minority of male canines. It is not a behavior which begins immediately. In fact, newborn puppies...

If you live in a quiet neighborhood, it possible a dog will hear a siren very infrequently and bark as the ambulance, police car, fire truck or other kind of emergency service vehicle drives past. If you live in a busy neighborhood in a city, it is possible this is frequent occurrence. A dog howling...

Hyenas are mammals of the carnivore order, taxonomically classified in the suborder Feliformia. Although phylogenetically closer to the felids and viverrids, hyenas resemble canids in behavior and morphology. Hyenas are generally associated with scavengers, but can also hunt live prey. Hyenas have several...

Although phylogenetically most closely related to cats, hyenas share many behavioral and morphological traits with dogs. Over time, there have been several genera of hyenas, but most of them have become extinct. Today, there are only four species left, making it the least common family of mammals. Despite...

Primates are a group of animals with a special relationship to human beings. This is due to our evolutionary closeness thanks to a common ancestor. However, the diversity of simians (higher primates which contains all apes and monkeys) is very wide. They have many features and behaviors which are distinguishable,...

Insects are the most diverse animals on the planet, of which more than a million species have been identified. Estimates indicate there is still between six to ten times this amount yet to be discovered. With such a wide distribution and diversity, they have inhabited practically every biome on the planet,...

Animals and insects are distributed throughout the world over very different habitats. However, 80% of the world's plant and animal species live in forests and jungles, environments characterized by high tree density. In fact, there are many species that spend most of their time in trees and rarely...

Contrary to what you might think, strength is not always related to the size of the body or the weight of the animal. You may be surprised to learn that some small animals have strength that far exceeds humans, and that some of them are capable of lifting, dragging, carrying, or pulling enormous weights....

We often wish our dog could simply communicate with us using words. Although they are non-verbal, dogs communicate everything we need to know about them. We simply have to pay attention. Body language and other physical signals are used to convey their wants, mood and emotions, but not all are as obvious...

Diversity refers to the vast variety of species which live in the animal kingdom. They are grouped according to various characteristics, some of which are more alike than others. Diet is one of the categories into which animals of various types and species are grouped. These groups are more diverse than...

We can tell whether a person is left- or right-handed by their actions. Their dominant hand is determined by how they eat, open doors, play music, write or do many other functions. Dogs do not use their paws in the same way as humans, so it can be more difficult to determine whether they are right-...

In the different regions of the earth there are animals that, although they are also found in other countries, are considered representative of these places. A concept that is relevant to this aspect of biodiversity is that of endemism, which describes species that are characteristic of a place and whose...

Swallows are a diverse group of birds in the family Hirundinidae, characterized in part by their typical way of drinking water and hunting in flight, as well as their ability to feed chicks while hovering in the air. These flying vertebrates are common in almost all regions of the world, and most species...

Swallows are several species of birds that belong to the Hirundinidae family and have a wide distribution. Some are migratory birds, others are not. Those that are migratory can travel thousands of miles south to below the equator to find warmth and food during cold months. When winter is over, they...

Normally, we think of squirrels as very active animals and skilled climbers. Some species are even able to glide from one tree to another. However, as is usually the case, these behaviors are closely related to their environment and the habitat in which they live. Squirrels are widespread throughout the world...

Although they communicate mainly through body language, cats make all kinds of sounds that have different meanings. The meow is certainly the best known of all. If you share your home with a cat, you have probably asked yourself questions like “Why does my cat meow when it sees me?”, “Why does my cat...

The majority of us live in cities, where birds have adapted to the new conditions and become urbanized, so we see birds every day – in the garden, on the street, in the park, and of course in the countryside. Although birds can bring color and music to your yard, but they can also cause chaos by eating plants,...

When it comes to chickens, the average person usually has a few questions. You may be wondering about the difference between chickens and roosters. While it is unmistakable when a rooster crowls and struts, it is sometimes difficult to tell which is which. But how can we know at 3 months of age if it is a rooster...

Flightless birds are birds that have lost the ability to fly through evolution. There are over 60 species of flightless birds, including the well-known ostriches, emus, kiwis, and penguins. There are several domesticated birds, such as the domesticated chicken and some domesticated ducks, that have also...

Chickens are one of the most common and widespread domestic animals. There are more chickens in the world than any other bird.Although hens are birds and have wings, they cannot fly, at least not like sparrows or pigeons, for example. Contrary to what one might expect, the ancestors of hens were decent...

Cats progress through a number of stages in their lifetime, and as a cat owner, you should learn about these stages of your cat's development. Knowing about the different stages a cat goes through is important, because it helps you understand why your cat behaves the way it does at certain stages of its...

There are few creatures in the animal kingdom which are so similar, yet have such different reputations. One is considered a wonder of nature and a joy to witness. The other is generally perceived as a pest and a threat to wool cardigans everywhere. Despite having many similarities, there are key differences...

Parrots belong to the family Psittacidae, which in turn is divided into three different subfamilies: Lorinae, Cacatuinae and Psittacinae. Together, these three subfamilies comprise the more than 350 species of parrots. All species are monogamous, meaning they have a single partner throughout their lives, which...

A famous axiom claims ‘dogs have owners, cats have staff’. This is due to the cat's reputation as being aloof and even contemptuous of their human guardians. While dogs may bound to our side if they hear us shuffling in a different room, you could call all night for a cat and they won't leave their comfy...

When we think of the relationships between humans and dogs, we think of them being our best friend. This is reasonable considering the relationships we see with our friends and their animal or even on various social media platforms. If we adopt a dog and find they are not immediately our best friend, it can...

The pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) is a moth in the subfamily Thaumetopoeinae in the family Notodontidae, known for the irritant hairs on its caterpillars, its processions, and the economic damage it causes in coniferous forests. It is notable for the behavior of its caterpillars, which overwinter...

As recently as 10,000 years ago, the saber-toothed cat Smilodon fatalis was a fearsome predator found throughout North and South America during the Pleistocene. The prehistoric saber-toothed cat, with its seven-inch-long canines, weighed up to 600 pounds and was one of the most famous prehistoric mammals....

Animals come in all shapes, sizes, and species. The Dreadnoughtus was the largest animal ever known to exist. This Tintanosaurus lived 77 million years ago and measured about 85 feet (ca. 27 meters) long. It was the largest animal ever known. Today, the African elephant is the largest land animal, with an...

Also known as a woodchuck, the groundhog belongs to the order Rodentia and the family Sciuridae. This is the family to which squirrels belong, making them very close relatives of tree squirrels. Theirs is the genus Marmota which is divided into two subgenera, 15 species and 42 subspecies. They are generally...

If we have adopted a dog for the first time, there are many behaviors which can seem surprising to us. Although we expect to develop a strong bond with our animal, some discover their dog will follow them everywhere they go. This can happen either inside the home, outside when walking or both. For some...

Reproduction is a fundamental process for all animal species on our planet. Without it, there wouldn't be any animals left to populate it. For it to take place effectively, reproduction has to adapt to each specific animal. This is due to various factors, including morphology and habitat. The result is...