Interesting and Unbelievable Facts

Burrowing owls are small birds with long legs . They are one of the smallest among owls. These  owls are the only birds of prey in North America that nest underground. Burrowing owls are native to the Americas , ranging from Canada in the north to the southernmost part of South America . Their habitat includes deserts , grasslands, and treeless plains. Burrowing owls usually live in burrows abandoned by other animals , including prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and tortoises . If there are no natural lairs, these owls can also use pipes, tubes, and other artificial places for nesting. They rarely dig their burrows. Burrowing owls have the  highest tolerance for CO2  among euthermic birds . This feature assists them in living inside burrows with high levels of CO2. ( Source ) Burrowing owls usually hunt during  dusk and dawn . It is different from most other owls with nocturnal behavior. Therefore, they are more visible than other owl species.  Burrowing owls pr...

Horseflies are flying insects belonging to true flies . Their closest living relatives are deer flies, which are smaller than horseflies. There are nearly 4,500 horsefly species . Their size varies according to species, ranging from a housefly to a bumblebee. The dark giant horsefly, nearly 1 inch long, is the largest among horseflies. It is also the heaviest fly in Europe.  The horsefly is one of the fastest-flying insects . Its estimated fastest flying speed is 39 km/h (24 mph). This speed is comparable to that of other fast flyers, such as hawk moths and dear bot-flies. Only dragonflies can achieve a faster speed for short bursts. ( Source ) Male horseflies feed on the nectar, honeydew, and pollen of plants . Females also drink nectar, but they need blood for reproduction. Only females have mouthparts that can break the skin. Female horseflies usually drink blood from horses , cattle, and other large mammals, including humans. They select dark-colored moving animals through the...

Hornbills are tropical birds, named after their strange beaks. There are nearly 60 species of hornbills. They are present in the tropical areas of Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Hornbills have extra long, curved bills. However, the most distinguishing feature in several species is the casque (helmet) above their beak. Some species, such as the red-billed hornbill and the yellow-billed hornbill, are without casques.  Unlike other birds with three-lobed kidneys, hornbills have two-lobed kidneys . Their kidneys contain anterior and exterior lobes but no middle lobe. Researchers think this kidney enables these birds to process water efficiently. The efficient water extraction makes their feces drier than other birds. Hornbills use this dung-like material to build their nests. ( Source ) The bill and casque in hornbills apply much pressure on the neck. Therefore, their first two neck vertebrae join together to support this weight. Like many other birds , the  long beaks  of hor...

The emperor scorpion, also known as the imperial scorpion, is one of the largest and heaviest  scorpion species. Their average length is 180 mm (7 inches). The largest emperor scorpion ever-measured has a length of 229 mm (9 inches). ( Source ) Emperor scorpions can live for up to 8 years in captivity, or even longer in ideal conditions. It is one of the longest lifespans among scorpions. They have a relatively shorter lifespan in the wild. These large scorpions are native to Africa . Their natural habitat is the hot and humid forests  and open savannas of West Africa.  Emperor scorpions have shiny black bodies and a red stinger at the tip of their tail. Like other scorpions , it glows under UV light and appears bluish-green.  Emperor scorpions have a large size and shiny black bodies Emperor scorpions are among exotic pets due to their mild venom and docile behavior. Adult scorpions usually do not sting and use their pincers to get food. ( Source ) Scientists hav...

Black, or black-mouthed, mambas are one of the four species of mamba snakes . They live in tropical rainforests and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. The black mamba is the longest venomous snake in Africa . It can reach up to 14 feet, with an average length of over 8 feet. The skin color of black mambas is from grey to dark brown. Their most distinguishing feature is the black color inside their mouth. Other mamba snakes have white mouths. Unlike other mamba snakes that spend most of their time on trees, black mambas are primarily terrestrial (live on land). They live inside termite mounds and tree holes. The black mamba is the fastest snake on land . It can achieve a speed of 19 km/h (12 mph) over level ground. ( Source )  Black mamba is the fastest snake on land and contains powerful venom A black mamba strikes its victim multiple times. Its venom affects both the  nervous and cardiac systems . The affected person can die within 20 minutes in the absence of anti-venom. Ac...

Wombats are short-legged, quadrupedal marsupials . Their closest relatives are koalas . They have three species : common wombats, Southern hairy-nosed wombats, and northern hairy-nosed wombats. All these species are present only in Australia . The northern hairy-nosed wombat is one of the  most endangered mammals  in the world. A limited number of these wombats are present in Epping Forest national park in Queensland. According to a fossil discovery in 2018, wombats are approximately  40 million years  old. ( Source ) Wombat is the  largest burrowing mammal . It can reach up to 4 feet in length and gain 35 kg weight. They use their big paws and strong claws to dig 65 feet long and six feet-deep burrows. ( Source ) Wombats have backward-facing pouches . This position saves the baby from dirt when the mother digs the burrow. Wombats are nocturnal (active at night) during the summer season. However, they change their schedule during winter and come out from burrow...

Groundhog is one of the 14 species of marmot, a giant ground squirrel . It is also called the woodchuck. Groundhogs are present only in North America, from Canada to the continental USA. Groundhogs are one of the few  true hibernating   animals . During the hibernation period in winter, their heart rate decreases from 75 beats to 4 bps. Their breathing rate and body temperature also reduce considerably. Groundhogs eat a large amount of food in the summer and autumn seasons. It assists them in developing fat reserves before hibernation in winter. The  Woodchuck hepatitis virus  (WHV) in groundhogs was the first such virus discovered after hepatitis B (HBV). Due to its similarity with HBV in humans, laboratory testing of groundhogs played a vital role in finding treatment for HBV in humans. ( Source ) Groundhogs usually inhabit meadows, open fields, and forest edges. Sometimes, they are present in forests . Groundhogs produce a  whistling sound  when scared...