Interesting and Unbelievable Facts

Dugongs are large marine herbivorous mammals with thick and smooth skin. They are the only living members of their family (Dugongidae) and one of the four species of the mammalian order Sirenia, alongside three species of manatees. Paleontologists discovered a skull of a marine mammal from Panama in 2019. This skull, which belongs to a species of dugongs, is 20 million years old, making it the oldest known marine mammal in Central America. Scientists have so far recovered nearly 30 extinct species of dugongs. The last of these species, Steller’s Sea Cow, became extinct in the 18 th Century. ( Source ) Dugongs are also called sea cows because their primary food is sea grasses and other aquatic plants. However, these herbivorous mammals may sometimes eat algae and small invertebrates. Their preferred habitats are shallow bays and other coastal regions with plenty of seagrasses. Dugongs eat nitrogen-rich plants low in fiber. Their eating behavior regenerates sea grass and  prevent...

Vanuatu is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean . This archipelago consists of over 80 islands, and most of them are inhabited. Vanuatu claims sovereignty of two uninhabited islands of New Caledonia, Matthew and Hunter. Vanuatu is located in the area known as Melanesia, a sub-region of Oceania. It is the smallest of the four countries (including Fiji , Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea) in this region. Nigol is a centuries-old tradition in Vanuatu where men of all ages jump from a 100-foot-long wooden structure with only vines tied to their ankles. This tradition inspired a less-frightening  bungee jumping . According to a legend, women of these islands initiated these jumps as fun, but later men adopted them to display courage. This tradition follows a strict season and other measures to ensure safety. However, these jumps have caused few fatal incidents. ( Source ) The initial known inhabitants of Vanuatu settled on its northern islands around 1300 BCE . They ...

Capybaras are large brownish rodents native to South America. These semiaquatic mammals have short legs, small ears, short hairs, and negligible tails. Their closest relatives are rock cavies and guinea pigs. There are two species in the genus Hydrochoerus : capybaras and lesser capybaras. Capybaras are also called greater capybaras to distinguish them from their smaller cousins. Capybaras are present in almost all parts of South America (except Chile), from Venezuela to Argentina in the Amazon River Basin. The location of lesser capybara is limited from Panama in Central America to the northern part of Venezuela. Capybaras are the largest living rodents . They can reach a head and body length of 1.3 m (4 ft. 4 inches) and weigh up to 79 kg (174 lb.). ( Source ) The most prominent difference between greater and lesser capybaras is their size. Lesser capybaras are significantly smaller than capybaras. They can grow up to 1 meter (3 inches) and weigh around 28 kg (62 pounds). Accord...

Monaco is a microstate in Europe. It has a land border with France from three sides and a small coastline with the Mediterranean Sea. Monaco is one of the only three remaining sovereign principalities in the world. The other two are Andorra and Liechtenstein. The prince is the head of this constitutional monarchy in Europe . The foundation of Monaco took place in the 6 th century BC as a Greek colony. It derives its name from two Greek words: monos (single) and oikos (house). The Grimaldi family took control of Monaco in 1297 from Genoa. During their rule, they received protection from France, Spain (1524-1641), and Sardinia (1815-1861). The French Revolutionary regime annexed Monaco in 1793. The Grimaldi regained the sovereignty of Monaco in 1814 after the fall of Napoleon I. Menton and Roquebrune remained part of Monaco for centuries. However, the principality lost control of these neighboring towns in 1848 and later ceded them to France under the terms of a treaty in 1861. M...

The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial limited to Tasmania . They are present in all parts of Tasmania, including the outskirts of urban areas. However, their favorite habitats are coastal woodlands and Australian bushland. The Tasmanian devil is the largest living marsupial carnivore . Males are larger than females, having a length and mass of 78 cm (30 in) and 12 kg (26 lb.). They use their strong jaws and long teeth to eat all parts of their varied prey: small mammals, birds , insects , and reptiles. ( Source ) The Tasmanian devil has the  strongest bite  among carnivorous mammals. Its bite force quotient (BFQ) is 181, which is far more than the BFQ of famous carnivores, such as  tigers  (127), lions (112), and Himalayan black bears (44). ( Source )  Tasmanian devils have exceptional bite force Adult male devils have large and  powerful heads and necks , contributing nearly a quarter of their weight. It assists in achieving a powerful bite and gr...

Bahrain is a small island country on the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf. It is the third smallest country in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore. Bahrain consists of over 30 natural and artificial islands . The country has planned to build five new luxury artificial islands that can increase its landmass by 60%. However, it can devastate marine life and create several environmental problems. ( Source ) The largest island in this Gulf country is Bahrain Island . It contains nearly 85% of the total land area of Bahrain. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are the nearest countries to Bahrain. The 15-mile-long King Fahd Causeway, opened in 1986, links Bahrain to Saudi Arabia . Bahrain was the seat of the ancient Dilmun civilization nearly 5,000 years ago and acted as a trade route between the Indus Valley and Mesopotamia. It declined around 2000 BC due to cutting off trade from India . Bahrain came under Muslim rule in the 7 th Century, and most of its inhabitants converted to Islam . ...

Barbados is an island country in the southeastern Caribbean Sea . This easternmost Caribbean island is close to but not part of the Lesser Antilles, an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Its nearest countries are St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Barbados has the highest number of  people above 100  per capita among sovereign countries. There are 71 centenarians per 100,000 people in this Caribbean island country. Comparatively,  Japan  and  Uruguay  jointly hold the second place, with 62 centenarians per 100,000 people. ( Source ) Barbados is the  most water-scarce country  in the Caribbean, having annual renewable water resources of only 350 cubic meters per capita. The country receives all its internal water resources through rainfall, while the region faces rising temperatures and low rainfall. ( Source ) According to historical records, humans from northern South America settled in Barbados by 1600 BC . The initial Europeans to re...