All in the Family

The chimpanzee is our closest relative with a less-than-one-percent difference in DNA. They also were the first animal to disprove the fact that only humans had the ability to make and use tools. The chimpanzee’s use of branches to scoop up termites from their nest proved that they too could make use of other objects.

What a Job!

Without dung beetles, the world would be piled high with manure. They are responsible for cleaning up most waste in every continent, except Antarctica. These beetles either eat or bury dung all day. In fact, just one can bury dung up to 250 times its own weight in one day.

No Restocking Fee

In case you weren’t already aware, the Jungle Store recently removed the 15% restocking fee from their Return Policy to continue improving the customer’s shopping experience. Happy Shopping!

Capybaras Rule the Rodent World

The capybara is the largest rodent in the world. Adult capybaras can be up to 4 feet long and weigh over 100 pounds. In comparison, the second largest rodent, a mara, only weighs about 25 pounds. Capybaras are semi-aquatic, which means they spend a lot of time in water. In fact, they can remain underwater for up to five minutes at a time.

Javan Rhinos Close to Extinction

The Javan rhinoceros is the world’s most endangered mammal. Only 60 of them still exist, and with a birth rate of about one a year, they aren’t expanding very fast. Almost all of them live in the same Indonesian national park, so researchers have set up 34 cameras to try and watch their behavior. The researchers hope to figure out a way to keep the species alive before it’s too late. Watch the video below for a closer look at this rare mammal.

Meet the Real Big Bird

The ostrich is the world’s largest bird. Its eyes, alone, are the largest of any land animal, each measuring almost two inches across. However, even though its body, legs and eyes are huge, its brain is actually one of the smallest in proportion to its size. In fact, just one of its eyes is bigger than its brain.

Bonus fact: Ostriches can’t fly, but they can run up to 43 miles per hour.

Think You're Old?

The Greenland right whale or Bowhead whale is the longest-lived animal on Earth, although many believe humans to be. The average Bowhead whale lives between 90 and 110 years, and one lived to be an estimated 211 years! Although they grow old, they are still youthful; female bowheads are thought to be the most flirtatious ocean mammal, constantly teasing their male counterpart.

Female Whiptail Lizards Can Do It All

The whiptail lizard is the only unisexual reptile, which means it’s the only species of reptile that consists of just females. These female lizards are asexual and reproduce using a method called parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction that produces an exact genetic duplicate of the mother. They have been around for generations, which makes their case especially interesting because without genetic variation, they can never evolve to adapt to their environment. Scientists still don't completely understand how they can survive without evolution, but for now, they seem to be adapting just fine.

Hunting in the Dark

Contrary to the saying “blind as a bat,” bats are not actually blind. It is true, however, that they don’t always use their eyes to look for prey; instead, they use something called echolocation. They make a series of high-frequency sounds, which echo back, allowing the bat to locate its prey and avoid obstacles — even ones as thin as a hair — during the hunt. The reason they developed this sense is because they’re nocturnal animals, so they can find food in even the darkest places.

Bonus bat fact: Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly, and they can live more than 30 years!

Beavers Keep on Gnawing

A beaver’s teeth never stop growing. Beavers have to gnaw and chew and chomp in order to keep their teeth at a reasonable size. They are second to humans in their ability to manipulate their environment. By building dams, they can change the vegetation and animal life in the areas that they live. The small pools of water that these dams create also serve as a defense to keep out predators.