A Zebra's Protection From Predators

A zebra's stripes serve as a kind of protection from predators.

Picture from The Animal Files

When zebras are grouped together, their combined stripes make it hard for a lion or leopard to pick out one zebra to chase. Zebra stripes are unique to each individual, and researchers in the field have used zebras’ individual stripe patterns for identification.
 

Water Buffalo Bone Usage

Water buffalo are often hunted for their horns and bones.

 Picture from Goodlawd

The bones and horns are often made into jewellery, especially earrings. Horns are used for the embouchure of musical instruments, such as ney and kaval, which are very common in Turkish cultures.

Storks: Bringing Around Babies Since The Victorian Times

The legend about storks bringing babies got started in Victorian times. 

Picture from Bird Life

When a child asked, “Where did I come from?” the parents simply said, “The stork brought you.” This tied in nicely with the fact that European white storks often nests on the roof and chimney of houses in the spring, a time when many babies are born. The bird became a symbol of fertility and is considered good luck.

The legend about storks bringing babies got started in Victorian times. When a child asked, “Where did I come from?”, the parents simply said “The stork brought you.” This tied in nicely with the fact that European white storks often nests on the roof and chimney of houses in the spring, a time when many babies are born. The bird became a symbol of fertility and is considered good luck. - See more at: http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/stork#sthash.06pNRgYh.dpuf

Stinky Sleep Scavengers

Skunks are scavengers when it comes to finding a place to live.  The often invite themselves into the home of other animals.

 

Picture from Animals & English

Skunks usually nest in burrows constructed by other animals, but they also live in hollow logs or even abandoned buildings. In colder climates, some skunks may sleep in these nests for several weeks of the chilliest season.

Scorpion Survival Technique

Some species of scorpions are able to change their metabolic rate.

 Picture from Animal World

Changing their metabolic rate allows them live on one meal per year and even survive being stored in a freezer overnight.  When put in a freezer overnight, they can quickly thaw out and return to their normal life just by being put in sunlight.

Baby Raccoon Mortality Rate

Infant mortality is high amongst raccoons.

  

Picture from SB Wildes

It is not unusual for only half of the young raccoons born in one year to survive.  If the young are able to live past the first year, their life expectancy is only between 1.8 to 3.1 years.  Numerous factors are taken into consideration when determining that number, including traffic volume, hunting and weather severity.

The Panda Pack

Contrary to prior belief, giant pandas do socialize outside of breeding season.

 

Picture via World Wildlife

 

Scientists originally thought giant pandas spent most of their lives alone, with males and females meeting only during the breeding season, but that is not correct.  Recent studies paint a different picture, in which small groups of pandas share a large territory and sometimes meet outside the breeding season.

Unmoveable Owl Eyes

Owls are unable to move their eyes in the sockets because of the size and tubular shape.

 Picture from The Sunny Girl

To compensate the fact that they are unable to move their sockets, they have a long flexible neck which enables them to turn their head 270° in either direction horizontally and at least 90° vertically. 

Fancy Some Fruit?

Orangutans are primarily fruit eaters.

 

Picture from San Diego Zoo

Mornings are usually spent forging through the forest for fruit.  If none presents itself, the orangutan will then feast on leaves, flowers, bark, termites and other insects.  While female and young orangutans are social while eating, the male orangutan tends to eat in a more solitary area.

Orangutans spend most of their lives in trees and travel by swinging from branch to branch with their long arms. They usually build a new nest every night, but may occasionally reuse one. The apes also use leafy branches to shelter themselves from rain and sun, and sometimes they drape large leaves over themselves like a poncho! - See more at: http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/orangutan#sthash.dIdlQZ7N.dpuf

March On Little Lobsters, March On!

 After a storm, lobster's sometimes do what is called a "lobster march".

 

Picture from California Diver

On numerous accounts fishermen and divers have reported seeing hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of  lobsters form into columns and migrate as a group after a storm.  It is thought that the lobsters could be seeking a better food supply or warmer water.