Animal Facts that are surprising/amazing/weird

[AuAL]

A publican from south-west Queensland has tragically died in a car accident. The Yaraka Hotel made headlines some years ago when the publican banned emus “for bad behaviour.”

The emus are known to target tourists, stealing food, drinks, car keys and generally making a mess. Their toileting [inside] was not particularly pleasant.

 

[Ken]

The Australian Bogong moth navigates their annual migration using the stars and the Earth's magnetic field.

Bogong moths use a stellar compass for long-distance navigation at night - Nature

 

[tree]

Tiny Frogs and Tarantulas: An Unexpected Friendship | Articles | Science Victoria | Royal Society of Victoria
"You may have heard of iconic mutualistic relationships (where both species benefit from their interactions with each other) between coral and algae, clownfish and sea anemones, and cleaner fish and sharks.

However, you probably haven’t heard about the relationship between tiny frogs and tarantulas. This could be because relationships between frogs and spiders vary across the globe.

In certain ecosystems, frogs feast on spiders, while in others, spiders devour frogs. It’s unlikely to find the pair co-existing harmoniously without one attacking the other.

Yet, located in a burrow somewhere in the Amazon rainforest, scientists have observed an unexpected friendship between the Dotted humming frog (Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata) and the burrowing tarantula (Xenesthis immanis)."

 

[tree]

 

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

I didn't even know that type of squirrel existed.

 

[RemyZee]

Alligators let plovers clean their teeth.

 

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

Alligators let plovers clean their teeth.View attachment 146022

Meet your new dentist, Dr. Plover from Alligator Dental Services

 

[RemyZee]

Meet your new dentist, Dr. Plover from Alligator Dental Services

The alligator needs orthodontics too---his teeth are crooked.

 

[Ken]

Speaking of skunks; I recently built a skunk den in my back yard. My next door neighbor had a family of skunks living under her back deck. She was planning on having them exterminated because their dogs kept getting sprayed.

I built the three room den and placed a trail of food bits from her deck to the new den. We now have a family of skunks happily living in our back yard. They are so adorable and friendly.
And, NO, there is no smell. They can project a spray of liquid stink as a defense, but that only happens if they are attacked. Since we got them to move to the new den, no smells at all. just a family of happy skunks. And I get to watch them frolic around in our backyard every evening when they wake up and start their new day - which is actually night.

I wrote the above last year. Since then, I have found that information on Google about animals (and many other things) are quite wrong. For example, Google says that skunks are solitary animals. The skunks in my yard are not at all solitary.

There is another skunk family that lives across the street somewhere in the neighborhood, but I don't know exactly where. I only see them crossing the street to our yard. Every evening I see them crossing the street to our yard to socialize with our skunks. They also socialize with possums. They all gather here and play, snuggle and eat. A full-on very social party every night. Before morning they can be see crossing the street again going back to their home.

They are all happy, feel safe and never any aggression. There has been No skunk spray since they moved into our yard and into the den I build for them. Google also says skunks only uses a den when they have babies. Our skunks have lived in the den every day since they moved in last year. I think they like having a permanent home in a safe yard and good friends.

 

[Mary Terry]

I wrote the above last year. Since then, I have found that information on Google about animals (and many other things) are quite wrong. For example, Google says that skunks are solitary animals. The skunks in my yard are not at all solitary.

There is another skunk family that lives across the street somewhere in the neighborhood, but I don't know exactly where. I only see them crossing the street to our yard. Every evening I see them crossing the street to our yard to socialize with our skunks. They also socialize with possums. They all gather here and play, snuggle and eat. A full-on very social party every night. Before morning they can be see crossing the street again going back to their home.

They are all happy, feel safe and never any aggression. There has been No skunk spray since they moved into our yard and into the den I build for them. Google also says skunks only uses a den when they have babies. Our skunks have lived in the den every day since they moved in last year. I think they like having a permanent home in a safe yard and good friends.

One time when my husband and I were camping at Lassen State Park in California, a family of skunks - big ones! - came right up to us and one rubbed against my leg like a cat does. They finally ambled off when we didn't give them food. I was frozen stiff, afraid that I'd startle them and that they would spray us.

 

[lunarious]

I shouldn't be so happy it's called Sun fish ... or maybe

 

[Ken]

I wrote the above last year. Since then, I have found that information on Google about animals (and many other things) are quite wrong. For example, Google says that skunks are solitary animals. The skunks in my yard are not at all solitary.

There is another skunk family that lives across the street somewhere in the neighborhood, but I don't know exactly where. I only see them crossing the street to our yard. Every evening I see them crossing the street to our yard to socialize with our skunks. They also socialize with possums. They all gather here and play, snuggle and eat. A full-on very social party every night. Before morning they can be see crossing the street again going back to their home.

They are all happy, feel safe and never any aggression. There has been No skunk spray since they moved into our yard and into the den I build for them. Google also says skunks only uses a den when they have babies. Our skunks have lived in the den every day since they moved in last year. I think they like having a permanent home in a safe yard and good friends.

Oh... One other thing that Google says is that skunks eat mice. Our skunk population doesn't eat mice, but they do eat with them. There are a family of mice that lives in our neighbors yard and comes over each evening and joins the skunk party. I watch them eating side by side and face to face. They are all good friends.

Another misconception (not from Google) is that wasps are very aggressive and will attack if you get too close. We have a paper wasp nest right above our back door, on the door facing. A very busy thoroughfare.

The nest was started in early spring. My wife wanted me to remove it, but I kept putting it off until it was huge with a huge population of wasps. I started enjoying watching them living their lives. I find them fascinating. They were very active all summer and they presented absolutely no issue. Never got in the house or tried to attack anyone going in or out of the door. They didn't even seem to mind me watching them at close proximity for extended periods of time. They were just busy adding to their nest, bringing food and all the stuff they do to live.

I think I have found that humans are the ones that bring wildlife issues with them. They all just want to live their lives and will only attack if threatened. Can't blame them for that.