10 Weird Animal Facts That Are Just Too Fascinating
Such lovable weirdos 🥰
Let’s face it — animals can be weird sometimes. And, honestly, we love them for that. But just how strange (and funny and adorable) can they truly be?
We’ve rounded up some fascinating and weird animal facts that you probably never knew, and they’ll definitely blow your mind.
10 weird animal facts that are actually super interesting
1. Dogs have three eyelids
Your dog’s third eyelid (aka his nictitating membrane) is typically back in his eye’s inner corner but completely covers its surface when he’s sleeping. This third eyelid is crucial for making tears and wiping away debris.
(Guess what — cats have one, too!)
2. A group of cats is called a ‘clowder’
Speaking of cats, did you know a group of two or more is known as a “clowder.” There are other things you can call a group of cats, too, like a clutter or a glaring.
3. Pandas do handstands when they pee
It’s actually something pandas do whenever they need to find each other — like during mating season. That’s because they use their pee to share their scents.
Sometimes male pandas will do a handstand before they pee in order to leave their mark higher up on a tree. The point is to get their scent to cover a larger area.
4. Killer whales are technically dolphins
Killer whales, or orcas, technically fall under the dolphin family — but that doesn’t mean killer whales aren’t whales! Animals in the dolphin family are part of the toothed whale suborder.
Basically, all dolphins are whales, but not all whales are dolphins like killer whales are.
5. Penguins can shoot ‘poop bombs’
It’s gross but true — some species of penguin can send poop bombs flying at 5 miles per hour.
6. Cats can taste the air
That lip curl your cat makes after sniffing something actually has a name — the flehmen response — and it means he’s using his tongue to trap the pheromones and flick them to an organ above the roof of his mouth to process them.
7. Tiger pee may smell like buttered popcorn
Rumor has it that tiger pee smells like buttered popcorn, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Not quite what you’d expect, but at least it’s not the worst smell in the world.
8. Horses can’t breathe through their noses
Horses are obligate nasal breathers, which is why they can’t breathe out of their mouths. (Bonus fun fact: Horses can’t throw up, either.)
9. Sharks have a sixth sense
They may not be telepathic, but sharks can pick up on some things that we can’t. Sharks have organs called ampullae of Lorenzini, which allow them to sense water temperature changes and electromagnetic fields.
10. Elephants can be right- or left-trunked
It’s like how you might be right- or left-handed! Basically this means elephants prefer to use one side of their trunk. They start to develop this preference at around 3 months old.
Interested in more animal facts? Check out some others we’ve rounded up:
