Did you know that koalas sleep for 18-20 hours a day? I know, I’m jealous too. Or how about the fact that red pandas are more closely related to weasels and skunks than actual pandas? Did you know that cheetahs can reach speeds of up to 64 miles per hour in only 3 seconds? I’ll be telling that one to my car to try to inspire it to pick up the pace… There are no limits to the amount of interesting facts we can learn about wildlife, so buckle up, because this list is a wonderful place to start.
We’ve gone through The Wildlife Fact Facebook group to hand pick some of the most fascinating, hilarious and intriguing tidbits of information about animals that you may have never heard before. Be sure to upvote the facts that blow your mind, and then let us know in the comments if you know anything else about these wild animals that your fellow pandas might interested in learning. And if you’re looking for even more fun facts about animals from Bored Panda, you can check out one of our previous articles on a similar topic right here.
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#1
Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
Animals are so captivating. We live among them, to an extent, but many of us know very little about most of them. When we go to the zoo or watch a documentary featuring amazing wildlife, we get a small glimpse into their world, but they still tend to be mysteries to us. That’s why The Wildlife Fact Facebook group is so much fun. Followers can see adorable photos of interesting animals paired with fun facts about them that you probably did not learn in school. Clearly, the page appeals to many people as well, as it has over 41k followers at the moment.
But if this list of photos is not enough to convince you why we should all be interested in wildlife, maybe the World Wide Fund For Nature can. According to their blog post “Reasons Why Wildlife Conservation Should be on your To-Do List”, there has been a 60% decline in the populations of many species over the past 4 decades. It is vital that humans take action to prevent many species from going extinct in the coming years and to ensure that our planet can continue functioning healthily.
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
One reason animal populations must be protected is to also protect the planet from climate change. Forests play a crucial role in keeping our atmosphere healthy by storing carbon, but animals do their part as well. Wildlife in forests can actually lessen the devastating effects of forest fires when they hit by eating grass and keeping it at minimal levels. When grass is wildly unkempt, fires can spread extremely rapidly, so herbivores do a great job as natural lawnmowers.
Even large, wild grass eaters like elephants, zebras, rhinos and camels are great because they keep grass levels down without producing large amounts of methane. Contrary to how livestock digest grass, these animals have one large stomach and do not need to regurgitate their food. There is always a domino effect when one part of the ecosystem is damaged, so we cannot turn a blind eye when these animals are in danger.
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
The World Wide Fund For Nature also explains how important animals can be for medical advancements. It is amazing what animals can provide us, and scientists have found that these beautiful and fascinating creatures can sometimes even save our lives. Amphibians are particularly important, as compounds extracted from frogs have been found to help treat depression, seizures, strokes and memory loss.
Even something called “frog glue”, or an adhesive found in the glands of the Australian holy cross frog species, has been used to treat knee injuries. Sheep’s wool has also provided scientists with lanolin and Vitamin D3. And if you are someone who has struggled with menopausal symptoms, there might be an unconventional cure for you. Premarin, or conjugated estrogen, is isolated from the urine of pregnant horses. As bizarre as that sounds, when you are desperate for relief from uncomfortable symptoms, you might be more open minded than usual.
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
Among the many reasons wildlife should be protected is the spiritual component. “Research has shown that people are most drawn to landscapes that are tranquil, aesthetically appealing, have a historic significance and contain wildlife,” The World Wide Fund For Nature writes. Anyone who has seen a wild animal face to face can say how therapeutic and breathtaking the experience can be.
I remember suddenly driving past a herd of elks when leaving the Grand Canyon, and I was stunned. They were so magnificent, large and beautiful; I had never seen any animals like that in person that were not confined in a zoo. It was a great reminder of how many fascinating creatures are living not so far from us, and it would be absolutely devastating if these species slowly faded out over time. The more we know about wildlife, the better we can protect it.
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
Animals also play a key role in keeping soil fertile and healthy, allowing plants to continue to thrive. Feces and urine from wildlife provide all of the necessary nutrients and minerals soil needs and do more than any fertilizer could ever dream of. Animals can also help distribute these nutrients through various lifestyle habits. Hippos, for example, graze during the night and help bring nutrients into the rivers nearby, which in turn increases the productivity of fish. All living things are connected, and even the gross parts of being alive that we might not often consider are vital to maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
The National Wildlife Federation is also a key organization advocating for the protection of various species. On their website, they explain that, “By conserving wildlife, we’re ensuring that future generations can enjoy our natural world and the incredible species that live within it. To help protect wildlife, it’s important to understand how species interact within their ecosystems, and how they’re affected by environmental and human influences.”
They explain that our impact on the planet can reach animals, or even come back to us, faster than we may realize. For example, when an animal eats their prey, they are consuming all of the chemicals and nutrients inside of that prey. If that creature had been exposed to human-caused pollution that left toxins stored in its fat cells and tissues, those are passed on as well. These toxins keep going higher and higher up the food chain through bioaccumulation and can eventually kill species.
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
Species are also usually resilient and can bounce back from a variety of natural disturbances like floods, earthquakes, fires, diseases and droughts. But human-caused disturbances can be trickier to come back from, especially when they are increasing in frequency. Deforestation, pollution, habitat fragmentation and more keep putting increased stress on wildlife populations, making it harder and harder for animals to survive these pressures. When we have no awareness of our impact on these innocent species, we continue to disrupt them without a care in the world. It is vital to understand our impact and how to minimize it.
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
So what can we do to help protect biodiversity? It would be devastating for any of the amazing animals featured on this list to be wiped out, and it would be a massive warning sign that every other species is in danger of eventually going extinct as well. According to Greenpeace, governments must begin working with people who actually are connected to nature and understand how to respect and protect it. Indigenous communities, for example, have great reputations of being stewards of their lands, and they can be invaluable teachers for government officials to learn how to take care of animals and protect our planet.
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
Greenpeace also advocates for “vast ocean sanctuaries and rights-based protections on land [to] help tackle climate breakdown, species loss, food security and the risk of future pandemics”. “This year, Greenpeace is calling on governments to agree to an ambitious and implementable rehabilitation plan for nature,” their website states. “We’re calling for a commitment to bold targets that protect at least 30% of our lands and oceans by 2030, with a clear plan for how to get there in partnership with local and Indigenous communities, and enough funding and resources to make it happen. We cannot risk destroying the web of life that sustains us. We are part of nature, and if it disappears, our future will disappear with it. Protecting biodiversity is a way to protect ourselves.”
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
We hope you are enjoying this fascinating list full of some of the cutest and most intriguing creatures our world has to offer. Be sure to upvote the facts that you’d like all your other pandas to know, and then let us know in the comments if you have any more facts that you would have liked to see on this list. Remember that if we want to keep enjoying all of these amazing creatures, we’ve got to take care of the planet first and foremost, so don’t forget to do whatever you can to keep those little critters safe.
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
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Image credits: The Wildlife Fact
Source: boredpanda.com