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Check out cool and interesting facts about animals and insects and upgrade your knowledge about them!
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00:00One of the strongest birds on our planet is the harpy eagle.
00:04It's an apex predator and you can find it in the tropical regions of Central and South America.
00:10In terms of their lifting capabilities, they've been recorded to tackle up to 40 pounds.
00:16The females of the species are bigger and stronger and can sometimes lift even more than that.
00:22Why do they need to lift that much, you might ask?
00:25Well, because of their menus, they often hunt mammals that are larger than they are, like sloths or even monkeys.
00:33The bird's strength mostly comes from their sharp claws, which are similar in size to the human hand.
00:39Not only are these claws good at carrying things, but they also help the birds crush objects like the bones
00:46of their prey.
00:49Owls are equally as strong and the great horned one is among the toughest birds out there.
00:54The primary residence of this species is in North and South America.
00:58As for their eating preferences, you'll often find them hunting for small mammals, like rabbits or other rodents.
01:05On average, an adult male of this species can weigh up to 5.5 pounds, but it can lift up
01:11to 4 times its body weight.
01:13That's because of its awesome wingspan, about 5 feet, and sharp claws that stretch for up to 3 inches in
01:21length.
01:23The biggest type of falcon on Earth is the jeer falcon.
01:27It may weigh somewhere around 3 pounds, but it can lift up to 5 pounds.
01:31It's similar to you trying to fly while carrying a panda bear.
01:35They also have a wingspan of about 6.6 feet, paired with razor-sharp claws that can go up to
01:423.1 inches in length.
01:45Yikes!
01:45No wonder the jeer falcon is one of the most feared predators in the Arctic region.
01:50They mostly feed on birds, such as ptarmigans, waterfowls, pheasants, and even other falcons.
01:58The bald eagle is the national emblem of the United States, so you can safely assume it's a powerful and
02:05independent bird.
02:06It can weigh anywhere between 6.6 and 13.9 pounds.
02:12It stands pretty tall, too, at 28 to 40 inches.
02:16The greatest weight a bald eagle has been recorded to carry is 15 pounds.
02:22Interestingly, their diet mostly consists of fish.
02:25The reason why the bald eagle can carry so much weight is because of its large wingspan, which can be
02:31from 71 to 90 inches.
02:34Apart from that, it has an impressive diving speed, too, up to 99 miles per hour.
02:40One of the largest birds of prey in North and South America is called the red-tailed hawk.
02:47Looking at its measurements, you'll see it can weigh roughly 3.5 pounds.
02:51Their wings stretch for 4.5 feet, and their strong claws can reach 3 inches in length.
02:58Similar to the geofalcon, these powerful birds can carry almost double their weight.
03:03You'll find them hunting for squirrels and rabbits for the most part, but they do enjoy small birds, too, as
03:10well as fish and reptiles.
03:13Taking the gold medal for heavy weightlifting on our planet is not a bird, but an insect, the bumblebee.
03:19They can lift up to 80% of their body weight when they're in the air.
03:24That would be a lot even if they were simply crawling.
03:27Not only are they strong, but they seem to have great knowledge, too.
03:32To reach as many flowers as they do to gather pollen, they use complex mathematics that can be difficult even
03:38for a computer.
03:39That's because these amazing insects take into consideration all the elements and parameters to ensure the results are very precise.
03:48Bumblebees look at the distance they need to travel, estimate how much energy they have left, and even use the
03:54direction of the wind to boost their speed.
03:56They're also able to check which flowers have the best quality pollen before heading to them.
04:02If that's not astonishing enough, they don't even stop to make all these measurements.
04:06They do it while flying!
04:09Mosquitoes are just as impressive when it comes to their flying skills, not because of how much they can lift,
04:15although that's also quite impressive.
04:16The belly of a mosquito can carry three times its own weight.
04:20But it's also their unique flying style that makes them special and hard to study.
04:26For starters, they spend a lot of time in the air.
04:29It's where they find mates, hunt, and even lay eggs.
04:33Because of how hard it is to study the flight of such a small insect, for a long period of
04:38time, we simply assumed that mosquitoes were not that good at flying.
04:41But in 2017, a team of researchers eventually figured out how mosquitoes stayed in the air.
04:48The scientists used eight cameras for the experiment, and each of them captured 10,000 frames per second.
04:56Bees or flies, for example, catch wind under their large wing flaps and use it to boost their speed.
05:02Unlike them, mosquitoes use a combination of movements.
05:05They have short wing flaps that they pair with a spinning motion.
05:09This unique flying pattern allows them to create pockets of air, which both launches them forward and keeps them afloat.
05:17Try to imagine sticking your hand out of a car window while driving.
05:21Each time you change the angle of your hand, you can feel it being lifted.
05:26All because of that small pocket of air that is trapped in your palm.
05:29That's exactly what mosquitoes do, and it allows them to move in whatever direction they want with enough boost.
05:37So, we've established that all sorts of flying creatures on our planet can carry a lot of weight.
05:42But would it be possible to actually get lifted up by a bunch of insects?
05:46The answer is a bit complex.
05:49But let's look at the data.
05:51Your average housefly can lift somewhere around 10 milligrams, which is roughly 22 millionths of a pound.
05:59That's 50% of its own body weight.
06:02You try to carry 55 pounds and fly at the same time.
06:05If we divide 110 pounds by how much a housefly can carry, the answer seems simple.
06:12You'll need 5 million houseflies to lift you off the ground.
06:16Hold on a minute.
06:17Just because we've figured out how many houseflies we need doesn't mean we're done here.
06:22Firstly, imagine how much time you'd need to gather 5 million of these insects.
06:27Then, there's another pressing issue.
06:29The surface area.
06:30For each of these insects to be lifting the assigned weight, they'd need to be touching you.
06:35On average, an adult human has the surface area of about 17.2 square feet.
06:41Each housefly needs roughly a quarter square inch of gripping surface.
06:46I'll spare you the math, but it means you can only have 39,680 flies sitting on you at any
06:52given time.
06:54Flies sitting on top of other flies?
06:56That won't work either, since some of them won't be able to use their wings.
07:00You might consider attaching each fly to a strong filament, which will then be attached to you.
07:05You'd need a really strong material to do that, but delicate enough to be attached to a fly.
07:12They're not as strong as bumblebees.
07:14But butterflies do deserve a place on the honorable mentions list.
07:19Sure, they don't lift and carry things, but they do need their strength to avoid predators and to be able
07:25to fly.
07:26And, most important of them all, they need to be powerful enough to come out of their cocoons so that
07:32they can develop properly.
07:34Once the cocoon cracks open, they have to find their way out.
07:38Most of them need to flip to get into the best position.
07:41They need to climb out of their shell, all within minutes, sometimes even seconds.
07:48Moths are equally as delicate and fascinating.
07:52They can't carry a lot either, but some studies have shown they can transport their reproductive partner away from danger
07:58when needed.
08:00Not only is that really nice of them, it's also a sign that moths can carry their own weight mid
08:05-flight.
08:06However, the distance they travel has to be really short because they lose energy really fast.
08:12I'm here to fulfill your childhood dream and tell you that, yes, you can have a dragon as a pet.
08:19The bearded dragon is a reptile species that is awesome for beginners.
08:23These creatures are generally peaceful and don't require a lot of attention.
08:28Unlike other reptiles, these spiky animals love to interact with humans and even like to snuggle with their caretakers once
08:35in a while since they enjoy heat so much.
08:38Under proper supervision, you can take your pet out of its terrarium and let it explore your house or even
08:44take it outside for a walk.
08:46Just make sure you use a leash.
08:49Their pretty extended lifespan also makes them great pets as they can live to be anywhere between 8 to 15
08:55years old.
08:55As for food, they love vegetables.
08:58So bearded dragons will be happy with things like broccoli, parsley, green beans, or bell peppers.
09:05Oh, just look at this bright smile and pink gills.
09:08Aren't they cute?
09:10This little creature is called an axolotl.
09:13And they're fully aquatic animals.
09:15They originally came from two specific lakes in Mexico City.
09:18And as a species, they're related to the salamander.
09:23If you're already in love with its tiny cute fingers, here's what you'll need if you want to take one
09:28home.
09:29A long tank of about 20 gallons is enough for a single grown-up axolotl.
09:33If you're looking to bring more into the family, you'll need at least 10 additional gallons for each extra member.
09:40Add a low-flow filter and place everything in a chilly room, and it should do the trick.
09:44These adorable amphibians can live around 10 years, and some grow to be over a foot long.
09:50These are nicknamed honey bears, even though their official name is kinkajus.
09:55And they're a totally unique pet to have.
09:58The kinkajus is just about the size of your average cat.
10:01It's a rainforest mammal.
10:03Cousins to raccoons, these small furry animals are known to be playful and friendly if raised in captivity.
10:10At the same time, they can be really high-maintenance, especially if you don't look into all the information surrounding
10:16this unique species.
10:17First, they need a lot of room to exercise.
10:20Otherwise, they can become fussy.
10:23Also, they need a variety in their diet, like what they'd have in the wild.
10:27You'll need to add a lot of things to your shopping cart to keep them happy, like honey, fruits, but
10:32also insects and eggs.
10:35If you're a light sleeper, the kinkajus is certainly not the pet for you since they are more active during
10:40the night.
10:40To keep them from getting unhappy, you'll need to invest in lots of climbing structures and toys.
10:46Fennec foxes are native to the Sahara Desert.
10:49But they're also found in the U.S., and some choose to have them as pets.
10:53Unique and cute as they are, these foxes are surely not the first choice for a lot of people since
10:58they, too, have some specific needs.
11:02First, they're really energetic and tend to become very annoyed if they don't get the attention they want, as they're
11:09very sociable animals.
11:10The fennec fox is not a domesticated animal, so it needs to be kept outside.
11:16Investing in a proper area for it is crucial.
11:19They do, however, keep it pretty modest when it comes to food.
11:23Fennec foxes will go for anything from meats to fruits and vegetables.
11:27If taken care of properly, they can live up to 15 years.
11:32Venezuelan poodle moth looks like a combination of a furby and gargoyle, but in a cute way.
11:38These creatures were discovered in 2009 in the Grand Sabana region of Venezuela.
11:43But there's little information on them.
11:45Scientists have yet to pinpoint their insect family.
11:48But they do suspect it might be a combination of different moth species.
11:52Sort of a mutant.
11:53Another fun fact?
11:55That fur they sport is made of soundproofing sugar.
12:00Moving over to a more conservative approach to insects as pets, some people enjoy keeping mantids around.
12:06But there are a lot of things to consider.
12:09One of them is that it's crucial for these creatures to be housed individually.
12:13Luckily, each specimen needs only a small tank to be happy.
12:18These quirky insects are generally easy to own, since they don't need a lot of maintenance and space.
12:24Unfortunately, praying mantises don't live long, around a year tops.
12:28There are a lot of species of mantis, and depending on which of the ones you choose,
12:32you might end up with a more docile and quieter pet, or one that's a bit fussier and likes to
12:38make noise.
12:39Some like to have it for dinner.
12:41Some like to have it as a pet.
12:42Who am I to judge?
12:44I'm talking about lobsters.
12:46The breeds that are preferable as pets are the crinoid squat lobster, the blue spiny lobster, and the reef lobster.
12:54All you need is an aquarium with a specific temperature and size for each breed.
12:58And they should be good to go.
13:00Quick tip, though.
13:01Most lobsters might not be fit to live with other fish.
13:04A separate container might be the best way to keep lobsters as pets.
13:09Okay, spiders as pets are surely not for everyone.
13:13But hear me out.
13:14Their homemaking and hunting practices are really interesting to look at.
13:18More so, they are really silent.
13:20So they're a great pet if you have difficult neighbors.
13:23On the downside, spiders are quite the escape artists, so you need to invest in the correct environment.
13:29Based on the needs of the species you intend to keep,
13:31you might need to do a bit of extra research on things like heat or humidity requirements.
13:38Hyacinth macaws, or blue parrots, can make great pets if you're willing to invest in their proper care.
13:43They have really strong beaks, and most commercial cages simply won't do it for them.
13:48They can easily bend the wires and need stronger confinement.
13:51Since these birds have a large wingspan,
13:53they need a lot of space to exercise to be happy and healthy.
13:57They also demand a really long time commitment on your behalf.
14:00Since they can live up to 60 years!
14:04These beautiful birds are really gentle and intelligent, and are easy to train.
14:09Blue parrots also form a strong bond with their caretakers.
14:12So, keep that in mind if you're the type that needs to travel a lot.
14:16They enjoy eating fruit.
14:17And with those powerful beaks, they can even crack a coconut open.
14:21Although they've gained a lot of popularity these days, raccoons are still not common pets.
14:27And for good reason.
14:28As cute as they are in social media videos, they require a lot of maintenance.
14:32And are really unpredictable.
14:35For starters, raccoons are difficult to train.
14:38Damaging your home might become their primary hobby.
14:41They need a lot of space to roam and have strict dietary needs.
14:44You'll need to give your raccoons such products as dog food, fish, eggs, vegetables, and fruits.
14:51Don't go heavy on treats either, as raccoons are prone to obesity.
14:55On the other hand, they're really intelligent and fun to watch.
14:59Especially because of their good memory and great problem-solving skills.
15:03You can also consider a raccoon as a pet if you're a night owl, as they are nocturnal animals, too.
15:10For people that really like to take things slow, a snail as a pet might be the right choice.
15:16They don't take up a lot of space and feed on fruits and vegetables.
15:19On the other hand, they are mostly nocturnal animals.
15:23So if you're interested in watching them interact with their surroundings, you might need to stay up a bit late
15:27at night.
15:29Most snails live to be 2 to 5 years, while other larger species can live up to 15 years.
15:35If you stumble upon a garden snail and get attached to it, there's no way to know how old it
15:40is, though.
15:42There are sharks that glow in the dark.
15:44For example, swell sharks.
15:46They live in the dark ocean depths, almost 1,700 feet under the surface.
15:52No one knows why exactly, but they admit a fluorescent glow only other swell sharks can see.
15:58Scientists detected the glow because they used filters that blocked out yellow light.
16:03They think that could be the way for these big fish to communicate with their buddies.
16:08This glow helps sharks fight infections on a microbial level.
16:13Cowbirds have secret passwords they use to recognize each other.
16:17They're a specific type of parasite bird since they lay their eggs in other bird species' nests.
16:23The young cowbirds have an inner mechanism where they recognize their species singing,
16:27like some sort of secret password only they know.
16:30That's how they manage to find others of their kind.
16:34A grizzly bear has an incredibly strong bite.
16:37It may look cute, but if you're close to this big guy,
16:40you better stay out of reach of its sharp claws and especially its mouth.
16:44Its bite force is more than 8 million pascals,
16:48which means it can crush a bowling ball.
16:52Some animals have skin-deep stripes, and others have more superficial ones.
16:57Tigers are in the first group.
16:59Not only is their fur striped, but their skin is as well.
17:02It's the same with some other furry big cats, like snow leopards.
17:07Giraffes and zebras are in the second group,
17:09since they have patterns only on their coats.
17:13Speaking of zebras,
17:15do you think they're black with white stripes or white with black stripes?
17:18At first, it really looks like the second option is correct.
17:22Their black stripes mostly end towards the inside of their legs and on their bellies,
17:26and the rest of it is white.
17:28But that's not true.
17:30Surprisingly, they're black with white stripes.
17:33All of their fur, both white and black,
17:36grows from follicles that have something called melanocyte cells.
17:39All animals have these cells.
17:42They produce a pigment called melanin,
17:45and it gives color to their hair and skin.
17:48When it comes to zebras,
17:49chemical messengers tell which melanocytes send pigment to which area of fur.
17:54That's why zebras have a black and white pattern.
17:57But white is not actually its own pigment.
18:00It's an absence of melanin.
18:02So, black is their default color.
18:06Koalas have fingerprints that are so close to ours
18:09that they could even taint crime scenes.
18:11It doesn't seem like they have a lot in common with humans,
18:14but take a closer look at their hands.
18:16They have distinctive loops and arches.
18:19So, if any koalas want to do something illegal,
18:22it would be a good idea for them to wear gloves.
18:26Ghost crabs growl when they're around creatures they don't like or find threatening.
18:31They do it using teeth in their stomachs.
18:33First, they'll let you know they'll defend themselves if you try anything by showing you their claws.
18:39If that doesn't work, they'll go for fearsome growling noises like dogs.
18:44But the noise is coming from rubbing their three elongated hard teeth inside their stomach.
18:50Ghost crabs produce the same noise when they're grinding up food.
18:55Speaking of teeth, did you know narwhal tusks are actually some sort of an inside-out tooth?
19:01Unlike the majority of other whales,
19:03narwhals are the ones that come with a large tusk,
19:05or tooth that grows from the inside of their jaw.
19:09It has up to 10 million nerve endings,
19:12and they're unprotected,
19:13which means its tusk is very sensitive to any type of contact.
19:17It's almost like a piece of skin,
19:19because tusks usually don't have many nerve endings.
19:23Up to 95% of humans are right-handed,
19:26and it's the same with bottlenose dolphins.
19:29There are even more right-handed ones among them than among humans.
19:34During one study, scientists found that bottlenose dolphins
19:37turn to their left side over 99% of the time,
19:41which means they're right-handed.
19:43They place their right side and right eye
19:46closer to the ocean floor as they go for prey,
19:48such as squids, shrimps, or smaller fish.
19:52More cool facts from the ocean.
19:54Did you know humpback whales use bubbles when they go after their prey?
19:58You might think they don't need any special method,
20:00considering how large they are.
20:02But when they're lurking for prey in the open waters,
20:05these whales team up and use something called a bubble net technique.
20:10While swimming in an upward spiral,
20:12they blow bubbles underwater.
20:14These bubbles make it difficult for fish to escape.
20:18The oldest evidence we have of domesticated cats dates up to 12,000 years ago.
20:24Researchers discovered this almost 20 years ago
20:27when they were digging through an ancient village in Cyprus.
20:31They found cat bones right next to human ones,
20:34which suggested they were close even when their lives came to an end.
20:38Humans were hunters, so they domesticated dogs first,
20:41somewhere up to 29,000 years ago.
20:44Dogs helped them catch other animals,
20:46but they didn't think they needed cats until they started to settle down
20:50and store surplus crops.
20:52Mice became frequent guests in grain stores,
20:55so cats came in handy in those times.
20:58Puffins are quite innovative when they want to scratch their bodies.
21:02They can surely be proud of their stunning beaks,
21:04but they obviously think it's not enough for scratching.
21:07Researchers noticed they tend to spontaneously take a small wooden stick
21:12to scratch an itchy spot.
21:15There's a special type of ant that only lives in a small part of Manhattan.
21:20The Broadway Medians at the 63rd and 76th Street
21:23is the area these crawling critters decided was the best spot for them.
21:27The Manhattan ant looks like it's from Europe,
21:31but no European species can actually match it.
21:34Hey potterheads, can you believe there's a thing like chocolate frog?
21:38Well, not quite, but it looks like it.
21:41New Guinea and Australia weren't always separated.
21:44They spent millions of years together until about 12,000 years ago.
21:48Rising sea levels divided them.
21:50Since they were together for so long,
21:52some animals and plants still inhabit both areas,
21:55including green tree frogs.
21:58These frogs have spread really far and wide,
22:01and some of them, who live in hot, swampy regions
22:04surrounded by plenty of crocodiles,
22:06actually look like they're made of chocolate.
22:09We all know flamingos for their specific color,
22:12but they're not actually pink.
22:14They're born gray, and that's how they would stay
22:16if it weren't for their diet of blue-green algae and shrimp.
22:20These foods have a specific natural dye,
22:23which is why flamingo feathers turn pink over time.
22:27These little Tasmanian devils grow up and leave their moms.
22:31They socialize together,
22:32forming bonds that last for the rest of their lives.
22:35Not only them,
22:37cows also have stronger social ties than we think.
22:40They like to socialize,
22:41and they make long-lasting friendships.
22:43One research even discovered
22:45their heart rates significantly increase
22:48as a sign of stress
22:49when they're separated from their BFFs.
22:52Imagine you could simply freeze yourself solid
22:54during the cold winter days
22:56instead of listening to your teeth chatter
22:58and trying to tighten your jacket.
22:59That's what frogs can do.
23:02Aquatic frogs mostly hibernate underwater
23:04and spend most of the winter
23:06at the bottom of a pond, lake,
23:08or some other body of water.
23:10Toads and frogs are generally cold-blooded,
23:13which means the temperature of their body
23:15takes on the temperature of their surroundings.
23:18So, frogs can freeze during the winter
23:20because of a high concentration of sugar
23:23or glucose in their vital organs.
23:25Once they unfreeze,
23:26they continue as if nothing happened.
23:29Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood.
23:33They can move at speeds of 25 miles per hour,
23:36and they spray ink that not only blurs
23:38the predator's visual field,
23:40but actually harms them.
23:41Also, they have nine brains,
23:43the central one and eight smaller brains
23:46located in their arms.
23:47That's why their arms can open a shellfish
23:50while the central brain is busy doing something else.
23:53An octopus even tastes with its arms.
23:56They have cells in their suckers
23:58that enable the arms to touch and taste
24:00in a way that they detect chemicals
24:02marine creatures produce.
24:03That way, an octopus can distinguish prey from rocks.