Animals

Tuesday, 13 October 2026
27 facts about turtles
27 facts about turtles
The only vertebrates so armored
The first turtles appeared on Earth at the end of the Permian about 240 million years ago. Although the first ones had neither plastron nor carapace, ...

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Otters
They have a high metabolic rate, and thus, depending on species, have to consume from 15% to 25% of their body weight every day.
Gila monster
Although it is listed as a near-threatened species, it is protected by state laws in the U.S.
Mostly, it is prohibited to collect them from the wild, and in some states, it is illegal to possess one as a pet. In New Mexico, it is listed as Endangered and under full protection.
Leopard geckos
They are crepuscular, which means they are active during dusk and dawn.
Despite living in relatively hot and dry regions of the world, they prefer cooler parts. Thus, they spend most of the daytime inside burrows, emerging once the temperature drops.
European pine marten
They reach sexual maturity at the age of 14 months.
However, they rarely mate at this time and usually postpone reproduction until their second or third year of life.
Javan hawk-eagle
It is an endemic species of Indonesia.
It can be encountered in tropical forests of the island of Java.
Manatees
These aquatic mammals have long stirred the human imagination and have been the source of many legends and stories in various cultures.
In Colombia’s Guajira region live the Wayuu Indian people. According to their legends, manatees were ...
Leeches
In water, leeches move in a wavy, meandering motion.
They move in a similar way to the caterpillars, with the help of suction cups - they extend their bo ...
Guinea pig
In the West, the guinea pig was first described in 1554 by Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner.
The earliest known European illustration of a domestic guinea pig is a painting by an unknown artist ...
Arctic fox
Arctic fox's burrows are located on hills in unfrozen soil.
A complex of burrows can cover up to 1,000 square meters. Tunneling systems can function for decades ...
Northern pike
Most individuals lead a solitary life.
Under certain conditions, however, it is better to cooperate. Divers reported that smaller pikes som ...