Deep dive into the universe of animals

From mere apes to as we see ourselves today, our species has traversed a long journey of evolution, where we have learned, unlearned, and relearned a lot over millions and millions of years. All of this has shaped the way we live, think, and act today. Humans are the unique possessors of consciousness, empathy, creativity, and resilience – a species that communicates effectively and hence writes the sonnets of its own greatness.

We, homo sapiens, often deem ourselves the greatest of all species, although saying this would be a gross misappropriation. And, if we look around and carefully evaluate what we have done to this planet, it’s even more wrong to say so. But, what if we spoke of mere capabilities and skills?

There are many other animal species which have great and rather intriguing abilities that make them a contender for the best species award. It is, however, a sad truth that these species are always in danger of human intervention because, despite all the creativity and consciousness, humans can be rather cruel and ignorant. For once, I think it’s a good time to come out of the cocoon of greatness and look at the amazing traits that set the animal kingdom apart from humankind.

Koala

There have been cases in Australia where police found the fingerprints but never found the culprit. Such a perfect crime never seen before. Well, in their defence, they were looking for humans but the fingerprints in their records were of koalas! Koalas are known to have fingerprints very similar to that of humans, making them the perfect scapegoat. So, the next time your mom finds your little fingerprints on a cookie jar, you know who to blame!

Squirrel

Hippopotamus

The natural habitat of hippopotamus has scorching African Sun but who will protect their thick yet delicate skin from it? Well, hippos found their own solution. They simply make their own sunblock! These giant herbivorous mammals secrete a pinkish substance through their skin. This secretion acts as a natural Sun protection from the region’s blistering heat.

Reindeer

How we have wondered about the superpowers and abilities through infinite superhero stories and movies. Reindeers showcase one of the coolest superpowers of them all. As the icy winds of winter approach, their eyeballs start to change colour from brown to blue for the season. This ability helps them adapt to changing climatic conditions and allows them a full range of visibility in low light.

Cow

The Darling Cows with their busy moos have quite a social life. They are known to form close bonds with their kin. Cows can get easily stressed if they are separated from their companions. No wonder these compassionate animals form close bonds.

African Buffalo

The concept of feminism came to power fairly recently in the human world. African buffalo herds have been practising democracy and feminism since the dawn of time. In African buffalo herds, only females can vote for which way to travel. They are known to indicate their choice of direction by standing up and looking at the direction before lying back to their original position. How amazing is that?

Koala

Squirrel

Sometimes humans must learn some empathy from the animals. They have a lot to teach us in terms of ideal behaviour. We may not give another look to the little squirrels around us, but they are known to adopt other squirrels’ babies if they are abandoned for some reason. vote for which way to travel. They are known to indicate their choice of direction by standing up and looking at the direction before lying back to their original position. How amazing is that?

Cat

Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats, and we must wonder if they had the right idea. Cats are the only members of the feline family who decided to be domesticated. For their own benefit. In fact, meow is not their language at all. They cunningly or perhaps smartly developed their cute sounds to seduce humans and attract their attention. Interestingly, cats can make over 100 different sounds.

Otter

We are all creatures of material pleasure, aren’t we? Well, so are otters. They have a membranous pocket that they use to store their beloved material possessions. What are they, you ask. Otters store their favourite rocks in these pockets. They use these special rocks to crack open molluscs. But they aren’t simply materialist-minded. Otters are gentle creatures with hearts full of love. They are known to hold hands when falling asleep to stay close to their companions.

Octopus

We all know that we, red-blooded humans, have one brain, one heart, one liver, two lungs, and two kidneys which help us function to our fullest. But the octopus is a proud owner of nine brains and three hearts and also has blue blood. They are known to squeeze from the tightest spaces that look impossible and are highly intelligent. Let’s not restrict ourselves to strictly animals, some birds might amaze us too! Hummingbird Humans perhaps got the idea of reversing the car from hummingbirds. We use twists and turns to fit into our parking spots. Whereas, Hummingbirds can marvellously turn their wings and fly backwards at a fluttering astonishing speed. They are the only bird species to possess this special ability.

Penguin

The cute cuddly penguins are as cute in nature as they are to look at. Most penguins are monogamous and love their partners dearly. Some males even propose to their partners by giving them a perfect pebble. Penguins are known to suffer from broken hearts when they lose their partner. Now, isn’t that worth melting a human heart?

Crow

Pick a fight with a bull and that would be forgiven with time, but pick a fight with a crow and repent for life. Crows have a long memory and can read facial features rather well. So, if you are mean to them, they will make sure their grandkids know of you. They hold grudges bigger than the Grinch.

Owl

It is safe to say that the ghosts stole the idea of turning their heads in a complete circle from the wise and noble owls. Owls are the only birds possessing this unique ability which helps them navigate their surroundings in the dead of the night with minimal movement. It’s worth wondering if they are nature’s true spy birds! Having read these interesting titbits about the wonderful creatures that walk the face of the Earth, which animal or bird has fascinated you and won your heart?

Article by: Guari D.