These are the strangest things you’ll ever hear about animals!
Nature is a wild, wild place, and many residents of this world have some really unusual habits. If you think that humans are doing strange things, well, you are not aware of the things that happen inside the animal kingdom.
If you own a pet, you know very well that they can be quite quirky at times. The way pets interact with each other and the way they behave when you give them food or how they react when someone new enters the home. Sometimes you are surprised by what you are seeing, and this is completely normal. You get used to this, and you are good to go.
But what about what happens in the wild? Well, things are even more fascinating here. There are many critters out there that do some of the strangest things you’ll ever hear about. Are you intrigued? Keep reading and learn some of the best facts for your next trivia game night!
The assassin bug and its victims
Ok, we will start this on a grim tone, and we will present you with one of the strangest things that happen in the animal kingdom. The assassin bug has a weird sense of fashion that not many appreciate. They use the bodies of their victims as accessories! They wear it on them, and from what we can see, they seem pretty proud of this.
When this bug hunts, it catches its prey with its long mandibles, and right after that, it injects its victim with a bunch of paralyzing toxins. What do these toxins do? Well, they basically liquefy the insides of the said victim. This is not a fun way to leave this world, but it is what it is. Nature can sometimes be so cruel.
After the assassin bug has its meal, it will take the body of its victim and glue it onto its back using a sticky secretion. Most of the time this bug carries more corpses at the same time, and we know that you are wondering why it would do that.
This is an amazing question, and here is your answer. With its body covered in these unfortunate creatures, the assassin bug is camouflaged, and as long as it stays still, predators are unable to notice it. What a smart and macabre move, right?
Kangaroos abandon their babies
The main thing the general public knows about kangaroos is that they live in Australia and jump around a lot. Well, these are not the strangest things ever, but wait because there is more.
They might seem cute at first glance, and indeed, they are, but kangaroos also hide some dark secrets, most of them about motherhood. As you know, they have a pouch where they hold their babies. Well, when the momma kangaroo is chased by a predator, let’s say a dingo, the mother might decide that sacrificing her baby is the best action to take to save herself.
We know this sounds shocking, and it might seem like an awful thing to do as a mother, but stay with us because there are some interesting things that will show you how all of this makes sense for the kangaroo’s physiology.
These creatures are able to do some of the strangest things in the animal kingdom, and one of them is that female kangaroos can be pregnant with three babies at the same time in different gestation phases. This means sacrificing a baby is not such a big thing for them, and it may be a better choice from an evolutionary point of view.
Moths and their drinking habits
If you thought that you’ve seen all the strangest things, well, you might be wrong because nature has more surprises for you. Moths are among the critters a lot of people hate because they are insects that prefer to fly around at night, and they are weird and hairy.
But these are not the strangest things moths do. Moths have some interesting habits, and we want to share something a little bit disturbing with you. These insects need sodium, and once their normal sodium sources run dry, they are incredibly resourceful and will take this mineral from animal tears. Yeah, you’ve heard this very well!
When it comes to this, moths don’t discriminate. They choose their targets, ranging from deer and large mammals to birds. Moths use their proboscis, that long nose they have, to tuck it under the eyelid of their preferred target, and then they will literally suck their tears.
Scared a moth will drink your tears? This can be a possibility, but we strongly believe that humans are not their favorites, so you should stop worrying. Everything is fine!
The parrotfish and its cocoon
This is a very colorful creature, and even though it looks kind of weird, it is a peaceful fish. But this is not all the parrotfish does; it also does one of the strangest things you’ll ever encounter in the animal world.
Generally, parrotfish use their teeth to eat whatever they can find on coral and just hang around in the depths of the ocean. But when bedtime comes, they have an unusual bedtime routine.
One hour before they say their goodnights, parrotfish will expel a load of thick mucus right from their mouths. And then what they do with the mucus is what piqued their curiosity! They put the mucus around themselves and basically create a protective sleeping bag.
Wondering why they are doing that? It is all about defense. That mucus keeps the predators and parasites away and keeps them safe. It is their little fortress.
Caecilians and their offspring
This creature is not a worm, not an eel, and not a snake. Nope. This is actually an amphibian, so it’s like a distant cousin of the frog. What makes them different is that caecilians don’t have legs. They generally live underground and spend most of their time digging tunnels using their heads, which are supported by their strong spine.
But the fact that they look like worms is not the strangest thing they do. When female caecilians have babies, they manage to grow an extra layer of skin that they use to feed the youngsters. Yes, babies are literally eating the skin of their moms.
This will continue until the little caecilians are able to find their food. The best part is that mothers will regrow that skin every three days so they will never be eaten alive. They are safe, and everyone is happy.
What do you think? Do you find these habits weird? If you know any other weird things animals do, please share them with us in the comments!
If you are eager to know more about the animals that are roaming this beautiful planet you can read more in this book: Zoology: Inside the Secret World of Animals (DK Secret World Encyclopedias)
You should also read more about: 6 Amazing Fishy Facts You Won’t Believe!
