4 Strange Facts About Animals That you Don't Know About

Scientists and researchers are constantly making new discoveries about our natural world (that is, when they're not busy trying to figure out new ways to kill us). Each year, researchers report more than 15,000 new species. Fascinating as it is to uncover new secrets concerning our fair-weathered friends on land, under the sea or in the air, some of them are just downright weird. We'll let you decide which is which....

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur

We imagine a group of juvenile scientists gathered around a poor tranquelized jungle cat holding a pair of shear clippers... for the fun of it. This is not, however, how they found out (or so they tell us). The fact was first noticed by veterinarians, when they had to shave off patches of a tiger's fur for surgery, and this was when they made the astonishing discovery that the tiger has stripes on its skin, below the fur. This is also true for albino tigers and some housecats.

Pictured: nature's awesomest tattoos

 

 

Elephants can't jump

 

 

 



 

Yes, even African elephants, you racist...

 

It was believed that elephants were the only mammals that cannot jump, but this is untrue. Elephants are joined by other mammals such as hippos and sloths. One of the obvious contributions to this inability to jump is the animal's weight, which ranges between 12 000 and 17 000 lbs (remind you of anyone in gym class?). Elephants are nowhere near strong enough to haul that much weight into the air. Another factor is the fact that elephants do not possess knee caps.

A Snake can see through it's eyelids

"Quick! It's eyes are closed! Now's our chance!"

 

 



And here you thought there was nothing else that could make you even more terrified of this reptile.A snake's eyelids have a single transparent scale. Therefore, a snake can never blink or close its eyes. This layer of skin is commonly referred to as the 'brille,' which is a German word for 'eyeglasses' (because CLEARLY the above picture resembles eye glasses) . Whenever the snake moults, the brille is shed with the rest of its skin. And there's that shiver running down your spine again...

Despite their main diet being bamboo, Giant Pandas cannot fully digest it

It is commonly known that giant pandas maintain a diet of almost strictly bamboo. However, recent research has revealed that they are not physically capable of fully digesting this plant.

 

But they're still cute though, right?

 

 

Well, you won't think so after hearing this:

 

"At the genetic level, pandas are actually bears and they are carnivorous. One explanation for this is that mutations in the pandas' genes may have caused them to lose the ability to taste meat"

 

In other words, pandas are just one mutation/wake-up call away from eating people instead of the constipation-inducing bamboo. It's only a matter of time...