Humans are curious and imaginative, so they make up their own theories and ideas when they can’t explain nature’s mysteries. Even though such hypotheses are generally false, they still fascinate people and become myths and tales. There are many misconceptions regarding the animal kingdom due to its unusual creatures and strange behaviors.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common misconceptions:
- Ostriches Bury Their Heads in the Sand
The photographs of ostriches with their heads buried in the sand that you can find on the internet are not what they appear to be. Ostriches do not hide from potential danger by burying their heads in the sand. Instead, they will either flee away or flop down on the ground and flatten their heads to fit in with the various types of vegetation in their environments. However, ostriches use their beaks to help dig holes when making their nests and hiding their eggs in those nests. After that, they will turn the eggs multiple times throughout the day. It would be difficult for an ostrich to keep its head down since it couldn’t breathe.
- Rabbits Lay Eggs
Rabbits are placental mammals which sleep on comfy bedding, meaning their embryos spend an average of 31 days developing inside their mothers’ uteri before they are born. Since eggs are historical symbols of rebirth, this egg-laying mythology is presumably based on the rabbit’s prodigious fertility. Heres a refresher on do rabbits lay eggs.
- Goldfish Has 3-Second Memories
The imaginative human thinks a goldfish’s weak memory makes every swim around its bowl a new experience, but the truth is quite the contrary. Studies suggest goldfish can store memories as old as three months, do complicated activities, and expect meals. They may have the same level of intelligence as birds and even some animals.
- Penguins Are Monogamous and Mate for Life
Penguins aren’t monogamous, contrary to assumption. During the breeding season, 85% of Emperor Penguins and 71% of King Penguins switch partners. And although they appear to be monogamous, as shown by the DNA of their offspring, Gentoo penguins, along with one-third of female Humboldt penguins, are unfaithful to their partners, according to a study of 19 of these birds.
- You Can Charm a Snake With Music
You’ve seen movies featuring a man playing a lengthy instrument to lure a snake out of a basket. This so-called “snake charmer” is not only extremely risky but also requires some element of magic to succeed. Since snakes lack ears, they are completely unable to hear the music; yet, they are sensitive to the vibrations caused by it. The snake is made to feel threatened by the performer, so the snake charmer hypnotizes the animal by waving the instrument around in front of it. This causes the snake to become agitated. Therefore, it is impossible to charm a snake with music, and we do not advise anyone to attempt to seduce a snake in any way.
- Earthworm, Cut In Half, Becomes Two
You may have imagined that when an earthworm is cut in half, two new earthworms regenerate from each piece, but this is not true. If an earthworm is severed, the section that still contains its head can regenerate the rest of the body, but the portion of the earthworm that was cut off without its head would die. On the other hand, planarian flatworms can create a whole individual from as little as a sliver of a parent organism.
- Vultures Stalk Living Animals
It’s a common misconception that vultures will prey on living creatures even though they know they will die soon. All they need is a good set of senses, which enables them to locate their food, which in their case is often already-dead animals. There have been reports of turkey vultures congregating around leaking gas pipelines that contain compounds that smell like rotting organic stuff. Vultures also recognize where animals are most likely to die, such as areas with low rainfall, and they go there specifically to find dead items to eat.
- Camels Store Water in Their Humps
It’s a common misunderstanding that camels keep water in the humps on their backs. Camels store fat in their humps, which provides them with a source of energy. The humps have enough food for three weeks’ worth of consumption inside of them. In addition, this function helps maintain a healthy internal temperature.
However, it is a fact that camels can go for extended periods without needing to drink much water. This water is taken in by their bloodstream, kidneys, and intestines, where it is then stored and digested.
- Bats Are Blind
Bats can be spotted on Zoo sites if you know when and how to look. Several bat kinds are native to Virginia, and Zoo workers are captivated by them, so we debunked this myth. Bats do not have poor eyesight. They can see as well as humans, but at night they utilize echolocation to find food and land. Bats, like many other creatures, are nocturnal, which means that they like to sleep during the day and go hunting at night.
- Bears Hibernate
We learn that bears find a den each fall to hibernate during the winter. For an animal to enter a state of hibernation, its internal temperature must be lowered to a point comparable to that of the surrounding environment. During the winter, bears engage in torpor, which involves inactivity and a temporary decrease in body temperature. Even while ‘hibernating,’ a bear may still defend itself against predators from the outside world, so take extra precautions.
- Bulls Get Mad When They See the Color Red
Matadors traditionally use a red cape in bullfights to signal the bull to charge. You might assume bulls dislike red, right? No, not quite like that. Cattle are dichromats, meaning their eyes have only two color receptors at any time. Because of this, the red cape does not appear to the bull in the same striking manner as it does to us. More likely, it’s agitated by the matador’s activities, driving it to charge.
- All Turtles Use Their Shells to Hide When They Feel Threatened
This statement is mainly true; however, there is one point that is not accurate. Most tortoises and turtles may withdraw their heads, tails, and feet within their shells when frightened or to avoid predators. The carapace and plastron protect turtles and tortoises’ internal organs. All turtles are tortoises, but not all tortoises are turtles.
