The animal kingdom is filled with beautiful and strange creatures. While many of us expect animals to share similar organs and behaviors with humans, scientists are learning every day that there is more than what meets the eye with many of our co-inhabitants. There are some animals who lack essential organs like the brain, as seen in a sea sponge, while creatures like squids and octopuses have multiple, three hearts to be exact. The point is that while we all share the similar properties, we’re all unique, some more than others. Let’s take a look at animals with some of the strangest body parts.  

1. Eyes of a Mantis Shrimp 

Mantis shrimps are known for their bright beautiful colors which they use for everything from mating signals to defense, but they’re also known for their complex visual system. The mantis shrimp’s bulging eyes may not be good at distinguishing color, but they are able to detect polarization, something that we humans are unable to do. Additionally, these animals have sixteen color receptors where humans only have three. Their ability to see so many colors allows them to communicate by changing the colors of their body.  

2. Proboscis of the Proboscis Monkey 

Named after its prominent proboscis, the proboscis monkey can only be found in the jungles of Borneo. The male monkeys’ noses grow long and wide, often hanging down over their mouths.  For years, scientists tried to understand the reason for the animal’s enlarged nose, and it turns out that the proboscis is used to attract mates. Scientists believe that their noses create an echo chamber that amplifies the animals’ call, making them more attractive to potential mates. Additionally, it was found that females often prefer a larger nose.  

3. Feet of a Platypus 

Many would argue that there is nothing special about a platypus, but some would beg to differ. Apart from it’s strange-looking nose, a platypus has some killer feet, literally. Male platypuses have a spur on the back of their hind feet that were discovered to be connected to a venom-secreting gland called the crural gland. The venom is mostly made during mating season and while it is not lethal to humans, a scratch from the spur is extremely painful and it can cause death in smaller animals.  

4. Bill of a Shoebill Stork 

The shoebill stork, also called the whale-headed stork is a large stork that is named after its large shoe-shaped bill. The five-foot long bill is often used for bill-clattering, a sound made to greet other shoebills. The bird is also a ruthless hunter; it will stand motionless for hours waiting for an unsuspecting fish or baby crocodile to swim by before pouncing on it. The bird will then clamp down on its prey, swinging it back and forth. The stork’s sharp bill can also be used to decapitate prey while still alive.  

5. Tentacled of a Tentacled Snake 

The tentacled snake is an aquatic snake found throughout Southeast Asia and is the only species of snakes that possesses tentacles on the front of their heads. The sinister-looking twin appendages are believed to be mechanosensory as they allow the snakes to detect nearby prey.  Researchers explained that without their tentacles, the snakes would not be able to discern the presence of food in its murky habitat. The snakes are venomous, but they do not pose a threat to humans. 

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Certainly we’ve heard the proverb that cats have nine lives to mean that our feline friends are lucky and frequently survive dangerous incidents. You would think that they happen to save their own lives but it may surprise you to know that cats have saved the lives of people. Yes we may see them as household pets that chase mice away but hero is not a title we ordinarily give to cats. Here are five incidents where cats saved lives. 1. Tara Saves a Young Boy Tara, a tabby, was a stray cat who was taken in by Roger and Erica Triantello in 2008 after following them home. Tara grew particularly attached to the couple’s two sons. On 13th May, 2014, Tara risked her life to save Jeremy, the four-year-old son. Jeremy, who was playing on his bike in his yard, was attacked by the neighbor's Labrador and Chow mix that escaped from its yard. Jeremy was dragged off his bike by his leg by the vicious dog. Tara leapt into action, launched her claws at the dog and attacked until the dog let go of Jeremy and fled. Tara chased after the dog before it returned to Jeremy. This incident was caught on a security camera and the video went viral. 2. Masha Helps an Abandoned Baby Masha was a communal pet cat that was cared for by the people of an apartment complex in Obninsk, Russia. One frigid day in January 2015, the neighbor was alerted by Masha’s persistent cries. Irina Lavrova found the long-haired cat wrapped around a freezing baby boy and licking his face. It seemed that the baby was out in the cold for a few hours. Given the low temperatures recorded that day, the infant was saved from hyperthermia by the cat's furry protection. 3. Fidge Detects Cancer Cats are said to have an amazing sense of smell, over fifteen times more powerful than that of humans. British woman Wendy Humphreys believes that her kitten, Fidge, sensed her cancer and saved her life. A few weeks after Wendy and her husband adopted the kitten, Wendy claims that Fidge began to jump on the side of her chest whenever she sat. This unusual behavior continued for a couple of weeks, and Fidge's frequent sorties had left Wendy feeling sore. Wendy went to see her doctor who found a malignant lump in Wendy’s right breast. This early detection saved her life. 4. Major Tom Saves Owner From Sinking Grant MacDonald, an Australian and Major Tom, a black and white cat, resided on board the yacht Osprey. In September, 2015, a few miles off the Western Australian coast, the boat began to flood. MacDonald was fast asleep until Major Tom began to head-butt him repeatedly to wake him up and alert him of the danger. After realizing that there was nothing he could do, MacDonald grabbed his cat and abandoned the yard by getting on the life raft. The yacht sank. 5. Homer Stops An Intruder Homer, a homeless black cat who lost his eyes due to a terrible eye infection was adopted by Gwen Cooper. One night, Cooper awoke to Homer on her bed growling loudly. This was unusual behavior for her cat. She then noticed that there was an intruder in the room. Before Cooper could take action, Homer launched his tiny body at the intruder, bit and scratched him mercilessly until the man fled. Gwen Cooper later penned “Homer's Odyssey” which became a bestselling book as well as a follow up to tell the remarkable tale of her cat.  LEARN MORE

The Best Mothers in the Animal Kingdom

The animal kingdom is known for its many wonders. There are animals with the extraordinary ability to protect, care for, nurture and raise their young. Some mothers in particular are just incredible as they go through several measures to ensure that their offspring survive and thrive. They demonstrate strong maternal instincts in the animal world. Here are five of the best mothers in the animal kingdom. Hats off to them! 1. Pigs Pigs are very protective of their young. Prior to having their babies, they leave their group in search of a safe place to build a cozy nest for their piglets. Although the search may take a while and they may go far, mother pigs won’t stop until they discover an ideal location. They make their nests by digging a hole, filling it with grass, leaves, twigs and branches. The mother pig stays with her piglets for a couple of weeks and then returns to the herd to wean her young and teach them how to survive. Pigs live in matriarchal families, where the female relatives help care for the piglets. 2. Elephants Mother elephants are definitely amazing creatures. After almost two years of pregnancy, female elephants give birth to 200 pound babies. They nurse their calves for two to three years but their young can suckle for up to ten years. Such large, adorable newborns need a lot of food and attention. Elephant moms provide three gallons of milk every day for their young. They live in social matriarchal groups and help raise their young. The mothers are fiercely protective and nurturing. They teach their young everything, including how to swim, stand, find food and defend themselves. 3. Opossums On average, opossums give birth to fifteen to twenty-five babies at one time. The females have only thirteen nipples and only one baby can latch onto a nipple, therefore only these fortunate babies survive. Opossums are marsupials and after birth, the babies continue to develop in the pouch for the first two months. As they grow bigger they enter and exit the pouch and for several months, they ride on their mothers back while she goes in search of food. 4. Alligators Alligators are often viewed as dangerous predators but alligator mothers are actually quite caring towards their young particularly in the beginning stages of their lives. Alligators, which are from the crocodilia order of reptiles, are excellent moms unlike the majority of reptiles. They prepare a large nest made from mud, sticks and plants to accommodate their ten to fifty eggs, which they cover with the same material. The baby alligators make a noise to signal that they are ready to hatch. The mother then opens the nest, takes the hatchlings to the water in her mouth and shakes her head from side to side to encourage the babies to swim out. The baby alligators stay close to their mother for about the first two years. When threatened, she comes to their rescue. 5. Graneledone Boreopacifica  The deep sea octopus, Graneledone Boreopacifica, unlike other octopuses, produces a relatively small number of eggs of about 155 and 165 eggs. For four and a half years, this octopus guards and protects her eggs until the babies inside are developed and have a great chance of survival. During this time the octopus does not appear to eat. Naturally the lack of food has an impact on her health. She loses muscle mass, gets smaller and becomes paler. The selfless mother completely withers away when offspring do eventually hatch. LEARN MORE

Cool Animals With Their Own Life Hacks

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