What's the most interesting fact you can name about any one of the animals in South Africa?

Question

I'm South African, but learned a lot of interesting facts about South African animals after High School. And don't you think our schools should focus more on things that are really important or more interesting? I'm talking crazy right now, but hear me out! Rather than studying other issues we don't even see happening. I mean I knew more about the amoeba than the damn giraffe I saw almost every visit to the zoo. Didn't know if had a tongue so long it could lick its own ear. (That one about the giraffe was to get you guys started!)

Answer 1

Southern African wild dogs are the most succesfull predators in the world. The have an almost hundred percent success rate when going after prey. Most other predators have a rate off about 50 percent. Wolves comes the closest with a rate of 80 percent.

Answer 2

Hi Tycooper, You could say that we are a country with approximately 22 million people, most of which live in the state capital cities. We are culturally diverse, have a laid back sense of humour, most have a good work ethic, we are very very friendly, we welcome visitors warmly from overseas and we have a large migrant intake each year. We have some of the world's most beautiful beaches, females, males and cute and unique animals. We have the world famous Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Harbour, Ayers Rock and rainforests like you will never see anywhere else in the world. We have a diverse climate, and yes it does get hot but it depends where you are. It can also get pretty cool too in summer. We are very proud nation who are proud and respectful of their heritage, albetit convict stock, and we are not racists, contrary to what a lot of other countries think. I hope this helps you a little, good luck with your project.

Answer 3

Here is one on the elehpants: A female cannot breed until she is fourteen years old and the pregnancy lasts for two years. Because of this, they cannot breed quickly enough to replace all the elephants that are being killed.

Here one on the Mountain Gorilla: The Mountain Gorilla can be found in Rwanda, Uganda, and Zaire. This vast area gives a false impression, however, as the Mountain Gorilla is only present on the volcanic peaks of the Virunga range, and the massif of Mount Kahuzi. Poachers also hunt them because they can sell the animals' heads, hands, and feet as souvenirs.

As I see it you are pretty lucky to have seen so many zoo's, there are a lot of children and adults who have never seen the inside of a zoo. I love going to the zoo's with my children in different towns and states we visit, they learn so much. And I know when they have kids they will bring them to zoo's also, because they enjoyed the experence so much.

Answer 4

Well this is also about giraffes but not their tongues.

Did you know that they like to eat the bones of other dead animals, even though they are herbivores?
Apparently its to get extra calcium that they're sometimes missing in their diets.
I have a really great photo of a giraffe swallowing part of a buck bone.

So there, now you know!

Answer 5

When a female elephant is ready to mate she chooses her male which will usually be a bull in must(a state of utter readiness) A bull in must makes a low growling noise, to low to be detected by the human ear, and spills a strong musky smelling liquid.

Answer 6

A Giraffe has the same amount of vertebrae in it's neck as a human does!!!

Elephants and Rock Dassies are related.

Dolphins are mammals. And they have sex for fun, not just for recreation.

Answer 7

Crocodiles cannot stick their tongues out
elephants are the only animals that cannot jump
butterflies taste with their feet
a ducks quack has no echo
a cockroach can live for several days without its head , only dies cos it cant eat
a flea can jump 30 times its own hight , thats like us jumping the length of 13 soccer fields
mosquitos have teeth and only female mossies bite to nourish their eggs.
a pigs orgasm lasts for 30 mins

Answer 8

What a good question Porgie - I have just learned loads of stuff reading all these answers.

I unfortunately have nothing to add except that elephants can live up to 50 years and the females stay in a hirachy of several generations, all takeing care of the young and remembering !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! about their families.

Answer 9

haha, a giraffe has the same amount of vertebrae as a human. (damn, someone already beat me to that)

shoot, ok, well an ostrich's brain is pretty much the same size as its eye.

Answer 10

The leader in a clan of hyaenas is usually female. In fact females produces more testosterone than the male, as well as having a pseudo-phallas (u figure it out).