Honey bees

Honey bees are a significant animal species on earth. They are social insects that live in colonies with a strong social organization. Bee colonies consist of the queen, soldiers that protect the queen, sterile males, and workers. Whenever bees sense food, they do a unique dance known as the waggle dance, and it directs other members of the colony to the food source. Scientists came up with an astounding discovery that bees can count, add, and subtract after showing them that yellow meant subtraction and blue meant addition.

Horses

Horses have always fascinated humans since time immemorial. They are symbols of status in society. It is deemed prestigious to own a horse. There is a special relationship and a deep understanding between humans and horses.  The bond is one of the reasons humans use horses in racing. Horses understand various symbols, signals, and they can communicate in different ways. They are fast learners.

New Zealand robins

The New Zealand robins are another wonder to behold. They are exceptional at reading their mate’s behaviors and what they want, something that most human men can’t seem to understand. New Zealand robins know what their mates want to eat and when.  Female robins are much like human females with changing appetites. The male robin will try to accommodate these changes, which is usually hard for human males.

Jumping spider

The jumping spider is brilliant, despite the small size of its brain. Jumping spiders have a perfect vision which they use to capture their prey effectively.  They have quick reflexes that allow them to move faster than other animals.  Losing the physical sight of their food does not discourage them from searching. The Jumping spiders will always continue with the search until they finally find their food, and most often they do.

Squirrels

Squirrels are intelligent animals that bury their food when they sense that someone may be watching them as they handle it. They hide it somewhere on their bodies, but they pretend to have buried it. When they do this, they run off somewhere else to bury the food. Squirrels are experts at solving problems, and they always find their food quickly.  People consider them as pests, but if viewed closely, they are smart animals with brains.

Octopodes

Octopuses, Squids, and cuttlefish are the smartest invertebrates underwater. Octopuses are crafty animals, and it is for this reason that people struggle to keep them in aquariums.  They are curious animals that can solve puzzles and open jars. Octopuses use coconut shells as their hiding places along see floors.

Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees and humans are incredibly similar. They are our closest living relatives, and we share about 99% of our DNA.  Chimpanzees mostly live in social communities, and they adapt to different environments just as humans do.  They can also learn sign language. Chimps are primarily vegetarians, but they can eat meat and insects from time to time. The similarity between chimps and humans makes their interaction possible.

Pigs

Research shows that pigs are among the smartest, cleanest domestic animals on earth. People may not believe this, but the mud they roll in help to cool off their bodies because they do not have sweat glands. Pigs are similar to humans in the sense that they interact with others. They have superior long-term memories. They use mirrors to find food.

Whales

Whales are magnificent creatures that swim through the ocean gloriously. They are social animals that live in schools.  One similarity between humans and whales is the ability to communicate using local dialects, such as the Sperm whale.  They can also learn from each other.

Whales show altruistic behavior where they can put their lives in danger to protect others. A good example is the humpback whale which objects to orcas that kills gray whale calves.  Altruism is a high form of intelligence.

Elephants

Elephants have the biggest brain compared to all other animals. The cortex has many neurons, just like the human brain.  Elephants have amazing abilities, they can see themselves in mirrors, and they can also learn. They show compassion and help each other in the wild. Elephants use their trunks to communicate with other elephants.  They can memorize the location of watering holes due to their exceptional memories.

Crows

Crows can operate on the level of a seven-year child due to their high intelligence.  They have a super memory and can remember where they store objects and the location of their prey.

Crows can remember different human faces, and surprisingly, they can even hold grudges against people.  They can communicate with each other and warn other crows about approaching danger. They understand that every person is unique, which is impressive.

African Grey Parrots

African Grey Parrots are said to be the cleverest of their species. Studies have proven that they possess brilliant reasoning abilities. These birds need to exercise and socialize often.  African Grey Parrots are hard to keep occupied, and this is the reason they keep talking for a long time. These parrots have a mental capacity of a five-year-old child, a rare occurrence in other birds.

Bottlenose dolphins

Bottlenose dolphins are beautiful creatures that communicate with other dolphins using vocal signatures.  They use vocal learning to develop these vocal signatures. This vocal signature identifies each dolphin.

Dolphins help ill or injured dolphins that are members of a pod. They mostly join humans to catch fish, which is their chance to get food.

Baboons

Baboons are smart animals that mostly live in social groups.  They may not have an intellectual level as apes, but they are brilliant in their unique way. Researchers have put baboon to test, and they have discovered that they have a keen understanding of mathematics and numbers. Baboons are capable of building friendships and maintaining functional social interactions. They are friendly animals that relate well with others even if they don’t belong to their pack. They can adapt to different environmental conditions.

Dogs

Dogs are incredible animals that have a unique bond with humans. They are essential in the police force for search and rescue; they guide and support the blind. Dogs are man’s closest friend as they take care of man and man also takes care of them.

Dogs are intelligent animals that can solve problems independently and understand how others feel. By understanding the emotions of those around them, dogs can react and respond appropriately.

Raccoons

Raccoons are very stubborn animals, but this is mainly due to their high level of intelligence. They are constantly running to steal food in houses, they scavenge in trash cans and can smell food from long distances.  They hide in strange places, but when the time is right, they come out to get food.

Cats

Research has shown that cat brains are more advanced than dog brains. Cats have a complex cerebral cortex which has 140 million more neurons than dogs. A cat’s brain can process information, make decisions, and solve problems. Cats build lasting friendships with humans.

Pigeons

Pigeons are quite intelligent animals that often considered rats with wings. They teach their young ones about flying techniques and the best flying routes. Pigeons have been included in many experiments to test animal cognition. They can recognize the 26 letters of the English language. Pigeons can be taught complex actions and how to respond to them.

Blackspot tuskfish

The blackspot tuskfish is a resourceful fish that enjoys feeding on prey that has a hard shell, like the clams, snails, and crustaceans. To break the shell, this fish will repeatedly slam the victim into a rock, and when the shell breaks, it enjoys its meal.

Monitor lizards and red-footed tortoises

Monitor lizards have an astonishing ability for problem solving, understanding, and are fast learners. They are among the smartest reptiles.

The red-footed tortoises learn through watching the activities of other tortoises. They use environmental strategies to search for food.

 Manta rays

Manta rays have the biggest brains out of all the fish underwater.  The intelligence capacity is more extensive than average in some sections of their brains than others.  They are curious, and unlike other animals, they inspect themselves when presented with a mirror. Manta rays interact with others in the ocean while showing off their skills.

 Rats and mice

Rats are small social animals known to be altruistic. Scientists in labs have used them due to their social nature.  These rodents can have feelings of happiness and can also be stressed. From experiments, rats learned to share things with other rats and even learned to free their mates from traps.

Ants

Ants are small insects that live in social groups. They may be insufficient as individuals, but they become very efficient when they come together as a group. Ants have the smell of different ‘jobs’ on their bodies. When one ant cannot smell a particular job on another ant, say if they cannot detect a food ant, they quickly take on that job. Ants have bigger brains than other insects, and together they can do almost anything.

Moray eels and groupers

Fish are not the smartest marine animals, but when it comes to the moray eels and groupers, they are an exception! They come together to form the most efficient hunting group.

The grouper shows the moray eel where a pray is hiding by performing a headstand. When the moray eel prises the prey from its hiding place, the grouper catches it.

Emerald anole lizard

Emerald anole lizard is a small crafty lizard that catches its prey from above.  Researchers tested their adaptation to different hunting strategies by putting food in a hole with a cap on. The lizards bit off the cap with their snouts. This ability altered the perception that reptiles only act upon instinct, clearly showing that reptiles can also adapt to certain conditions.

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A study on killer whales seems to have helped researches find the missing puzzle piece in the case of the evolutionary mystery that is menopause.

Menopause is the chapter that ends most women’s reproductive lives, when menstrual periods end permanently, and they can no longer become pregnant. Women generally experience menopause between 49 and 52 years of age.

That means we, as humans, basically stop reproducing halfway through our lives, unlike the majority of animals around the world. Even our friendly companions, dogs and cats, have a lengthier reproductive life than us (when considering the difference in life expectancy).

Dogs do not experience menopause, although their cycles may become irregular and infrequent. Menopause has been observed in a few other species closer to our ecosystem (chimpanzees, or elephants), but the subjects have mostly been captive individuals; this making the results incomparable to what actually happens outside of captivity.

To get some conclusive answers, researches started exploring the post-reproductive lives of animals in the wild, with the study on killer whales being the true eye-opener on the matter!

Darren Croft of Exeter University shared a few different theories behind this atypical evolutionary trait, after studying killer whales for several years.

The “Evolutionary Accident” theory suggests that menopause is among one of the many accidents that stuck around, as evolution solidified its “survival of the fittest” rule.

This theory suggests that this trait occurred in our lineage sometime in our recent evolution, and we’ve been carrying it through generations.

However, Croft himself says that this theory is easily disproved simply by pointing out just how infrequently menopause manifests in the animal kingdom.

Menopause is more likely a post-reproductive stage of life that’s deeply embedded into our evolutionary journey for a reason.

But what is that reason?

The “Granny” theory is one of the earliest ideas meant to identify a cause for menopause.

Apparently, older females from species that experience menopause are programmed to stop reproducing just to help with raising their grand-kids.

So instead of pushing for more children of their own, they devote themselves to giving the next generation a better chance to reach adulthood, losing their reproductive abilities in the process.

The eldest matriarch of a killer whale clan has been shown to call the other whales from mile away, guiding them to the best salmon hunting spots. A granny never lets her grand-kids go hungry!

The main downside of the “granny” theory is that is doesn’t account for all the other species that lead the pack as the elders of a group, but continue to breed (like elephants for example).

Although the “granny” theory explains how the post-reproductive life of menopausal species looks like, the “Reproductive Conflict” theory explains why certain species stop reproducing in the first place.

A study on several orca mothers that were near menopausal age revealed breakthrough information! These orca mothers were paying a higher price for reproducing, when in competition with their younger daughters.

The offspring of middle-aged females were more likely to die than those of their younger counterparts. This fact, along with the “granny” effect, lead menopause to becoming a thing in killer whale populations!

So just like humans, killer whales that have reached the menopausal stage of their reproductive life will start to look for a new purpose in life. A middle-age crisis if you will.

Most species in the animal kingdom are innately driven by their fertility. Females from these species are basically doomed once they become infertile. And that’s because they no longer contribute to the main goal of the group: propagating the species!

Whichever theory is correct, in the case of menopause, finding a purpose beyond your fiercest instincts is an amazing thing to observe in the wild.

Women have full control over their reproductive lives. And we see the “granny” effect as the most endearing hypothesis. But it’s remarkable to see this type of complex behavior taking place in such a few select other species.

One would imagine that an elder orca will be more successful in passing along its genes by continuing to reproduce later in life. It invests energy into giving her grandchildren better odds. It accepts the fact that her late-in-life offspring would suffer facing their younger competitors. An amazing decision-making process seen from the animals we share this evolutionary anomaly with!

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However, thanks to the internet, because you can get to discover things you will never find in your library. In this post, we shall be looking at 7 animals you probably didn’t know existed.

Ready for them?

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The Low Quality of Life.
About 26% of households in the UK own a dog while in the U.S., about 47.6% own a dog. Despite this, not many of these households understand the adverse effect of an overweight dog. The rate at which pets are becoming obese is quite alarming as it is said that one in every three cats of dogs is overweight.
While this study’s focus was not on the reasons for the extra weight, it is said that the feeding routine of these dogs has a significant role to play in making them obese. As according to the survey by Better Cities for Pet Survey, 54% of dog and cat owners give these pets whatever they ask for while 22% of these owners give their pets more food to make them happy.
While these owners may have good intentions, most of them are not aware of the complications their intentions can cause. They are ignorant of the fact that having too much weight can cause issues like difficulty in breathing, joint issues, cancer, and poor life quality. All these have impacts on the longevity of these pet’s life.
Owners should be careful of what they give to their pets as food. They should reduce the unnecessary affection of giving them left over and take time out to know how best to go about feeding their dogs as it would determine how long they would live. Just about one pet owner in 5 takes time out to measure the food they give their dogs while 4 in 5 of these owners estimate what they think their pets should eat per serving.

Healthy ways to Manage Weight in Pets
To live a healthy life, you must always remember that prevention is a better alternative to cure. This implies that rather than wait for a time when you would be going around for a cure to any challenge your dog will face, why not prevent it now when you can. To prevent the adverse effect of obesity, you have to discover it early enough. Here are some things to do to ensure your pet is perfectly weighed

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My Chicken’s Symphony was Patrick’s debut in this industry and even if his owner took the full credit for the arrangements (but still left the melody to Patrick), he was still highly acclaimed by Youtube users:

Up to the point where he started being identified with some classical chicken musicians:

However some were more pretentious and complained about Patrick’s improvisation:

Considering Patrick’s initial success, he decided to move a step further and composed the Chicken Sonata, which definitely coined him as an emblematic chicken musician:

Isn’t it interesting how Patrick is given full credit now? I believe Igorrr was finally able to deal with the success Patrick had, which might have been even greater than his own… The Youtube users however weren’t paying attention to that, since they were more focused on Patrick’s interpretation:

Some of them couldn’t help but make fun of Patrick’s skills:

While others were focused on posing some interesting safety related issues:

In the end, I guess it all boils down to the fact that Igorrr brought such a talent to the general public, thing that we should all be grateful for:

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What began as an act of kindness quickly revolutionized into a project that every animal lovers’ dreams of doing. Cohen, a home builder, rescued cats that were abandoned and kept in shelters where they were not being adopted. After reading the book The Cats’ House by Bob Walker, he knew his skills in home building could be put to great use. When his full-time job reached a point of free-time, he traded tools with contractors and carpenters and consulted with experts on how to design his home and add additions for his serval cats.

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