12 Weird, Interesting, and Bizarre Animal Behaviors
Each person has their own way of dealing with situations. Like humans, animals tend to display weird, wild, and interesting behavior from time to time. The animal kingdom is full of creatures that are smarter, funnier, and more complex than people realize, which is reflected in their animal behavior. It might come as a surprise but they’re not all brainless animals. Many have interesting and strange ways of dealing with their emotion and enemies.
The average person will be shocked to find out the different ways these animal species act when their backs are up against the wall, or they find a fellow animal attractive. Some animals can’t handle getting scared, passing out like toddlers learning to walk. Many animals are like teenagers avoiding responsibilities or drinking too much at parties. As you will discover below, animals have behaviors that are just as strange as humans.
1. The Fainting Goat
It’s safe to say myotonic goats should avoid horror movies, haunted houses, and roller coasters. These wild animals, better known as fainting goats, pass out when startled, scared, or freaked out. Unfortunately, it happens a lot as they get scared easily. The goats faint due to a condition known as Myotonia Congentia.
When the goats are startled, their muscle cells undergo prolonged contraction, causing them to pass out like they had too much to drink. Each fainting goat has their own way of fainting as well. While most fall over on their side, others roll to their backs with their legs in the air, giving the appearance that they are dead. While animal welfare is paramount, animal behaviorists have found the wild animal usually doesn’t suffer any long-term effects from fainting, just the odd scratch or bruise from the landing.
2. The Bower Bird’s Secrets To Falling in Love
The exotic bower birds have their own unique way of impressing the ladies. Some guys will use poetry to win over the one they love. Others hit the gym to build their giant muscles, while some become millionaires and flaunt their wealth. Male bower birds go about the courtship process of creating and decorating beautiful homes. These aren’t ordinary nests though; they’re stunning architectural marvels of the animal kingdom.
The reason for these extravagant creations is that female bowerbirds can’t resist a beautiful home. The male often decorates the house with flowers, pebbles, and dry grass. If she’s really special, they’ll use rocks to decorate the nest. The male will spend hours making sure the colors match perfectly. The competition is so fierce devious male bowerbirds aren’t adverse to destroying the home of a rival vying for the same heart. Savage.
3. Vervet Monkeys Are Party Animals
From a distance, vervet monkeys seem like any other monkey. They have distinct black faces and gray hair. They’re old-world monkeys from Africa introduced to places like Florida, Barbados, and St. Kitts. Unlike other animals, vervet monkeys struggle with anxiety, hypertension, and alcohol dependency.
When vervet monkeys came to the island of St. Kitts roughly 300 years ago, they developed a taste for alcohol after feasting on fermented sugar cane. Coupled with the increase in tourism, vervet monkeys are now unafraid to walk up to a tourist and steal their rum and coke, get drunk, fight with other monkeys, and pass out.
4. Elephants Mourn the Dead
Elephants are known for their calm yet dangerous nature. They’re large animals that can pull and push heavy equipment or take people for the ride of a lifetime. Elephants also tend to display emotional behavior in certain situations and are known to mourn the dead. They perform several rituals when a fellow elephant dies and will stop and become silent when they approach elephant bones.
Elephants will even investigate with their trunks to determine the cause of death. When a member of their herd dies, elephants stop eating and drinking while standing by the body for hours. Other elephants even visit the grave sites of those that passed away. They also bow their heads to their fallen elephants, whether they knew them well or not.
5. Pigeons Procrastinate
Sometimes, people procrastinate and put off completing tasks or assignments for hours and days. No animal has mastered the art of procrastination like the pigeon. They take their time flying out of the way of people or oncoming traffic. Even more than humans, pigeons will run away from their problems or, in their case, fly away. Sadly, all pigeons learn that you can never really fly away from problems or the challenges you face in life.
6. Horned Lizards Shoot Blood Out of Their Eyes
It’s never a good idea to mess with a horned lizard. Horned lizards have one of the most dangerous and disgusting animal behaviors. When they sense danger is near, horned lizards are like any other creature and will run away and try and camouflage themselves.
When their backs are truly against the wall, the horned lizards resort to their deadliest weapon. They have the ability to shoot blood out of their eyes and into the mouths and eyes of predators. This is due to Horned lizards having the unique ability to stop blood flowing to their brain. As their blood pressure increases, it ruptures the vessels and allows them to shoot blood from their eyes. This is one animal you only want to encounter in your local zoos and not on a peaceful walk in a park.
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7. Crows Never Forget
No ex-boyfriend or girlfriend can hold a grudge like a crow. Crows are famous for their haunting and evil behavior. Due to having an incredible memory, crows never forget someone that caused them pain. A test revealed they remember the faces of their abductors and would dive attack them if spotted outside. A second test took the experiment to the next level.
Researchers abducted 12 male crows while wearing scary masks. They put on a nice mask for the next several weeks when feeding the birds. A scan revealed the birds became agitated when seeing the scary mask but remained calm with the nice mask. In other words, never cross a crow. They won’t forget and will haunt your soul for eternity.
8. Ants Walk Until They Die
Despite being so tiny, ants are fascinating creatures who have the odd behavior of following each other to their deaths. Since many ants are blind, army ants rely on following the pheromone of the other ants to guide them. When one ant loses the scent, it can cause a devastating chain reaction. All the other ants begin to follow the ant that lost its way. They create a colossal spiral known as an ant mill as the insects become so exhausted and begin to cark it, which is quite tragic really.
9. Pistol Shrimp
The ocean is a dark and mysterious place. It’s a scary place for tiny creatures like the pistol shrimp. They must be ready to defend themselves against any predator lurking in the shadows. Luckily, they have one of the most interesting weapons in their arsenal.
Scientists have found the pistol shrimp creates a gunshot-like sound when it snaps its claw quickly, stunning any predator lurking in the shadows. Pistol shrimp uses the water to form a stream at 60 mph, creating a bubble that bangs when it explodes. The combination of the loud bang and heat from the bubble is enough to make most predators swim away. It looks like there’s a new sheriff in town.
10. Meerkats Teach Their Pups To Hunt Scorpions
Some baby animals are left to fend for themselves in the cruel and harsh animal kingdom. But when it comes to meerkats, they care deeply for their pups and their behavior reflects this. Instead of letting the pups struggle to survive, their parents care for them and teach them to hunt. Since scorpions are an essential part of a meerkat’s diet, the pups have to learn to hunt them at some point. The parents put their kids through an intensive training program for several weeks to achieve this goal.
First, the parents bring back dead scorpions so their infant mammals can learn the basics. The pups are taught to attack the scorpions without the risk of getting stung. The adults teach their kids how to avoid the toxins and remove the stinger. The parents then bring back nearly dead scorpions before the final exam of hunting a live scorpion. It’s like driver’s ed but for meerkats hunting their dinner.
11. Naked Mole Rats are Fast Runners Backwards
The naked mole rat is easily recognizable with its distinctive appearance. Don’t let its appearance fool you though, as mole rats are agile and fast athletes that can beat most animals in a foot race. Their most unique skill is the ability to run backward as fast as they can forward.
It’s their best defense against predators and comes in handy in tunnels and tight spaces. They don’t have to waste time turning around. They simply shift gears to reverse and take off. They are the only animal with this unique skill that gets them out of more than one jam.
12. The Spotted Skunks Execute a Handstand Before Spraying
It’s a well-known fact that when skunks feel threatened or endangered, they’ll spray their predator with a disgusting-smelling concoction that nobody wants to experience. While all skunks have this weapon in their arsenal, there are various types of skunks with different ways of spraying.
For example, the spotted skunk adds a little flare to its self-defense strategy. Like an Olympic gymnast, spotted skunks are known to do backflips to avoid a predator. They also do a handstand before spraying their victim, which is the ultimate flex.
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