Buzz
Studying animals isn’t always a joyful experience. From time to time, you'll come across a fact so disturbing that it makes you vow never to leave your home again. Or at least, you’ll never see your beloved pet in the same way again. Animals don’t adhere to human expectations, and occasionally, they’ll break our hearts, disgust us, and leave us questioning our own instincts.
10. Lassie Won’t Be Your Hero
We’ve all heard about heroic dogs saving their owners from life-threatening situations, but research from the University of Western Ontario suggests these loyal companions are more the exception than the norm. The majority of dogs aren't clever enough to lend a paw in emergencies. And to make matters worse, some simply don’t care.
In the first of two experiments, 12 dog owners took their pets for walks in an open field. Aside from one stranger and a hidden camera, the area was completely deserted. When the duo reached a prearranged location, the owner simulated a heart attack and collapsed to the ground.
What followed was enough to make Rin Tin Tin hang his head in embarrassment. The dogs sniffed and nudged their owners for a few minutes, and when there was no response, the dogs simply wandered around the field for the remainder of the time. Only one dog, a toy poodle, approached the stranger, but all it wanted was to be petted.
Curious if the dogs were confused by the presence of a stranger, or if they simply didn’t understand the concept of a heart attack, the researchers set up a second trial. This time, the owners entered an office, passed by someone in the lobby, and then went into a back room where they became trapped beneath a fallen bookcase. They cried out for their dogs to run to the lobby and get help.
Unfortunately, just like the first trial, the dogs did not respond. Perhaps if they had been trained as rescue dogs, they would have known what to do. But without any prior experience, these canines just stood there, clueless. So much for being man's best friend.
9. Shoaling Fish Are Backstabbing Traitors
Two campers are hiking through the forest when they encounter an angry bear. The first camper says, “I’m glad I have my running shoes on.” The second responds, “You can’t outrun a bear!” “I don’t need to outrun the bear,” the first camper replies. “I just need to outrun you!”
This old joke illustrates a real survival tactic—selfish behavior, either passive or indirect, which is surprisingly common in the animal world. Scientists have observed many creatures hiding behind others when danger approaches. However, a recent study by researchers from the University of Salford Manchester discovered that some animals take a far more cunning approach to self-preservation.
In a study conducted with 64 two-spot astyanax fish, biologists found that some fish deliberately harm their companions when faced with a hungry predator. Using a fake tiger fish on a string, researchers simulated an attack on the astyanax in an aquarium. Some of the fish displayed complete betrayal, with one fish biting another, and in several instances, two astyanax teamed up to target one.
They weren’t just setting up one fish to be an easy target for the predator. When fish are injured, they release alarm signals that warn the rest of the school about the threat—and these signals also attract predators. Fully aware that the tiger fish would detect their injured companion, these astyanax fish deliberately harmed one of their own, hoping to distract the predator away from them.
8. Male Antelopes Use Psychological Tricks on Females
In 2010, Jacob Bro-Jorgensen from the University of Liverpool discovered that after mating, female topi antelopes often wander off. However, if the male wants to extend their interaction, he has a sneaky way to persuade her to stay.
The male runs ahead of the female and stares into the bushes. Suddenly, his ears perk up, and he begins snorting—behavior that signals danger. He’s tricking the female into thinking a lion or wild dog is nearby, and suggesting that it would be safer if she stuck around a little longer.
In the male’s defense, females are only in heat for a single day each year, a day spent traveling from one location to another, mating with about four different males, approximately 11 times each. The competition among males is fierce, making it difficult for them to successfully mate. That’s why they resort to tricking females into staying longer. This gives them the chance to mate a few extra times, gaining an edge over the other males on the savanna.
Topi behavior goes far beyond just psychological manipulation. These animals can be downright ruthless. On occasion, they have been known to stay silent when they spot a predator sneaking up on a romantic rival. All is fair in love and war.
7. Koalas Can Pass on STDs
Although they appear adorable and cuddly, it’s best to keep your distance from a koala. Particularly, you should avoid picking one up, as most koalas are infected with Chlamydia. As we’ve previously learned, up to 90 percent of these creatures carry the silent STD, and they’re more than willing to spread it. They might even pass it on to humans.
Koalas can carry one of two strains of Chlamydia, C. pecorum and C. pneumonia. While C. pecorum is mainly found in animals like koalas, water buffaloes, pigs, and bandicoots, it turns out humans are quite susceptible to C. pneumonia, a harmful bacterium that causes respiratory infections.
Yes, it's true. A koala can transmit an STD, but not in the way you might expect. These marsupials pass their STD to humans through their urine. If you happen to pick up one of these disease-carrying koalas, the animal may decide to relieve itself right on you. The bacteria-laden urine then splashes on your skin, leading to uncomfortable symptoms and an awkward conversation with your significant other.
6. Flesh-Eating Caterpillars
Remember the terrifying giant bugs that attack the heroes in King Kong? Now, shrink them down and you have the flesh-eating larvae of butterflies found on the Hawaiian Islands. Unlike ordinary caterpillars that feast on leaves, these vicious larvae prefer dining on flies, roaches, and even other caterpillars. They wouldn’t consider eating a plant even if they were starving.
Equipped with sharp, hook-like appendages, these caterpillars from the genus Eupithecia spend their time clinging to twigs and leaves, waiting for an unsuspecting insect to pass by. When a fly brushes up against their bodies, the caterpillar attacks, striking like a spring-loaded trap, sinking its sharp forelegs into the insect’s body.
The Eupithecia caterpillars aren’t the only predatory larvae on the islands. Meet Hyposmocoma molluscivora, a caterpillar that drags its silk home wherever it goes. These creatures live in silk cases, pulling them along tree branches as they hunt for snails. When H. molluscivora encounters a snail, it goes into predator mode, wrapping the gastropod in silk to prevent it from retreating into its shell or escaping the branch. The caterpillar then forces its silk casing inside the snail’s shell, trapping its prey.
Once the larva has finished its meal, it often attaches the empty shell to its home, using it as a disguise for future ambushes.
5. Meerkats: Ruthless Slave Masters
Meerkats are often seen hanging out with warthogs, residing in tropical paradises, and singing 'Hakuna Matata.' However, their seemingly adorable nature hides their vicious tendencies—they practice infanticide and force subordinates into servitude.
A meerkat group is ruled by an alpha pair, a male and female who demand complete obedience, punishing those who disobey with exile. These dominant figures control all duties and strictly regulate mating. Only the alpha couple is permitted to reproduce, and when a subordinate meerkat breaks the mating rules, the punishment is severe.
If a female meerkat gives birth to a litter, the dominant female will murder every last pup. The mother then faces two choices: she can either raise the alpha female's offspring, or she can leave the group forever. Most opt for the first choice, becoming wet nurses to the alpha's young. Those who refuse are exiled from the colony, forced to fend for themselves.
As you might expect, life is harsh for a solitary meerkat, and those females exiled from the clan often fall victim to predators. In desperation, some return to the colony, pleading to be accepted back. If they are allowed back in, they are condemned to serve the queen, caring for her young, a task that drains them and causes significant weight loss.
4. Mulga Snakes Will Bite You In Your Sleep
Snakes are typically more frightened of humans than we are of them. They will only bite if they feel threatened, and most of the time, they'll retreat at the first sign of people... except for the mulga snake. This menacing creature will bite humans while they sleep.
The mulga, or king brown, holds the title of the largest venomous land snake in Australia, which is no small feat considering the many deadly serpents found across the continent. While not as dangerous as the taipan, the mulga releases far more venom. For example, a tiger snake produces only 10-20 milligrams when milked, while the mulga can release as much as 150 milligrams.
In a recent study, scientists reviewed 27 cases of king brown bites. Most of these incidents were caused by people provoking the snakes, but 10 of the bites occurred without any provocation from humans. Seven of those occurred while the victims were simply sleeping in their beds.
The researchers weren’t entirely sure why the mulga snakes targeted sleeping humans. One theory is that the snakes were initially drawn to rodents but became startled by the presence of a person. A more unsettling possibility is that the snakes were attracted by the body heat of the sleeper. Or perhaps they had grown tired of their usual diet and were seeking something more substantial. Sleep well, Australians.
3. Elephants Might Eat You
In 2011, the Sundarban Islands in West Bengal, India, were under siege. As local farmers cleared land for cultivation, they encountered more and more elephants. These encounters often escalated into violent confrontations, where the humans were crushed underfoot like insects.
Most of the farmers in the area were Hindu and believed it was wrong to harm elephants. However, they made an exception for one particularly violent female elephant. This elephant had already claimed 17 human lives, leading wildlife officials to get the green light to track and kill her. After successfully shooting the elephant, a necropsy revealed something shocking—this elephant had swallowed one of her victims whole. It’s believed that her violent behavior began after she witnessed farmers chasing her calf.
While such behavior is rare, it wasn’t an isolated event. In previous instances, scientists have observed elephants unearthing and consuming human remains. Then there's the unsettling case of Chang, the Asian elephant from the Zurich Zoo. Chang had a notoriously violent temperament, but despite his aggression, he was beloved by Bertha Walt, a frequent visitor who felt a special bond with the animal. Bertha believed that all animals were kinder than people, and one day she discovered the keeper’s entrance to Chang’s enclosure and decided to enter and befriend him.
One night, when the zoo was empty, Bertha sneaked into Chang’s pen... and was devoured. Not only did Chang eat her body, but he also consumed her clothes, shoes, and even her purse. Surprisingly, the zoo did not euthanize Chang. His life was spared after protests from his keeper, Hans Reitmann.
Chang wasn’t particularly grateful. Shortly after devouring Bertha, he went on to kill Reitmann as well.
2. Sea Turtles Will Rape You
During mating season, male sea turtles are relentlessly on the prowl for their next partner. These massive creatures, which can weigh up to 180 kilograms (400 pounds), approach females from behind, grabbing them by the shoulders with their clawed flippers before latching on with a hook-like tip at the end of their tail. The males then pin their mates to the ocean floor, holding on for hours—sometimes up to 12 or more.
While this behavior is normal during turtle-on-turtle mating, things get significantly more awkward (and dangerous) when these turtles take an interest in humans. In 2007, conservation geneticist Brian Bowen was collecting fish off the coast of Australia when a lustful, 100-kilogram (220-pound) green turtle attempted to mount him. Bowen fought off the creature with his Hawaiian sling, warding off three more advances before the disappointed turtle swam off.
Bruce Gernon, a real estate agent from Islamorda, had a similar encounter with a loggerhead turtle that forced him to the ocean floor. As the turtle wrapped its flippers around his shoulders and, as Bruce described it, 'probed me in the backside,' he managed to thrust a lobster into the turtle's face. The confused creature released Gernon, allowing him to swim to safety.
1. Hippos Are Carnivore Cannibals
Many animals that are believed to be herbivores have been known to occasionally indulge in a little meat. But unlike most of these creatures, hippos are true carnivores when it comes to eating flesh. They are the mammalian version of Hannibal Lecter. Instances of hippo cannibalism have been observed multiple times, and some even captured on film.
This cannibalism is highly unusual behavior for animals typically associated with vegetarian diets. However, when stressed due to overcrowding or suffering from a lack of nutrients, hippos will not hesitate to devour a dead relative. This unusual feeding habit may have played a role in the major anthrax outbreak of 2004, which claimed the lives of hundreds of hippos.
Hippos don’t just feast on their own kind; they’ve been known to occasionally snack on the bodies of impalas. In one startling account from the government of Addis Ababa, some hippos were reported to be actively hunting cattle. Known for their deadly tendencies, hippos kill up to 2,900 people every year, and it's possible that they might even consume humans as part of their diet.
In 2013, river guide Paul Templer was navigating Zimbabwe’s Zambezi River when a bull hippo charged at him. The enraged animal killed Paul’s apprentice before turning on Paul. As Templer recalled, 'There was no transition at all... It was as if I had suddenly gone deaf and blind.' Moments earlier, he had been basking in sunshine, but now he found himself enveloped in darkness, slime, and a horrible stench 'like rotten eggs.' He could feel water on his legs, but his upper body remained dry... and that’s when he realized he was inside the hippopotamus.
Swallowed whole, Templer fought to free himself. The hippo grabbed him once more, dragging him under the water and taking him along for the ride before releasing him. Templer suffered 40 deep wounds, some of which exposed his lungs, and had one arm amputated. But the question remains: Did the hippo actually intend to eat him, or was it simply trying to kill him?
Regardless of the hippo’s intent, Templer’s experience serves as a stark reminder: stay away from the Zambezi River... unless you’re Paul Templer. Despite losing an arm, Templer returned to his river guide duties after recovering, taking tourists down the same river. He may be missing a limb, but he certainly hasn’t lost his courage.
+Crocodiles Can Climb Trees
Once you enter crocodile territory, there’s no escaping it. If a croc wants you, it will likely get you. In the water, crocodiles can swim up to 32 kilometers (20 miles) per hour, and on land, they can sprint up to 17 kilometers (11 miles) per hour for short distances. You might think you can outrun one if you dodge its first lunge, but never make the mistake of climbing a tree. Crocs and alligators are surprisingly skilled at climbing tree trunks.
Since 1972, scientists have documented crocodilians reaching places they have no business being, with reports from Mexico, Mississippi, Colombia, Australia, and the Nile. These reptiles have been found lounging on tree branches as high as 5 meters (16 feet) from the riverbanks. Baby crocodiles cling to reeds, while older ones have been spotted as high as 10 meters (32 feet) off the ground.
While it's assumed that these crocs are simply basking in the sun or searching for a better view, one terrifying encounter occurred in Australia, where a group of scientists saw a crocodile attempting to climb a chain-link fence. There's no escaping; if the crocodile wants you, it will get you.
