Misconceptions About Wild Animals : Wild animals have been a source of fascination and mystery for countless generations, but many of our views are based on myths and misconceptions. Think you know all there is to know about wild animals? Here’s a look at 10 of the most common misconceptions about them. Despite what you may have heard, wild animals have much more complex lives than we generally think and they don’t always behave in the ways we expect.
For example, did you know that many animals have complex social lives with intricate relationships that often defy our expectations? Or that some animals actually hunt in packs, unlike the solitary creatures we often assume them to be? Read on to learn more about the surprising truth behind common misconceptions about wild animals.
1. Bats Are Blind
One of the common misconceptions about wild animals is that bats are blind. This is far from the truth. Bats actually have excellent vision, and use echolocation to navigate in the dark. They rely heavily on these senses, which are far more precise than human sight. While bats are nocturnal and have an excellent sensitivity to light, they do not rely solely on their sense of hearing to detect their prey, but also use their vision.
Bats use their eyes to identify food and predators, and to detect changes in their environment. In addition, they use their ears to detect the direction and distance of their prey. So, it is inaccurate to say that Bats are blind; they actually have quite good vision, and use it to their advantage.
2. Bears Hibernate
Bears have long been associated with hibernation and the coming winter, but in reality, they do no such thing. Some species do enter a state of torpor, but others remain active throughout the entire season. What’s more, all of them remain fully conscious during the period, unlike true hibernators like squirrels and bats.
What bears do do is eat an enormous amount of food, especially protein, during autumn, storing it all as fat to keep them going through the winter months when everything is frozen and there’s next to nothing for them to eat. They do so because their metabolism gets slower and they need less food, but still remain active and retain the ability to shiver if they get too warm.
3. Turkeys Can’t Fly.
One common misconception about wild animals is that turkeys can’t fly. This is not true! Turkeys can actually fly for short distances and use their wings for gliding. They may not reach the same heights as some other birds, but turkeys can definitely take off and soar.
In fact, turkeys can reach altitudes of up to 55 feet and travel distances of up to 1/4 mile! Turkeys are surprisingly agile in the air, and can make sharp turns and sudden stops–all feats that belie the misconception that turkeys can’t fly. So, the next time you hear someone say that turkeys can’t fly, you can tell them that this is not the case! Turkeys can fly!
4. Sheep Are Stupid
While some species are indeed quite stupid, such as the American bison, which has been cloned for its stupidity (and for its meat), others are far from it. Sheep, for example, are renowned for their intelligence and ability to respond to human contact, making them a favorite choice for laboratory testing requiring a controlled response. What’s more, it’s now believed that they’re capable of feeling pain and exhibiting compassion, making them increasingly controversial as a food source.
5. Animals Don’t Commemorate Death
While most of us mourn loved ones who have passed away, we often assume that other species don’t do the same. But this isn’t the case; in fact, many animals do mourn their dead, often for long periods of time, and do so in similar ways to humans. Elephants, for example, are highly social animals whose family and social groups are often very close.
When an elephant dies, the rest of the herd will often stay with the body, touching it and paying it great respect, as if paying their respects to a loved one. Chimpanzees, meanwhile, have even been observed to hold funerals for their fallen comrades, with the group gathering to pay their respects.
6. Crocodiles Are Slow
Crocodiles are ferocious creatures whose bite would make an alligator seem almost friendly, yet we often think of them as being slow, sluggish creatures. In reality, they are far from this, with some species being able to leap out of the water faster than a cheetah can run. They usually keep their mouths closed when they’re on land, so as not to reveal the teeth, but when hunting, they open them very quickly and make a clicking sound that creates vibrations in the water that make it difficult for prey to detect them.
7. Males Can’t Lactate
We often think of men as being unable to produce milk, but this isn’t the case. While human males don’t possess the mammary glands found in women, some species of rodent do and can therefore lactate. It’s thought that this ability has evolved as a way of keeping the young alive when the mother is unavailable, such as when she’s away collecting food. The males then step in and provide milk to feed the offspring until they’re old enough to survive without it.
8. Pigs Are Stupid
Pigs may not be the brightest animals out there, but they are a lot smarter than many people think. They’ve been known to play games and have been trained to perform household tasks, while they’re also excellent at finding food, often outperforming dogs. They’re also highly social and have a complex system of communication, with different grunts meaning different things, depending on the situation. They’re also very good at problem-solving, achieving high scores in intelligence tests, and are able to grasp concepts such as numbers and even basic physics.
9. Ostriches put their head in the sand
The idea that ostriches bury their heads in the sand and so can’t be seen is a very old one, with the first mention of it being written in the Bible. In reality, this species is very aware of its surroundings, able to detect predators from over a mile away, with their eyesight being particularly strong. They’re also able to run fast enough to catch a cheetah, along with being able to use their wings to both fly and swim. Sometimes they may bury their heads in sand, but this is to protect themselves from the sun, rather than to go unnoticed.
10. You Can Charm A Snake With Music
Snakes have a very simplistic and straightforward way of thinking, meaning that we can’t really charm them with music. In reality, they’re able to hear very well and often respond to noises, meaning that if you play music and they hear it, they’re likely to respond. If you stop the music, the snake will stop too, and vice versa. While some snakes do seem to respond to music in a positive way, others might respond negatively, so there’s no real way of telling how they’ll react.
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Conclusion
Wild animals are much more complex than we often realize, and it’s important that we understand this. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that they’re more like robots than living, breathing creatures, and that leads to a false sense of security. If we understand that many species are far more intelligent than we often give them credit for, it means that we’re more likely to be able to protect ourselves and prevent unnecessary death and injury.