Kids are naturally inquisitive so why not wow your kids with some fun facts about animals? Even if you don’t have time to tour the local zoo or aquarium; that doesn’t mean your kids can’t always be learning about animals. Whether you’re talking about exotic wild animals or domesticated ones, it’s always fun to find out some new and interesting facts about animals of all kinds. Here are six fun facts about animals that will excite your kids.
The fur of a polar bear isn’t white
Although most of us commonly assume that a polar bear has white fur, that isn’t the case. Polar bears have black skin, which helps attract the sun and keep them warm, and translucent fur. The fur only appears white because it reflects the light.
An elephant’s trunk contains more muscles than the human body
The trunk of an elephant is amazing. Not only do elephants use their trunks to lift objects that can weigh as much as 700 pounds, but their trunks contain more muscles than the human body. These muscles also help elephants use their trunk tip “fingers” to help pick up objects as small as a peanut. Elephants also use their trunks to show affection, often wrapping their trunks around other elephants.
Sloths are unusually strong
You may often see sloths hanging from trees and that’s because they are incredibly strong. In fact, as soon as a baby sloth is born, they have the strength to hang from a tree branch with just one arm. Despite having 30% less muscle mass than mammals of a similar size, they are over three times stronger than a typical human, according to The Sloth Conservation Foundation.
Cats age 15 times faster than humans
Most of us know that one year for humans is equivalent to 7 dog years, but did you know that it’s also equal to 15 cat years? Well, at least for their first year, anyway. Most experts agree that a cat’s first birthday is equivalent to 15 human years and 24 years by their second birthday. After that, they typically age at 4 human years each year.
Puppies are born without hearing
Puppies don’t develop a sense of hearing until they’re about 3 weeks old, but once they do, they’re hearing is much better than that of the average human. They can hear about four times better than most people, as well as hearing frequencies that a typical human cannot hear.
Camels can drink super fast
Camels are accustomed to hot and dry conditions, and as a result, they can drink water very quickly. Camels can consume over 50 gallons of water in just 3 minutes, and contrary to popular belief, they don’t store that water in their humps. Their humps are used to store fat deposits that the camel can then rely on for energy.
The next time you want to impress your child, wow them with one of these fun animal facts!
Editors' Recommendations
- 25 creative journal prompts for kids
- Plan a great family road trip: The best aquariums in the U.S. for kids
- Why do kids get nosebleeds and when should parents worry?
- We love these easy, healthy snacks for kids
- If your kids want AirPods this Christmas, here’s which model to buy
