Fun animal facts for children

The world is full of wonders and we all are researchers at heart! Discover and learn more about fascinating animals from every continent. Test your knowledge or discover new facts about animals. Are you ready for an amazing journey?

Mammals from various continents

The bison lives in both North America and Europe. American bison calves, born from late March until May, are reddish-orange in color, earning them the nickname “red dogs”. A few months after birth, their fur begins to darken and the characteristic hump and horns begin to grow.
Have you ever wondered if zebras are actually white or black? Wonder no more! Researchers have proven that zebras are mammals with black hair. The white stripes help confuse the flies that prey on zebras.
Despite being classified as a carnivore, the panda mainly eats plants. These animals must consume up to 90 pounds of bamboo shoots every day because their digestive system is not very effective in digesting plants.
We call it a bear, but the koala really isn’t a bear at all, but a marsupial. At birth, a koala is blind, hairless and the size of a bean. Over subsequent months, it grows in a special pouch on the mother’s belly.
What do you like to eat? Well, the anteater is named after its favorite food! It digs up anthills and uses its long sticky tongue to catch hundreds of ants but never destroys the anthill completely.
Lemurs live in groups. Contrary to the well-known animated film, these animals are led by a female and not a male.
The fur of the sloth is slightly green because of the algae that live on the surface of its long hair.
The strong smell of the skunk’s defensive spray can be detected at a distance of more than 3 miles. Removing it from fur or skin can take as long as a week.
The spines of the porcupine are actually modified hairs. They are long, stiff and hollow. When a spine is broken off, a new one grows back quickly.

Animals that lay eggs

Birds are probably the first animals that come to mind. There are thousands of birds around the world that differ in size, color and way of life. Some are excellent aviators, while others cannot fly. Some are even exceptional swimmers. Let’s meet a few of them!

Many traditional northern cultures believed that Atlantic puffins were reincarnated sailors who died at sea.
Feeling hungry? A king penguin chick can wait for up to five months without food for its parents to return from hunting, although it loses up to half its body weight in the meantime.
The peacock is famous for its exquisite tail.
Meet a huge lizard! The female green iguana lays her eggs in the ground but doesn’t always dig a hole for them. Sometimes, she lays her eggs in the nests of the American crocodile or the spectacled caiman.
Australia is home to many species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, including the platypus. This incredible animal is a mammal, but hatches out of an egg! The platypus is even featured on an Australian coin.

Fish and whales from around the globe

There are plenty of fish in the sea and they come in all shapes and sizes. Meet a few of them:

The hammerhead shark’s eyes are located on either side of its flattened head, allowing it to see what’s going on around its body but nothing right in front of its snout.
Male seahorses are responsible for carrying eggs and taking care of baby seahorses after they hatch. A small pouch on the male’s stomach is used for carrying its young.
The black seadevil is a deep-sea fish that lives in total darkness. The bioluminescent lure on its head is not designed to allow the animal to find its way, but to attract prey.

Even though whales look like fish, they are mammals and breathe air. These creatures are the largest animals on earth.

The beluga whale has a spherical organ on its head called a melon that is used for echolocation, which allows the animal to identify and locate objects in its surroundings. Baby beluga whales are born with dark skin that whitens with age. The sounds these animals make resemble bird song.
Ambergris is a dull grey secretion produced in the digestive system of the sperm whale. This very valuable substance is used to make expensive perfumes. This animal is a true record holder as the loudest and one of the largest animals in the world. Sperm whales can make sounds that are louder than a plane during take-off.

Other animals from the depths of the ocean

Oceans are full of interesting animals other than fish and whales. It is likely that we still do not know many of them. Meet a few of the most interesting species below.

Starfish eat snails and mollusks, among other small creatures. This animal can evert its stomach tube and insert it into the shell of prey to digest the soft tissues inside.
The snow crab is a crustacean that can live in water at freezing temperatures. Thanks to special substances in its blood, the crab’s body doesn’t freeze.
The dumbo octopus is an exceptional animal that can live at much greater depths than any other octopus. This animal also has two types of characteristic fins that resemble elephant ears.