In all the time we humans have been discovering and describing the world around us, we've only just scratched the surface. In fact, scientists have estimated that there are about 8.7 million species of plants and animals in existence, however, only around 1.2 million of them have been identified and described so far (most of which are insects). This means that millions of other organisms remain a complete mystery.
But of course, even such a "small" number is too big for us regular folk to keep up with. And the subreddit 'Awwducational' is a great example of that. Its 4.9 million members keep sharing lesser-known facts about the animal kingdom, and even though the online community was founded all the way back in 2012, it doesn't seem to be running out of cute and educational titbits to surprise everyone with.
#1 Here's Twinzy, A Half-Sider Budgie, Half-Siders Are Budgies With A Condition Called "Chimerism" Which, In Genetics, Means That It's The Result Of Non-Identical Twins Fusing Together Early In Their Development To Become One!
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#2 The Australian Western Pygmy Possum Is Actually One Of The Largest Pygmy Possums In The World Despite Being No Larger Than A Typical Kiwi Fruit
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#3 The Olinguito (Bassaricyon Neblina) Made Global Headlines When Scientists Announced Its Discovery In 2013, A Notable Event As This Was The First Carnivore Described In The Western Hemisphere Since The 1970s. It Is Native To The Forests Of Colombia And Ecuador. This Is A Photo Of A Baby Olinguito
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#5 Black-Footed Ferrets Are Among The Most Endangered And Rarest Mammals Native To North America. In Fact, The Species Was Declared Extinct In 1979, However, In 1981 A Residual Wild Population Was Discovered In Wyoming. This Ferret, Born In 2020, Was The First Ever U.S. Endangered Animal To Be Cloned
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#6 Gray Wolves Eating Blueberries; Wolves Actually Covet Berries And Other Fruits, During Their Growing Seasons Berries Can Make Up 80% Of Wolf Packs' Diet
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#7 This Is A Baby Giraffe, Giraffes Are The Tallest Mammals On The Planet. Baby Giraffes Usually Will Be Able To Stand And Walk Within 5 Hours Of Being Born. They Stand Most Of Their Life And Need Very Little Sleep. Plus They Have The Most Adorable Babies
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#8 The Appaloosa Is An American Horse Breed Known For Its Distinctive And Colorful Leopard Complex-Spotted Coat. Each Horse's Color Pattern Is Genetically The Result Of Various Overlay Patterns On One Of Several Recognized Base Coat Colors. This Particular Appaloosa Is Sporting A Peacock-Leopard Coat
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#9 While Donkeys May Have A Notorious Reputation For Being Stubborn, They Are Actually Quite Fearless Dealing With Predators As Well As Intelligent, Playful And Curious
When this donkey in Arkansas received presents a few days ago, his owner reported he "always gets so excited when he gets a new one"
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#10 Costasiella Kuroshimae (Leaf Sheep) Are Capable Of A Chemical Process Called Kleptoplasty, In Which They Retain The Chloroplasts From The Algae They Feed On. Absorbing The Chloroplasts From Algae Then Enables Them To Indirectly Perform Photosynthesis
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#11 New Study Reveals That Bumblebees Will Roll Wooden Balls For Seemingly No Other Reason Than Fun, Becoming The First Insect Known To 'Play'
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#12 This Is An African Black Footed Cat. Despite Its Adorable Looks, It’s A Killing Machine. It’s Hunting Success Rate Is 60%, Compare That To A Lion’s 25%
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#13 The Resplendent Quetzal Is A Sacred Symbol In Mesoamerica And Guatemala's National Bird, Pictured On The Country's Flag. They Favor Eating Fruit In The Avocado Family, Eating Them Whole Before Regurgitating The Pits. Essentially Making Them The Avocado "Gardeners" Of Their Forest Habitats
They favor eating fruit in the avocado family, eating them whole before regurgitating the pits. Essentially making them the avocado "Gardeners" of their forest habitats
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#14 Fun Fact, You Can Rent Goats To Clear Brush Off Your Property. They Eat Everything, Including Poison Ivy, And It's Much More Eco Friendly Than Weed Killer
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#15 The Wild Iberian Lynx Population Has Increased Tenfold In The Last Two Decades, From 94 Individuals In 2002 To 1,111 Lynxes In 2021, A True Success Story Owing To Conservation Efforts And Public Awareness. Listed As "Endangered", The Lynx Lives In Fragmented Wilderness Areas In Spain And Portugal
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#16 Platypuses/Platypi Are Extremely Affectionate, Also Have The Most Rem Sleep Of Any Animal (5.8-8 H/Day)
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#17 Blue-Footed Boobies Have Bright Blue Feet Due To Their Diet, And The Level Of Brightness Shows How Healthy The Bird Is To Their Mate!
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#18 The Little Hands On These Cuties Are Their Pelvic Fins Which Form Suction Disks. The Suction Disks Are Used To Strongly Attach Themselves To Rocks And Other Objects
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#19 The Blue Fairy Penguin Is Indigenous To The Southern Coastlines Of Australia And New Zealand. They Are The Smallest Species Of Penguin In The World
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#20 This Is The Astounding ‘Babysitter’ Bone Bed Containing Multiple, Exceptionally Preserved Baby Psittacosaurus Dinosaurs
What was most astonishing was that the larger animal wasn't sexually mature, meaning it wasn't the parent, suggesting communal child-rearing behavior, hence the find's name
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