Animal Kingdom Facts
Instructions: Interesting and surprising animal facts
- 1.
How many hearts does an octopus have?
AThreeBOneCFourDTwo - 2.
Which animal has the longest lifespan of any mammal?
ABowhead whaleBBlue whaleCAfrican elephantDGalápagos tortoise - 3.
What is a group of flamingos called?
AA paradeBA colonyCA flamboyanceDA flock - 4.
Which is the only mammal capable of true sustained flight?
AColugoBSugar gliderCFlying squirrelDBat - 5.
How far can a wolf howl be heard under ideal conditions?
AUp to 5 milesBUp to 10 milesCUp to 2 milesDUp to 15 miles - 6.
Which animal's fingerprints are virtually indistinguishable from human fingerprints?
AGorillaBChimpanzeeCKoalaDOrangutan - 7.
What color is a polar bear's skin underneath its white fur?
APinkBGrayCWhiteDBlack - 8.
Which bird can fly backwards?
ASwiftBSwallowCKingfisherDHummingbird - 9.
How long can a crocodile go without eating?
AUp to 6 monthsBUp to 1 yearCUp to 3 monthsDUp to 2 years - 10.
Which animal has the highest blood pressure of any living creature?
AHorseBElephantCGiraffeDBlue whale - 11.
What percentage of a cat's bones are in its tail?
AAbout 15%BAbout 20%CAbout 5%DAbout 10% - 12.
Which insect can carry objects 50 times its own body weight?
AAntBHoney beeCGrasshopperDBeetle - 13.
What is unique about a starfish's (sea star's) stomach?
AIt has two stomachsBIt can push its stomach outside its bodyCIt can digest rocksDIt glows in the dark - 14.
How many times per second can a housefly beat its wings?
AAbout 100 timesBAbout 50 timesCAbout 500 timesDAbout 200 times - 15.
Which sea creature has the largest eyes in the animal kingdom?
AGreat white sharkBBlue whaleCGiant squidDColossal squid
Answer Key
An octopus has three hearts. Two branchial hearts pump blood to the gills, while the third systemic heart pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.
The bowhead whale can live over 200 years, making it the longest-lived mammal. The Galápagos tortoise, while long-lived, is a reptile, not a mammal.
A group of flamingos is called a flamboyance, a fitting name given their striking pink plumage and dramatic group displays.
Bats are the only mammals capable of true sustained flight. Flying squirrels, sugar gliders, and colugos can only glide, not truly fly.
Under ideal conditions, a wolf's howl can be heard up to 10 miles (16 km) away. Wolves howl to communicate with pack members and mark territory.
Koala fingerprints are so similar to human fingerprints that they can be confused even under a microscope. This is a remarkable case of convergent evolution.
A polar bear's skin is actually black, which helps absorb heat from the sun. Their fur appears white but is actually transparent and hollow.
Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards. Their unique ball-and-socket shoulder joint allows their wings to rotate 180 degrees, enabling flight in any direction.
Crocodiles can survive up to 2 years without eating. Their cold-blooded metabolism allows them to conserve energy remarkably well during periods of food scarcity.
The giraffe has the highest blood pressure of any animal, about twice that of humans. This is necessary to pump blood up its long neck to its brain.
About 10% of a cat's bones are in its tail. A cat's tail typically contains 19 to 23 vertebrae, while their entire body has about 230 bones.
Ants can carry objects 50 times their own body weight. Their muscles are thicker relative to their body size compared to larger animals, giving them extraordinary strength.
A sea star can push its stomach outside its body to digest food externally. It wraps its stomach around prey and digests it before pulling the stomach back inside.
A housefly beats its wings approximately 200 times per second. This incredibly rapid wing movement is what produces the buzzing sound we hear.
The colossal squid has the largest eyes in the animal kingdom, measuring up to 11 inches (27 cm) in diameter — about the size of a dinner plate. These enormous eyes help it see in the deep, dark ocean.