Facts of the Sea – 3 501. The starfish has an eye on the end of each arm. 502. The most venomous fish in the world is the stonefish of the tropical waters of the Indo- Pacific. Direct contact with the spines of its fins, which contain neurotoxin poison, often proves fatal. 503. The giant squid can grow up to 15 metres long and weigh as much as 2 tonnes. Its...

Facts of the Sea – 1 486. 97 per cent of the earth’s water is in the oceans and seas. 487. Earthquakes cause upheavals and throw up islands and open up great fissures in the ground. But very few are aware that sea animals like corals extract chalk or calcium carbonate from the sea water to make their shells. When they die, these shells accumulate and from coral reefs. 488. If...

Facts of Animals, Birds and Insects-26 471. The body of an earthworm is covered with taste receptors. 472. Many spiders have 8 eyes. 473. The camel is called the ‘ship of the desert’ because of the way it moves, not because of its transport capabilities. 474. A cow has to drink four gallons of water to produce one gallon of milk. 475. A dog can hear high frequency sounds which the...

Facts of Animals, Birds and Insects-25 461. An alligator’s jaw is so strong that no man can close it. 462. If a crocodile ever attacks you, push your thumb into its eyes. It will leave you instantly. 463. When a camel gets annoyed, it spits at the person concerned. 464. In the last 4,000 years, no new animal has been domesticated. 465. Cats sleep for about 16-18 hours a day. When...

Facts of Animals, Birds and Insects-24 451. The fastest land animal when measured over a long distance is the American antelope. It can travel a distance of up to 6 km continuously at 56 km per hour. The cheetah can move at a faster speed of 100 km per hour, but only over short distances. 452. A dragon – fly can fly at a speed of up to 30 miles per...

Facts of Animals, Birds and Insects-23 441. The flying squirrel has large skin flaps. 442. Howler monkeys make an eerie howling sound every morning and evening. 443. The marmoset, like all climbers, has long paws to help its grip. 444. Termites eat everything from wood to the plastic coating of wiring- nobody knows why. 445. Predators rarely eat glow worms and fireflies because they taste rather horrid. But some frogs and...

Facts of Animals, Birds and Insects-22 431. The spider does not eat its victims; it drinks them. Capable of taking food only by sipping it in liquid form through its tube- like mouth, the spider first covers its victim with a special fluid that causes it to dissolve. It then sucks up the dissolved tissue. 432. Like birds, the cat has a homing ability that uses its biological clock, the angle...