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Animal facts

Discover the remarkable lives of animals, one fact at a time.

Red panda

  • Red pandas are not bears, despite the shared common name.
  • Red pandas are the only living representatives of Ailuridae; some references recognise two species.
  • The tail can be wrapped around the body for warmth during rest.

Reindeer

  • Reindeer and caribou are the same species, Rangifer tarandus.
  • Reindeer are the only deer in which females regularly grow antlers.
  • Arctic reindeer eyes change from gold in summer to blue in winter.

Rhinoceros

  • There are five living species of rhinoceros.
  • The name comes from the Greek words <em>rhinos</em> (nose) and <em>keras</em> (horn).
  • The white rhino is the second-largest land mammal after the elephants and can weigh about 3,500 kg.

Roe deer

  • Roe deer bark like dogs when they are alarmed.
  • Roe deer are the only hoofed animals known to have delayed implantation.
  • Roe deer mate in summer, but their fawns are born the following May or June.

Rooster

  • Roosters have no penis; like most birds, they mate by briefly pressing their cloaca against the hen's.
  • After one mating, a hen can lay fertile eggs for about two to three weeks.
  • Roosters perform a courtship dance for hens and use special calls to show them food.

Salamander

  • There are about 800 species of salamanders and newts.
  • The largest family of salamanders has no lungs and breathes through the skin.
  • Many salamanders can regrow lost legs and tails.

Sawfish

  • Sawfish are rays, not sharks.
  • There are five species of sawfish.
  • The saw of a sawfish is covered with sense organs that detect electric fields.

Scorpion

  • Scorpions are arachnids and have eight legs, like their relatives, spiders, mites and ticks.
  • Scorpions are among the oldest known arachnids.
  • A scorpion catches prey with its pincers and may sting it with its venomous tail to paralyse or kill it.

Sea lion

  • There are six living species of sea lions.
  • Sea lions have small external ear flaps; true seals do not.
  • Sea lions can walk on land on all four flippers.

Sea urchin

  • Sea urchins are related to sea stars and sea cucumbers.
  • A sea urchin's mouth, called Aristotle's lantern, has five teeth.
  • Sea urchins move with hundreds of tiny tube feet.