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Animal facts

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

Tapir

  • The tapir looks like a pig with a short elephant's trunk, but its closest relatives are rhinoceroses and horses. Related profile: Rhinoceros. Related profile: Horse.
  • Male tapirs are called bulls, females are called cows, and the young are called calves.
  • There are four widely recognised species of tapirs: the mountain tapir, the South American tapir, the Malayan tapir and Baird's tapir.

Tarantula

  • There are about 1,000 known species of tarantulas.
  • The goliath birdeater is the heaviest spider in the world.
  • Many American tarantulas defend themselves by flicking irritating hairs.

Tasmanian devil

  • The Tasmanian devil is the largest living carnivorous marsupial.
  • For its size, the Tasmanian devil has one of the strongest bites of any living mammal.
  • A devil's ears can turn red when it is stressed or excited.

Termite

  • Termites are not related to ants; their closest relatives are cockroaches.
  • There are about 3,000 known species of termites.
  • Some African termite mounds are about 8 metres tall.

Tibetan sand fox

  • Its main prey, the pika, is not a rodent but a relative of rabbits and hares.
  • Thick fur on its cheeks gives the Tibetan fox an almost square face.
  • Unlike many foxes, it often hunts during the day, when pikas are active.

Tiger

  • Each tiger's stripes are unique, so researchers can use them to identify individuals, just as fingerprints identify people.
  • A tiger has more than 100 stripes on its body.
  • The stripes are not only on the fur but also on the skin.

Toucan

  • Toucans belong to the same order as woodpeckers, rather than parrots.
  • The toco toucan’s bill helps regulate body temperature.
  • A toucan can disperse seeds after eating fruit.

True bug

  • There are about 40,000 known species of true bugs.
  • The name Heteroptera means "different wings".
  • Bed bugs cannot fly; they have only tiny wing pads.

Tuna

  • Tunas must keep swimming to breathe.
  • Tunas can keep their muscles warmer than the surrounding water.
  • The heaviest tuna on record, an Atlantic bluefin, weighed about 679 kg.

Turkey

  • The modern domestic turkey is descended from the wild turkey.
  • Turkeys are intelligent, very social animals. They form lasting bonds and can be affectionate with people they know, rather like dogs. Related profile: Dog.
  • Courtship displays – Male turkeys spread their tail feathers and display to attract females, as peacocks also do in their own way.