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Animal facts

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

Cat

  • A cat's claws all curve the same way, so cats climb trees easily but have to come down backwards.
  • Cats make a wide range of sounds, and they use many more vocal calls with people than with other cats.
  • Cat bites can easily become infected, so any bite that breaks the skin should be cleaned and checked by a doctor.

Caterpillar

  • Most caterpillars turn into moths, not butterflies.
  • A caterpillar has three pairs of true legs and up to five pairs of fleshy prolegs.
  • Caterpillars see with tiny simple eyes, usually six on each side of the head.

Chameleon

  • There are more than 200 species of chameleons, and almost half of them live in Madagascar.
  • A chameleon's eyes can look in two different directions at the same time.
  • Some chameleons have a tongue about twice as long as their body.

Chamois

  • A chamois can leap about 2 m high and 6 m forward.
  • Chamois hooves have a soft, rubbery sole that grips rock.
  • The chamois's coat is reddish-brown in summer and almost black in winter.

Cheetah

  • You can always recognise a cheetah by the long black "tear lines" running from the inside corner of each eye to the mouth; they may help reduce glare from the sun.
  • A cheetah can accelerate from 0 to about 95 km/h in around three seconds, but it tires quickly and can keep up top speed for less than a minute.
  • Cheetahs live about 10-12 years in the wild and up to about 20 years in captivity.

Chimpanzee

  • Chimpanzees are very adaptable and live in many habitats, including tropical rainforests, mountain forests, wooded savannas and even fairly dry savanna.
  • Chimpanzees can be strong, but the claim that they are six or seven times stronger than humans is not supported by a clearly defined comparison.
  • Some chimpanzees in captivity have lived for more than 60 years.

Chinchilla

  • Chinchillas groom by rolling in fine dust.
  • Dense fur makes them vulnerable to excessive heat.
  • Young are born furred and with open eyes.

Cobra

  • A cobra's hood is formed by long ribs that spread out behind the head.
  • Spitting cobras can spray venom about 2-3 metres.
  • The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world.

Common clownfish

  • The common orange form has three white body bars.
  • Small groups live close to a host anemone.
  • A breeding male may become female if the dominant female disappears.

Common starling

  • Starlings can imitate other birds and sounds made around people.
  • Pale feather tips are more conspicuous during the colder season.
  • Some populations migrate, while others stay through winter.