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Animal facts

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

Donkey

  • Donkeys originally come from the dry regions of north-east Africa and are well built to survive in harsh conditions.
  • A donkey will not do something if it thinks it is unsafe.
  • Donkeys dislike rain. Their coat is not very waterproof, and if they stay out in the rain for a long time, their health can suffer.

Dragonfly

  • There are about 3,000 species of dragonflies in the world.
  • Dragonflies can fly backwards and hover like helicopters.
  • Each dragonfly eye can have up to about 30,000 tiny lenses.

Dromedary

  • The dromedary's hump stores fat, not water.
  • A thirsty dromedary can drink more than 100 litres of water in about ten minutes.
  • Its body temperature can rise by several degrees during the day, which helps it save water.

Duck

  • Ducks belong to the bird family Anatidae, together with swans and geese. Related profile: Goose.
  • Ducks are mostly waterbirds that live in both fresh and salt water and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
  • Ducks are omnivores. They eat water plants, small fish, insects, worms, snails and more.

Eagles

  • Golden eagles sometimes eat carrion when it is available.
  • Harpy eagles have relatively short wings and long tails suited to moving through forest.
  • Golden eagle pairs may alternate between several nests within their territory.

Earthworms

  • Earthworms breathe through moist skin.
  • The clitellum is a thickened reproductive band in adults.
  • Not every species digs deep burrows.

Earwig

  • Earwigs do not crawl into people's ears to lay eggs; this is an old myth.
  • Female earwigs guard and clean their eggs, which is rare among insects.
  • Male earwigs usually have more strongly curved pincers than females.

Echidna

  • Echidnas and the platypus are the only living mammals that lay eggs.
  • A female echidna lays one soft egg into a temporary pouch, and it hatches after about 10 days.
  • A baby echidna is called a puggle.

Elephant

  • Elephants can hear the calls of other elephants several kilometres away.
  • The African savanna elephant is the largest living land animal.
  • Elephants can get sunburned, so they protect their skin by throwing mud and dust over themselves.

Emu

  • The emu is the second-tallest bird in the world, after the ostrich.
  • Emus can run at about 50 km/h and take strides of up to about 2.7 metres.
  • Their wings are only about 20 cm long and cannot lift them off the ground.