8202 best r/awwducational images on Pholder | As they fly, bees accumulate an electric charge that transfers into flowers when they land on them. Because bees can see electric fields, scientists think they may use this phenomenon to forage more efficiently, reading flowers' electric fields to know how recently they've been visited.

As they fly, bees accumulate an electric charge that transfers into flowers when they land on them. Because bees can see electric fields, scientists think they may use this phenomenon to forage more efficiently, reading flowers' electric fields to know how recently they've been visited.

1yr ⋅ ⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

Pangolins has soft, pale scales when born, which begin to harden by second day

6yr ⋅

⋅

Typically, only the yellowjacket queens survive the winter, but with climate change it may be possible for whole nests to survive. These perennial nests can have tens of thousands of worker yellowjackets.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Blue-footed boobies have bright blue feet due to their diet, and the level of brightness shows how healthy the bird is to their mate!

2yr ⋅

⋅

Unhatched chicks already have sleep cycles in their eggs and can be woken up by their mothers

5yr ⋅

⋅

The mourning gecko species reproduces with only females. They are asexual, reproducing through parthenogenesis - laying eggs that don't need to be fertilized by a male, thus essentially producing clones of themselves. Males do exist, but they are rare and infertile.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The Meerkat is a Mongoose found in Southern Africa. Among multiple notable facts is that they have a complex system of vocalizations. It is believed that they communicate on subjects such as predators and activities such as sunbathing.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Cormorant follows a large stingray to catch fish scared out of their hiding place in the seagrass by the shadow of the passing ray

1yr ⋅

⋅

Butterflies drink the tears of turtles as a source of sodium and other minerals and the turtles like it because they get thier eyes cleaned

2yr ⋅

⋅

The tuatara isn't a lizard, it's in fact a different species of reptile called rhynchocephalia! They have beaks, and bizarrely, a third eye!

3yr ⋅

⋅

There exist subspecies of the American black bear that have different colored coats. The Kermode bear, also known as the spirit bear, can be born with fully white fur. While another subspecies with red-brown fur is called the cinnamon bear. The glacier bear has silver-blue or gray fur.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Parrotfish spend their days chomping down on coral. After they digest the coral, they poop out sand. Turns out, the majority of sand grains found on white sand beaches, such as those found in Hawaii, are actually parrotfish poop.

4yr ⋅

⋅

Red pandas are one of the few animals on the planet that can climb straight down a tree, head-first.

3yr ⋅

⋅

The black tear lines under a cheetah’s eyes protect them from glare and strong sunlight.

2yr ⋅

⋅

The Mangalica, also known as the sheep-pig is the last pig breed in existence to have a thick, curly, coat of hair. Even the little ones have them. They were discovered in Hungary in the mid-19th century.

4yr ⋅

⋅

A Huge Male Orca with his mother and baby sister, despite their size male orcas, remain loyal/affectionate with their mothers for their entire lives

2yr ⋅

⋅

Manatees are herbivores, but sometimes eat fish carcasses. They can't catch live fish because their teeth are set to far back in their mouths and their flippers are poorly suited to hold a fishing pole.

3yr ⋅

⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

The common fruit-piercing moth may be one of the major fruit pests of the world, but its caterpillar looks like the cosmos itself

2yr ⋅

⋅

Baby Manatee nursing. The mom's mammary glands are in her flipperpits

1yr ⋅

⋅

While tenrecs may look very similar to hedgehogs or rodents, this is thought to be a case of convergent evolution. They are more closely related to others of the afrotherian family, mammals that live in or have originated from Africa - such as elephants, aardvarks, and manatees.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The Tibetan Mastiff originally used as guard dogs for livestock and property, they can still be found performing that role, but they also enjoy life as family companions and show dogs. One red mastiff named “Big Splash” reportedly sold for $1.5 million in 2011, in the most expensive dog sale then.

3yr ⋅

⋅

I captured this beautiful little bird in Pune, India. It is as cute as its name, Strawberry Finch. It's native to tropical Asia, but has been introduced to many parts of the world due to pet trade. (OC)

3yr ⋅

⋅

Cownose Rays surf waves and eat Coquina Clams in the Swash Zone

2yr ⋅

⋅

Bats are lunarphobic! In order to avoid predation they forage less under bright moonlight.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Interesting animal facts: Dogs’ sense of smell is about 100, 000 times stronger than humans’. However, they have only one-sixth our number of taste buds

3yr ⋅

⋅

Owners of the famous and beautiful Conch shells, members of the Strombus (or True Conch) snail family have fully developed eyes!

3yr ⋅

⋅

Key intoxicating chemicals in catnip and silver vine activate cats' opioid systems much like heroin and morphine do in people. They also protect them against mosquito bites.

3yr ⋅

⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

An adult Suncus etruscus. Cubs are born naked and blind, weighing only 0.2 g (0.0071 oz). To exit hibernation they warm up by shivering at 3480 muscle contractions/min, while their heart will reach 800–1200 beats/min and their respiratory rate rises to 600–800 breaths/min

1yr ⋅

⋅

The white-faced saki is named for the male's appearance, who's completely black apart from his face, which is a striking white or reddish-white. The female is mostly brown-grey in color and looks a bit like a grumpy monkey with a bowl cut.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The red junglefowl -- the wild ancestor of the chicken -- is losing its genetic diversity by interbreeding with domesticated birds. Genomes of 100 year old birds show that modern wild junglefowl have inherited 20% to 50% of their genomes from domestic birds.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Earwigs are devoted mothers. They stay with their clutch and clean the eggs until they hatch and defend them from predators. After hatching, she will regurgitate food for them.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Clownfish are hermaphroditic - they are all born as males, with the ability to become female. Their schools are led by a large dominant female. If she dies, the dominant male will change his sex and take her place (a younger male then becomes the dominant male).

1yr ⋅

⋅

Maleo birds live on volcanic islands and use geothermal heat to incubate their eggs. They find a spot at an ideal temperature (around 33°C or 91°F), bury their eggs in a sandy hole, then leave and never return. The hatchlings dig their way out - born totally independent with the ability to fly.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The tropical pitcher plant (Nepenthes hemsleyana) attracts bats by reflecting their echolocation cries. It serves as a shelter for bats - they crawl inside in the morning, sleep there during the day, and leave at night. In return for shelter, the bats poop into the plant, providing it with nitrogen.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The male cardinal will feed the female cardinal when they are courting, and again when the female is incubating the nest and can't forage for herself. The female will request food similar to that of a baby bird by opening her beak and fluttering her wings.

2yr ⋅

⋅

Wallace's flying frog, also known as the gliding frog, has adapted membranes between its long toes. It uses these membranes, by splaying out its toes, to glide from tree to tree or to the ground - sometimes covering distances of 50 feet (over 15 metres) or more.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Falabellas are the worlds smallest horse breed. This tiny Argentine horse breed measures on average between 28 and 34 inches.

3yr ⋅

⋅

The Mangalica is the only pig species covered in a long wool coat, similar to a sheep's.

4yr ⋅

⋅

Pigs have episodic memory. It is likely that they can replay and feel past experiences in their heads.

5yr ⋅

⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

Bilbies from outback Queensland are flying across Australia to meet their ideal partners, in a bid to save the endangered species.

2yr ⋅

⋅

Only 1 in 3000 Calicos Are Male Cats. Despite Popular Myth, There Is No Additional Value To Them Being Male, As They Are Sterile.

4yr ⋅

⋅

The olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina) made global headlines when scientists announced its discovery in 2013, a notable event as this was the first carnivore described in the Western Hemisphere since the 1970s. It is native to the forests of Colombia and Ecuador. This is a photo of a baby olinguito.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The ostrich, of which there are two living species (common ostrich and Somali ostrich), is the only extant bird species which has two toes on each foot. This adaptation allows ostriches, the largest and heaviest birds on the planet, to attain speeds of 40 mph over long distances.

1yr ⋅

⋅

There are more kangaroos in Australia than there are Australian people.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Bottlenose dolphins learn language the same way humans do: they begin by babbling. Gradually, they learn the rules of their language and by 20 months, their communication patterns conform to the same language laws as adult human speech.

1yr ⋅

⋅

In the dark of the ocean, some animals have evolved to use bioluminescence as a defense.When threatened, the ostracod ejects two chemicals, luciferin and luciferase, which, when combined, emit light.

2yr ⋅

⋅

On land, the average speed of the northern spiny softshell turtle is around 3 miles/hour, however, while swimming, it can hit speeds up to 15 miles/hour. This softshell turtle's finely tapered flying saucer-shaped shell is designed to allow it to slice through water quickly with minimal drag.

3yr ⋅

⋅

The Himalayan monal is a bird in the pheasant family, Phasianidae.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Around 40,000 critically endangered Williams' dwarf geckos were taken from the wild from 2004-09, around 15% of the wild population! Popular in the pet trade, they can now only be found in a 8km area in Tanzania. In 2015, 165 were seized at Heathrow Airport and entered a captive breeding programme.

1yr ⋅

⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

Mountain Lions are capable of running jumps exceeding 40 feet and standing vertical leaps of up to 15 feet.

3yr ⋅

⋅

A male brown bear and a female grey wolf were documented in 2013 hunting together, walking together and sharing carcass meals with each other during the evenings.

3yr ⋅

⋅

The tufted coquette is a hummingbird that breeds in eastern Venezuela, Trinidad, Guiana, and northern Brazil. The male, pictured here, has a rufous head crest and a coppery green back with a whitish rump band that is prominent in flight. Tufted coquettes are known for being quite approachable.

2yr ⋅

⋅

The armadillo girdled lizard gets its common name from its unique defensive behavior; it will grab its tail in its mouth and curl up into a ball, protected by thick scales and spikes along its back and tail. Its genus name 'Ouroborus' comes from the mythical serpent that eats its own tail.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Cats spend 70% of their lives sleeping

2yr ⋅

⋅

These two animals are the flying squirrel and the sugar glider. Looks can be deceiving, as even though they look like they'd be closely related, they actually diverged long before the dinosaurs went extinct, and any similarity between them is purely coincidental.

2yr ⋅

⋅

Golden Moles have eyeballs, but they are covered by skin so they don’t really work. Oh well.

6yr ⋅

⋅

Queen Alexandra's birdwing is the largest butterfly in the world, with females reaching wingspans slightly in excess of 25 cm (9.8 inches). They are found in the Oro Province in eastern Papua New Guinea.

1yr ⋅

⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

This beautiful leopard is the Amur leopard. They're native to East Asia. It's the world's rarest big cat, with less than 100 left in the wild.

3yr ⋅

⋅

This is an Armadillo Lizard (Ouroborus cataphractus). It has sharp armor-like features along their bodies. When it feels threatened, it bites its tail into its mouth and curls into a ball to protect its vulnerable underside. It gives birth to live ones instead of laying eggs.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Tree kangaroo can leap distance of 30 feet between the trees and safely land on the solid ground from a height of 60 feet.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Blue jays are omnivorous, but the Audubon Society estimates that 75% of their diet is vegetable matter. They have strong black bills which they use for cracking nuts, usually while holding them with their feet, and for eating corn, grains and seeds.

1yr ⋅

⋅

A female red panda was recorded to have eaten 20,000 bamboo leaves in one day! Red pandas need to eat so much bamboo because they can only digest about 24% of the bamboo they consume.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The long-eared jerboa has ears that are two-thirds as long as its body.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Puffins are one of the few seabirds that can hold 10 to 12 small fish during one forging trip. This allows them to bring more food for their young compared while most seabirds tend to swallow and regurgitate meals for their chicks.

3yr ⋅

⋅

The Lewis's Woodpecker seldom digs into trees for wood-boring insects. Instead, it gleans insects from the bark, or more commonly, flycatches. It spends long periods watching for flying insects from the top of a pole or dead tree, and then flies out to catch them.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The greater honeyguide (Indicator indicator) is a bird that guides both people and honey badgers to bee hives. It approaches, makes distinct calls, and flutters in the direction of the beehive. It will do so until it's followed and the hive is cracked open so it can eat the beeswax.

1yr ⋅

⋅

African Wild Dogs hunt by approaching prey silently, then chasing it at up to 66 km/h for 10-60 minutes. On average, the chase covers around 2 km. They have a hunting success rate of 60-90%, making them more consistently successful than Lions or Hyenas. (Photo Credit: Mark Nicholson - Instagram)

1yr ⋅

⋅

Jackson's chameleon can be found in Kenya & northern Tanzania. Males have 3 horns & grow to 38 cm

3yr ⋅

⋅

The critically endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola)has a white top lip and a shorter tail than the American mink, and despite their similarities they are not closely related, their nearest relative being the European polecat (and therefore domestic ferret) with which it can hybridise.

1yr ⋅

⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

The lilac-breasted roller is Kenya's National bird, and is known to be non-dimorphic. Meaning it is difficult to differentiate between females and males when spotting them in the wild.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Bumblebees play with balls just for fun, study finds

1yr ⋅

⋅

The Hazel Dormouse is a nocturnal rodent that spends most of its life sleeping. In winter it hibernates from October to may, and when food is scare and the weather cold and wet, it curls into a ball and goes into Torpor; decreasing physiological activity to save energy.

3yr ⋅

⋅

The fennec fox has the largest ears relative to body size of any canid. Their ears reach lengths of up to six inches and act as radiators, allowing the foxes to regulate its body temperature in the hot dessert.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Every year the Nuevo Vallarta Sea Turtle Preserve in Nayarit, Mexico releases thousands of sea turtles into the Pacific Ocean with the help of volunteers who bring them to the beach just after they hatch in protected areas. These are newborn green sea turtles, currently listed as endangered.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Pink-Headed Warbler. Endemic to the highlands of central and eastern Chiapas in Mexico, and to western Guatemala

3yr ⋅

⋅

Painted buntings are shy, secretive and often difficult to observe with the human eye, though can be fairly approachable where habituated to bird feeders. Males sing in spring from exposed perches to advertise their territories.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Commonly known as sea cows, dugongs are cousins of manatees and share a similar appearance but have a dolphin fluke-like tail. Unlike manatees, which inhabit freshwater areas, the dugong is strictly a marine mammal. Here is a young dugong swimming around divers exploring the Great Barrier Reef.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Despite their looks, Giant Vinegaroons are harmless to humans, and can make great pets. But, when attacked, they can accurately fire an offensive vinegar-smelling liquid out of their rear that contains acetic acid.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The Asiatic Black Bear has the largest ears of any bear species.

4yr ⋅

⋅

This beautiful bird is called Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx m. mindanensis). It is the tiniest species of forest kingfisher in the Philippines & is characterized by its striking plumage. It's a very quiet & elusive bird that has not been seen in 130 yrs. Listed as vulnerable due to habitat loss.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Ducks are water fowl that can be found in both fresh and salt water. These guys have populated every continent on Earth and even isolated tropical islands, the only exception being Antarctica. Typically only ducks in the northern hemisphere are migratory.

1yr ⋅

⋅

In a conservation-breeding program to save California Condors, adult condor puppets were used to make condor chicks feel like their parents were raising them while minimizing human interaction. This was to prevent them from becoming acclimated to people once they were safely released into the wild.

3yr ⋅

⋅

The Slow Loris is the only mammal which has both a toxic bite AND is poisonous. They are nocturnal, and, when threatened, they freeze and remain motionless.

3yr ⋅

⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

The qinling panda is a subspecies of pandas that was only discovered in 1959, and only became fully recognised as a subspecies in 2005. Unlike giant pandas, qinling pandas are beige and brown, and have small spots under their eyes instead of the iconic panda patches.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The platypus is one of the few venomous mammals. Males have a pair of spurs on their hind legs which deliver the venom. It is not fatal to humans, but extremely painful.

4yr ⋅

⋅

This good boy is the red wolf. It's native to the southern US. It's the world's rarest canine, with less than 40 left in the wild.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Valais blacknose sheep originate from Switzerland, however, they are also raised in the US, New Zealand and Australia. Their distinctive fluffy black faces are set off by the long white curls of their wool, which is highly prized. They are in great demand due to their calm and friendly disposition.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Batrachostomus auritus. The large frogmouth is a species of bird in the family Podargidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

3yr ⋅

⋅

White rhinos are the second largest land mammal after the elephant. The world's last two surviving northern white rhino Najin (left) and Fatu, are mother and daughter. Their species is functionally extinct. The last of their kind.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Golden lion tamarins are unique among primates in that they will usually give birth to twins, with over three-quarters of wild-born golden tamarins being twins. Their tight-knit family groups allow them to care for them. The babies are born fully furred with open eyes.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Mother bats speak baby talk to their pups. A recent study showed that pup-directed vocalizations of adult females presented a different 'color' and pitch than the calls directed towards other adult bats. Male bats communicated with the pups to transmit the vocal signature of their social group.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Despite their appearance, elephant shrews are in fact more closely related to elephants than shrews.

4yr ⋅

⋅

The pied butterfly bat (Glauconycteris superba), also known as badger bat, is a rare species of vesper bat It is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and South Sudan. They are sadly threatened by habitat loss.

1yr ⋅

⋅

A chameleon's eyes are mounted on small turrets that move independently so one eye can see in front and the other behind, hence a chameleon can constantly scan its environment panaromically for prey and predators. This panther chameleon is looking forward to having its picture taken, or so it seems.

1yr ⋅

⋅

A bar-tailed Godwit recently flew 8,435 miles (13560 Km) non-stop from Alaska to Tasmania. The 11-day journey without rest or food was tracked by a satellite tag (234684). As per Guinness World Records, this bird flying nonstop, broke the earlier record for the longest non-stop migration of a bird!

1yr ⋅

⋅

Common eland, Taurotragus oryx, is one of the biggest antelope, they are domesticated for milk and meat, eland milk is rich in fat and protein.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Rough-skinned Newt, Taricha granulose, can produce highly toxic tetrodotoxin on its skin. When threatened it display a defensive posture, curving its body and curling its tail, warning the predator do not eat it.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The ribbon seal is one of the most distinct seals in the world; easily recognizable by four rings or ribbons of light fur that stand out against its dark fur. This seal also uses its flippers to shuffle across the ice in an unusual way and has a unique air-sac organ that other seals don't.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The Andean mountain cat is a small wild cat native to the Andes mountains, usually weighing less than 6kg. Less than 2500 are thought to exist in the wilds and they’ve been marked as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List.

3yr ⋅

⋅

This is a baby Giraffe, giraffes are the tallest mammals on the planet. Baby giraffes usually will be able to stand and walk within 5 hours of being born. They stand most of their life and need very little sleep. Plus they have the most adorable babies.

2yr ⋅

⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

Diamondback terrapins get their name from the diamond pattern on top of their shells. Their eggs, ranging from 4-22 per clutch, hatch in 60–85 days. Like many turtles, terrapins have temperature dependent sex determination, meaning that the sex of hatchlings is the result of incubation temperature.

2yr ⋅

⋅

Siberian flying squirrels are the only flying squirrel species in Europe and are found in the colder climes across Eurasia. Shy and mostly nocturnal, they hide in abandoned woodpecker nest holes. To escape predators, they use their glide membrane to leap from one tree trunk to another.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Now that a duiker is making the rounds on Reddit, you surely want to know what the world's smallest antelope is. It's the Royal Antelope: it stands about 25 cm (10 inches) and weighs 2.5–3 kg (5.5–7 pounds).

1yr ⋅

⋅

The elephant hawk-moth is known to be able to see colors in close to complete darkness, even though they have compound eyes like most insects. They feed after dusk and are able to distinguish different colored flowers in the dark when they would look monochrome to other eyes.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Rare dotted zebra foal. The eye-catching animal, seen in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve, likely has a genetic mutation called pseudomelanism.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The bear cuscus is named for its thick, bear-like fur. However, it's actually an arboreal marsupial, native to the islands of Indonesia. It appears to be a very lethargic animal, due to its low-nutrient diet of leaves, buds, and flowers - moving slowly through the canopy and resting often.

1yr ⋅

⋅

Prior to the female laying eggs, Bald eagles will build a second, smaller nest within their nest (called the bowl or cup). They construct this out of soft nesting material, as this is where the eggs will be laid

2yr ⋅

⋅

Tawny frogmouths are a bird native to Australia. They are monogamous species and both mates participate in nest building.

3yr ⋅

⋅

The worlds second ever cloned Przewalski's horse has been born. Scientists are hoping to further save this species by using gene editing tools such as CRISPR.

1yr ⋅

⋅

The pink fairy armadillo is the tiniest species of armadillo in the world, and its pink color comes from a network of blood vessels which can be seen through its armor. The pink fairy armadillo is native to central Argentina.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Do you wonder who is the smallest wild cat in the Americas? Look no further, The Chilean Huina.

3yr ⋅

⋅

ADVERTISEMENT

This is the bagworm moth caterpillar. These little creatures spend most of their lives collecting twigs of varying sizes to create homes for themselves that spiral up.

3yr ⋅

⋅

Some images are hidden because they can no longer be found or have been removed by the file host ()