Introduction
On this site you will find lists of interesting facts about the animals of the world. There is information about the fastest animals, the strongest animals, the most dangerous in the world, and the most intelligent species. There is also information about animals from various regions of the world such as deserts, the arctic, and South America. Learn what challenges these animals face, how they have adapted for survival in their particular habitats, and which species are endangered. The information on these pages, which is written for both kids and adults, will give you a good understanding of the incredible diversity of life on this planet.Click here for a great selection of Amazon.com animal facts books.
Interesting Animal facts - Record Holders
- The blue whale is the largest known animal to have ever existed. It can weigh more than 180 metric tons (200 short tons) which is more than the largest known dinosaur.
- The largest living land animal is the African bush elephant. They are found in sub-Saharan Africa. A common birth weight is 220 pounds (approximately 100 kg).
- The fastest animal on the planet is the Peregrine Falcon. When it dives for prey it can reach an amazing 200 mph (320km/hr).
- The cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world. It can run up to 65 miles per hour (96 to 104 km/h) in short bursts. It can amazingly go from 0 to over 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5 seconds.
- The fastest fish is the Black Marlin. They have been clocked at speeds of up 80 mph (129 km/h).
- Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world. The tallest one ever recorded reached an incredible nineteen feet high. Their long necks enable them to feed on leaves high up on trees that are out of reach to other animals.
- The giant tortoise has the longest life span of any animal. They can live up to 177 years in captivity.
- Humans are the smartest animals in the world but chimpanzees may not be so far behind. They exhibit such signs of intelligence as using tools, hunting in groups, and being self-aware.
General Interesting Animal Facts
- There are millions of species of animals alive today.
- Animals are classified into numerous groups. The best known groups include amphibians, birds, fish, invertebrates, mammals and reptiles.
- Mammals have successfully adapted to a wide variety of habitats. They live in extremely hot regions and very cold areas. They inhabit air, water, and land.
- About 370 million years ago Amphibians were the first vertebrates to venture out from the water and start living on land. However, today, most still spend part of their time in water.
- There are more than 100,000 species of mollusks including octopuses, snails, and slugs.
- There are approximately nine thousand bird species in the world today. Birds evolved from reptiles approximately 150 million years ago. They have hollow bones.
- Reptiles are cold-blooded. They evolved from amphibians approximately 340 million years ago.