Camels have water in their humps, and dolphins love people: 10 strange animal myths that many people believe in for some reason

Every year, scientists discover many new species of living beings, but even about those who have been living next to us for thousands of years, we know far from everything, and some of the usual ideas about our neighbors on the planet are frankly erroneous. “Subtlety” debunks the most popular stereotypes about the behavior and physiology of animals, which are about as far from the truth as the legends about a flat Earth standing on three whales. We hope we didn't offend anyone with this comparison.

1. Dogs see the world in black and white

Not at all. Recent studies have shown that pets have color vision, although they see everything differently than we do. Cones are responsible for the perception of color by the retina, dogs have fewer cones than humans, and they do not have cones that are sensitive to red. Therefore, like colorblind people, they do not notice the difference between red and green. But dogs are good at distinguishing blue-violet colors, many shades of gray and are better at navigating in the dark than we are – the rods responsible for night vision are more sensitive in them.

2. Milk is good for cats

No matter how. By pouring milk into a cat's bowl, we actually run the risk of harming our pets: like most mammals, they stop digesting lactose with age. At about 3-4 months, the cat's body stops producing the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar, and drinking milk can lead to digestive problems. It is better to offer a grown cat kefir or low-fat sour cream.

3. Mice love cheese

Here's another. Cheese is not found in the natural habitat of rodents, and they evolved in such conditions where nothing of the kind existed. In reality, mice prefer foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as cereals and fruits. During the experiments, they flatly refuse cheese. Guess what animals these 10 very strange facts refer to. True or false?

4. Moles are blind

Vraki. These underground inhabitants actually have eyes, albeit very small, with a diameter of 1–2 mm. With their help, the mole can distinguish some contrasting colors, sees moving objects and reacts to changes in illumination. All this helps him navigate in space, as well as notice moving prey and predators. Don't be fooled by a funny face: 10 dangerous animals that we consider cute and harmless.“Subtleties” can not only be read and inspired, but also travel with us!
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5. Camels store water in their humps

Does anyone really think so? No, really? In their humps, camels accumulate, of course, not water, but fat: these reserves allow desert ships to go without food for up to 14 days. Under extreme conditions, fats are broken down, providing the body with nutrients, and the hump is greatly reduced in size. Other features help camels survive without water: these amazing creatures are able to minimize moisture loss and are very resistant to dehydration, calmly enduring the loss of 30-40% of the liquid.

6. Ostriches hide their heads in the sand out of fear

Seriously? A common misconception has firmly established itself in the mind and even gave rise to the idiom “ostrich politics”. But in reality, no one saw how an ostrich hides its head in the sand: in a moment of danger, the bird simply jumps up and runs away at speeds up to 70 km/h. This is much more effective than burying yourself with your head, because you can suffocate that way. Leaning down, the ostrich rests its neck muscles or picks up small pebbles from the ground to help it digest its food.

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7. Owls are the smartest birds

Dumb as plugs. The owl's reputation as a wise bird is probably due to its solid appearance – a large head, huge eyes and a “sharp” look. In addition, since ancient times she has been associated with the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena. In fact, the intellectual abilities of these birds are rather average: they have a small brain, and experiments have shown that parrots, crows and even pigeons are much smarter than owls.

8. Birds abandon their chicks if they are touched by a person

Nonsense. Such a danger to bird offspring, as a rule, does not threaten. Firstly, their parents are very caring creatures and do not abandon children for no apparent reason, because too much effort is spent on procreation. Secondly, birds have a weak sense of smell and most of them are bad at distinguishing odors, including human ones. /fs.tonkosti.ru/sized/f550x700/86/cs/86csaphcnpc004w4gk4kgsw8g.jpg” media=”(max-width: 549px)”>

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9. Dolphins are friendly creatures

Hold your pocket wider! The benevolence of these mammals is greatly exaggerated, and they do not feel much love for humans, because they are primarily predators living in the ocean. So do not expect help from wild dolphins: they approach people rather out of curiosity, and attempts to swim with them in the open sea sometimes end in bites or injuries. There are cases when these cuties even killed their own cubs and attacked other animals.

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10. Sharks can smell blood from a great distance

Nonsense. The stereotype, replicated in thrillers with sharks, was not confirmed in the course of experiments: toothy predators could not smell a drop of blood from afar. Yes, compared to humans, they have a really well-developed sense of smell, but in this they differ little from other fish. After testing the olfactory abilities of stingrays and sharks, American biologists came to the conclusion that their sensitivity is approximately the same, and neither of them can distinguish the smell of blood even at a distance of 1 km.

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