Do you know how long koalas sleep each day—18 to 20 hours? Yes, I am envious as well. For another example, consider the fact that red pandas are more closely related to weasels and skunks than to actual pandas. Cheetahs can sprint up to 64 miles per hour in just three seconds, in case you didn’t know. I’ll be telling my car that one in an effort to get it to pick up the pace. There are no limits to the number of fascinating facts about wildlife we can discover, so settle in because this list is a great place to start.

We’ve hand-selected some of the most fascinating, hilarious, and intriguing facts about animals that you might not have known from The Wildlife Fact Facebook group. Vote up the information that astounds you, and then let us know in the comments if you have any additional knowledge about these wild animals that other pandas might find interesting. To learn more about an animal expert, continue reading to find an interview with Stefan Wolfe, the Relax With Animal Facts podcast host. Additionally, if you’re looking for even more entertaining animal facts from Bored Panda, you can read one of our earlier posts on the subject right here.

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We got in touch with Relax With Animal Facts podcast host Stefan Wolfe to find out more about the origins of his show and why he enjoys educating listeners about various animals. Stefan said, “I’ve always found animals to be fascinating and remarkably complex. If I could only get a closer look at the manatees, I would catch grasshoppers in the backyard and smash my young face against aquarium glass. When my interest peaked in college, I made the decision to launch the podcast in order to assist others in learning alongside me.To be able to tiptoe away from the bustle of life and into jungles and seas, where the uniqueness of our animal friends awaits discovery, even if only for a short while. Every week, I enjoy sharing animal facts with others because I get to enjoy watching their delight. I’m thankful to share animal facts every week because of fan mail from readers who say it makes traffic jams brighter, family dinners more interesting, and restless nights of sleep more peaceful and enjoyable.

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We also inquired about Stefan’s favourite animal or favourite animal-related fact that he has mentioned on his show. Orangutans have long held the top spot in his list of favourite animals among all primates, he admitted to Bored Panda. “Their curiosity and aptitude for learning are two of my favourite characteristics. In Indonesia, there is a facility known as the Orangutan Jungle School that rescues orphaned orangutans and teaches them the skills their parents would have taught them. The Smithsonian Channel demonstrates how they mimic their caregivers to learn how to husk and crack open coconuts. Additionally, there is the customary conflict between the young orange-fluffed primates and the sweet water inside. These gorillas would make fascinating reality TV.”

We then questioned Stefan on the importance of animals in general. “Animals are deeply ingrained in our history and culture. We should be concerned because ignoring our appreciation for them is ignoring a significant aspect of what makes us human. One thing that all of us have in common with our great-great grandparents is that they were acquainted with and interacted with animals, according to Stefan. “Animals are a part of life no matter where we live, whether they be fluffy highland cows or crocodiles that look like they came from the Jurassic period. They serve as inspiration for creative writing and design.Today, it’s almost impossible to remember the majesty of a horse or the wonder of hearing 440,000-pound whales scream in our oceans. We create robotic arms that resemble elephant trunks, and modern ships have sonar because dolphins do. We should be concerned because there is still so much to learn from them and so much for which we should be grateful.

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Finally, Stefan said: “With the advent of the digital age, we now have access to a wealth of knowledge. Mountains of books, movies, and articles give us a privilege that was unheard of for a large portion of our history. These are all wonderful things, but we have lost sight of what it means to wonder in the midst of internet chatter and quickly moving thumbs. Since there is much joy in embracing the things that make us human, admiration and curiosity are things we now need to be more conscious of using. Get passionate and enthusiastic—there is so much to learn!”

Check out the Relax With Animal Facts podcast here if you want to hear more sage advice from Stefan and discover more about the amazing world of wildlife.

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Animals are incredibly fascinating. Although we partially live among them, many of us know very little about the majority of them. We get a small glimpse into their world when we visit the zoo or watch a documentary about amazing wildlife, but they are usually still mysteries to us. The Wildlife Fact Facebook group is so entertaining because of this. Followers can view cute images of fascinating animals along with interesting facts about them that you probably did not learn in school. The page obviously appeals to many people as well because it currently has over 41k followers.

The World Wide Fund For Nature, however, might be able to persuade you if this collection of images is insufficient. In the past four decades, many species’ populations have declined by 60%, according to their blog post “Reasons Why Wildlife Conservation Should be on your To-Do List.” To ensure that our planet can continue to function in a healthy way and to stop many species from going extinct in the coming years, humans must take action.

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Protecting animal populations will help to protect the planet from climate change, among other things. Animals contribute to maintaining a healthy atmosphere as well as forests, which store carbon. By consuming grass and keeping it at a minimum, wildlife in forests can actually lessen the devastating effects of forest fires when they occur. Herbivores are excellent natural lawnmowers because when grass is wildly untidy, fires can spread very quickly.

Even large, untamed grass-eaters like elephants, zebras, rhinos, and camels are beneficial because they control grass growth without releasing a lot of methane into the atmosphere. These animals have a single, large stomach and do not need to regurgitate their food, in contrast to how livestock digest grass. We cannot turn a blind eye when these animals are in danger because there is always a cascading effect when one component of the ecosystem is harmed.

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The World Wide Fund For Nature further explains the value of animals in the advancement of medicine. Animals can do so much for us, and scientists have discovered that sometimes these amazing, fascinating beings can even save our lives. Amphibians are particularly significant because substances extracted from frogs have been shown to help treat memory loss, depression, seizures, and strokes.

Knee injuries have even been treated with “frog glue,” an adhesive that is found in the glands of the Australian holy cross frog species. Lanolin and Vitamin D3 have also been discovered in sheep’s wool by researchers. And if you’ve struggled with menopausal symptoms, you might be able to find a novel treatment. Conjugated oestrogen, also known as premarin, is isolated from the urine of pregnant horses. As strange as it may sound, you might be more accepting than usual when you are in need of relief from uncomfortable symptoms.

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In order for plants to continue to thrive, animals are crucial in maintaining healthy, fertile soil. More than any fertilizer could possibly hope to achieve, animal feces and urine supply the soil with all the essential nutrients and minerals. Through a variety of lifestyle choices, animals can assist in the distribution of these nutrients. For instance, hippos graze at night and contribute to bringing nutrients into the local rivers, which in turn boosts fish productivity. All living things are interconnected, and a healthy ecosystem depends on even the unsightly aspects of life that we may not often think about.

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Another important organization that fights for the preservation of various species is the National Wildlife Federation. According to the information provided on their website, “By conserving wildlife, we’re ensuring that future generations can enjoy our natural world and the incredible species that live within it. Understanding how different species interact within their ecosystems and how the environment and humans affect them will help to protect wildlife.

They clarify how, faster than we may realize, the effects of human activity on the environment can affect both humans and animals. For instance, when an animal consumes its prey, all of the chemicals and nutrients contained in it are consumed. If that organism had been exposed to pollutants from human activity that were stored in its tissues and fat cells, those toxins are also passed on. Through bioaccumulation, these toxins keep moving up the food chain, where they eventually kill off species.

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In general, species are resilient and able to recover from a wide range of natural calamities, including floods, earthquakes, fires, diseases, and droughts. However, disturbances brought on by people can be more difficult to recover from, particularly if their frequency is rising. It gets harder and harder for animals to survive these pressures as a result of deforestation, pollution, habitat fragmentation, and other factors. We continue to disturb these helpless species without giving it a second thought because we are unaware of how our actions affect them. Understanding our impact and finding ways to reduce it are essential.

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So what can we do to support biodiversity protection? The extinction of even one of the incredible animals on this list would be heartbreaking, and it would serve as a stark reminder that all other species face an impending threat of extinction as well. Governments must start collaborating with people who actually have a connection to nature and know how to respect and protect it, claims Greenpeace. Indigenous communities, for instance, are well known for being good stewards of their lands, and they can serve as invaluable resources for teaching government officials how to care for animals and preserve the environment.

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In order to combat climate breakdown, species loss, food security, and the threat of upcoming pandemics, Greenpeace also supports “vast ocean sanctuaries and rights-based protections on land.” According to their website, Greenpeace is urging governments to accept an ambitious and doable plan for restoring nature this year. “Bold targets that protect at least 30% of our lands and oceans by 2030 are what we’re asking for, along with a clear strategy for getting there in collaboration with regional and Indigenous communities, enough funding, and resources to make it happen. We cannot run the risk of eradicating the food chain that supports us.

Since we are a part of nature, if it vanishes, so will our future. In order to protect ourselves, we must protect biodiversity.

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We sincerely hope you’re enjoying this fascinating list of the cutest and most fascinating animals our planet has to offer. Please vote for the information that you want all other pandas to be aware of, and then let us know in the comments if there is any additional information we should have included. Do everything you can to keep those little critters safe because if we want to continue enjoying all of these incredible creatures, we must first and foremost take care of the environment.

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