Random Animal Facts

Do you know what a flamingo’s favorite food is? Or how big an elephant’s trunk can get? Learn some fun random animal facts for kids in this blog post. Whether you’re a fan of big cats or little rodents, there’s sure to be something new here for you to learn! So dive in and enjoy learning about your favorite creatures.

PS Flamingos love shrimp, snails, and algae! An elephant’s trunk can get to be seven feet long! Let’s learn more!

BONUS: If your kids love animal facts, you can get access to a FREE 20 Puzzle Packet of Worduko Puzzles with an Animal Theme. Worduko puzzles are like Suduko puzzles but with letters and secret words. They are even more fun and challenging! Sign up at the bottom of the post.

RANDOM ANIMAL FACTS FUNNY

Let’s start off with 20 random animal facts that are funny. silly and surprising:

1. A group of crows is called a murder.

2. A baby echidna is called a puggle.

3. Male mosquitoes do not bite.

4. A duck’s quack doesn’t echo.

5. Cats have 32 muscles in each ear.

6. Dogs only sweat through their paws.

7. Giraffes only need 40 minutes of sleep per day!

8. Goats have rectangular pupils.

9. Honeybees can flap their wings 200 times per second!

10. Iguanas can detach their tails as a defense mechanism and grow a new one within 6 weeks!

11. Kangaroos can’t walk backwards.

12. Koalas have fingerprints just like humans!

13. When roosters crow, they tip their head back to close their ear canal so they do not hear themselves.

14. Otters hold hands while they sleep so they don’t drift apart!

15. Penguins can jump 6 feet out of the water!

16. A squirrel’s front teeth never stop growing!

17. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

18. Crocodiles can not stick their tongue out.

19. Vultures vomit when threatened as a defense mechanism

20. A zebra is black with white stripes, not the other way around!

Read more FUN FACTS FOR KIDS.

RANDOM AMAZING ANIMAL FACTS

Now let’s move on to some random animal facts that are simply amazing. These interesting tidbits are sure to leave you in awe:

• an elephant’s trunk can hold up to 12 liters of water!
• an ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.
• a blue whale’s heart is the size of a VW Beetle.
• a giraffe’s tongue is 20 inches long!
• a hippopotamus’ skin is thick enough to stop a bullet.
• an armadillo can walk underwater.
• bats are the only mammals that can fly.
• a hummingbird’s heart beats 1,260 times per minute!
• kangaroos can hop up to 30 mph.
• the biggest egg ever laid weighed in at more than 5 pounds and was laid by an ostrich.
• the smallest mammal in the world is the shrew, which can be as small as 3 inches long.
• the fastest animal on earth is the cheetah, which can run up to 70 mph.
• rhinos only have three toes!
• there are more chickens than humans in the world.
• Red pandas use their tails as a warm blanket during cold nights.

RANDOM SHARK FACTS FOR KIDS

Did you know that the biggest shark ever recorded was almost 60 feet long? And that’s not even the biggest fish in the world – that title goes to the whale shark, which can grow up to 100 feet!

Sharks have been around for a long time – even before dinosaurs. Scientists believe that they first appeared on Earth around 450 million years ago. There are more than 400 different kinds of sharks, and they can be found in every ocean in the world. Some sharks can even live in freshwater rivers and lakes.

Most sharks are harmless to humans, but there are a few types that can be dangerous if they feel threatened. The good news is that there are only about 10-15 fatal shark attacks each year, so you’re more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a shark!

Try this fun FREE Shark Worksheet PDF Puzzle activity. Can you complete all the activities in under 2 minutes?

RANDOM PENGUIN FACTS FOR KIDS

Did you know that there are 18 different species of penguins? The largest of these is the emperor penguin, which can grow to be over four feet tall and weigh up to 100 pounds. The smallest penguin is the little blue penguin, also known as the fairy penguin, which only grows to be about 16 inches tall and 2.2 pounds.

Penguin feathers are not actually black and white – they just look that way from a distance. Close up, you can see that their feathers are actually black with a white edge. This is called countershading and it helps to camouflage them from predators.

Penguins are excellent swimmers and can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour in the water. They spend about 75% of their time in the water, swimming and hunting for food. Penguins are also very social creatures and live in large groups called colonies. Some of these colonies can have tens of thousands of penguins in them!

Read more about Emperor Penguin Facts for Kids and download a FREE PENGUIN PDF puzzle packet.

RANDOM BIRD FACTS FOR KIDS

There are more than 10,000 types of birds in the world! That’s a lot of different beaks, feathers and songs. Here are some facts about our avian friends: 

• The ostrich is the largest bird in the world. It can grow to be over 9 feet tall and weigh more than 350 pounds! 
• The hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world. It is so small that it can fit in the palm of your hand. 
• Birds are descendants of dinosaurs. In fact, many scientists believe that birds evolved from a type of two-legged carnivorous dinosaur called theropods. 
• Birds have very lightweight bones. A chicken’s bones make up only about 5 percent of its total body weight. 
• Birds are warm-blooded creatures, which means that they can maintain a constant body temperature regardless of the temperature of their surroundings. 
• Birds have existed for more than 150 million years! 
• There are more than 19,000 species of birds in the world today. 
• The average life span of a bird is between 10 and 15 years. However, some birds live much longer. The oldest known bird was a parrot named Charlie, who was born in 1864 and lived to be 108 years old! 
• Large birds are found on every continent in the world except Antarctica. 
• Birds use aerial displays as part of their mating ritual. During these displays, male birds will show off their bright feathers and impressive songs in an effort to attract mates. 
• Many types of birds migrate long distances every year. For example, the Arctic tern Migration: travels more than 25,000 miles round trip each year between its breeding grounds in Greenland and its winter home in Antarctica! 

Read more about Bird Facts for Kids and get a free PDF packet!

RANDOM WHALE FACTS FOR KIDS

There are two types of whales – toothed and baleen. Toothed whales include orcas, sperm whales and dolphins. Baleen whales are filter feeders and include blue whales, humpback whales and right whales.

The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. It can grow to be over 100 feet long and weigh more than 150 tons! That’s as heavy as 30 elephants!

The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale. It can grow to be 60 feet long and weigh up to 45 tons.

Most types of whales are social creatures that live in groups called pods. Orcas, also known as killer whales, are the exception – they live in family units called matrilines.

Whales are air-breathing mammals. This means that they have to come to the surface of the water to breathe through their blowholes.

Whales give birth to live young. After a gestation period of 10-16 months, the baby whale, called a calf, is born tail first so that it doesn’t drown. The calf is able to swim on its own shortly after birth.

A baby blue whale can drink 150 gallons of milk each day! That’s enough to fill a bathtub!

Most types of whales are endangered due to hunting and pollution. In an effort to protect these amazing creatures, many countries have banned whale hunting.

Get more information and download a FREE puzzle packet – Whale Facts for Kids

RANDOM TURTLE FACTS FOR KIDS

Turtles are reptiles that have a hard shell that protects them from predators. The top part of the turtle’s shell is called the carapace, while the bottom part is called the plastron.

There are more than 300 species of turtles in the world, and they can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

Turtles are classified into two main groups – terrestrial turtles and aquatic turtles. Terrestrial turtles live on land, while aquatic turtles live in water.

Most turtles are omnivores, which means that they eat both plants and animals. However, some species of turtles are strictly herbivores or carnivores.

Turtles typically lay their eggs on land in nests that they dig with their back legs. The female turtle then covers the eggs with sand or dirt and leaves them to incubate on their own.

The temperature of the nest determines the sex of the turtles. Warmer nests produce more females, while cooler nests produce more males.

Turtles can live to be quite old. The oldest known turtle was a tortoise named Adwaita who died in 2006 at the age of 255 years old!

Many species of turtles are endangered due to hunting, pollution and loss of habitat. In order to protect these creatures, it is important to educate others about their importance and conserve their natural habitats.

Read more Turtle Facts for Kids and download a FREE printable packet.

RANDOM ELEPHANT FACTS FOR KIDS

Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. They are also one of the most intelligent animals, with a brain size that is about four times larger than that of a human!

There are two types of elephants – African and Asian. African elephants are the largest, while Asian elephants are smaller in size and have shorter tails.

Elephants are herbivores, which means that they only eat plants. They spend up to 16 hours each day eating leaves, grasses, roots and fruits.

An elephant’s trunk is actually made up of two long tubes that are fused together. The trunk is used for breathing, drinking, eating and bathing. It is also used as a tool for picking up objects or spraying water.

Elephants are social animals that live in family groups called herds. The herd is led by a matriarch, which is an older female elephant.

Elephants are very gentle creatures, despite their large size. They have been known to show compassion and empathy for other living beings, including humans.

Read more Elephant Facts for Kids and download a FREE PDF packet.

RANDOM MONKEY FACTS FOR KIDS

Monkeys are intelligent and playful creatures that are found in tropical countries all over the world. There are more than 260 species of monkeys, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Most monkeys live in trees and eat fruits, leaves, flowers and insects. However, there are also some species of monkeys that live on the ground and eat nuts, seeds and small animals.

Monkeys are social animals that live in groups called troops. The troop is led by a male monkey, and it typically consists of several females and their young.

Monkeys are very curious creatures, and they like to play and explore their surroundings. Some species of monkeys can even be trained to perform tricks!

Despite their intelligence, monkeys are still wild animals and should not be kept as pets.

Read more Monkey Facts for Kids and download a FREE printable PDF packet.

RANDOM DOLPHIN FACTS FOR KIDS

Dolphins are intelligent and friendly creatures that are found in oceans all over the world. There are more than 40 species of dolphins, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Dolphins are mammals, which means that they breathe air and give birth to live young. They typically live in groups called pods, which can consist of up to 12 dolphins.

Dolphins are very playful animals, and they like to swim and jump out of the water. They also use a form of communication called echolocation, which helps them to find food and avoid predators.

Read more Bottlenose Dolphin Facts for Kids and download a FREE PDF.

CONCLUSION ON RANDOM ANIMAL FACTS

Animals are fascinating creatures that come in all shapes and sizes. By learning random animal facts, we can better appreciate the incredible diversity of life on Earth!

If you would like to learn more about animals, be sure to check out the FUN FACTS FOR KIDS.