How large a tree can a beaver cut down?
Beavers prefer slender poplar trees for food, but will cut down trees as large as 18 inches in diameter, including hardwoods such as beech, cherry, and oak.
The modern name for one of the oldest dog breeds in history (dating back to ancient Egypt) arose from one of its earliest uses, hunting badgers. In German, Dachs means “badger,” Hund is “hound.” Centuries ago, badger hunting was a popular sport.
In most species of songbirds, only male birds sing, and for only two reasons: to protect territory and to attract a mate.
Not until 1681, and mainly because humans and animals ate the remaining eggs. The dodo, first found on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, was the size of a very large turkey. It was slow and defenseless, save for its hooked beak. To complicate matters, it did not reproduce well, as the female…
Spine-tailed swifts have been clocked at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour. Peregrine falcons have reached 217 miles per hour; racing pigeons, 100; migrating ducks, 60; and small birds, 30.
In 1972, in South Wales, a male dachshund is said to have crept up on a sleeping female Great Dane. The union produced 13 “Great Dachshunds,” with short legs, large heads, and raised ears.
The largest animal ever seen alive was a 113.5-foot, 170-ton female blue whale. The whale is able to reach such large size because water helps support its weight.