10 facts about nature that will make you shudder (11 photos)

The world around us is much more dangerous than it might seem at first glance.





And these little-known facts about nature and its creatures, most of which look cute and harmless, serve as vivid proof of this.

1. Jumping cat



Snow leopards can cover a distance of up to 15 meters in one jump. It is better not to get in the way of this handsome guy.

2. Speedy bird





The speed of golden eagles diving on prey reaches 240 kilometers per hour. The same situation as with the snow leopard.

3. I'm your mouse, and I'll eat you



Vampire bats exist and they do feed on blood. Vampire bats (Desmodontinae) are a subfamily of leaf-nosed bats that feed on the blood of other animals. Most often, their food is the blood of livestock. The body structure of vampire bats is adapted to this method of feeding: they have a short esophagus, large incisors and canines, and molars are almost not developed.

4. The Little Gray Wolf Will Come



A wolf can eat up to 9 kilograms of meat in one sitting.

5. An Enterprising Spider



Tarantulas eat their prey by injecting it with poison, which liquefies the insides, and then drinking them. These creatures have an elegant way of eating.

6. Enterprising cucumber



As a defense mechanism, sea cucumbers - representatives of the class of invertebrates from the type of echinoderms, expel parts of their internal organs (intestines, genitals) through the anus. So this strange creature scares or even injures fish and other people who want to snack on a cucumber. And the sea cucumber quickly restores lost organs.

7. The Queen of Poisoners



King cobras inject enough of their potent venom in one bite to kill 20 people.

8. Better not to squeeze



Most koalas are infected with chlamydia. This fact might seem like a funny fiction, if not for the vaccination that Australian scientists are conducting on these cuties. The source of chlamydia in koalas has not been confirmed, but scientists believe it is likely that the marsupials initially contracted the disease through contact with the feces of infected sheep and cattle. Remarkably, most of the infected animals showed no clinical symptoms.

9. Furry abusers



Meerkat populations include dictator females who form mating pairs and severely punish other females who agree to a relationship out of love, so to speak. The alpha female has complete control over other females in the colony. Subordinate females have only two options: to run away and try to survive alone, which is unlikely, or to stay and earn their living by working as a wet nurse for the alpha's cubs. Since the leader will most likely kill the offender's cubs.

10. Toothy Tree Climber



Crocodiles can climb trees. So there is no point in escaping from giant reptiles at a height. Researchers have found that crocodiles can overcome a height of up to four meters. Young crocodiles are especially adept at climbing trunks. Older and larger specimens do it much more slowly. By climbing trees, crocodiles gain access to more sunlight and warm up faster. Plus, this way, the animals can better survey their territory and monitor the movements of others.