PETS
Bizarre animals: sometimes the smell is for communication, sometimes it's for nothing
Some animals have developed a very strong and smelly odour system in order to defend themselves against external predators. Other times, however, smell serves to communicate between specimens of the same species.
Unpredictability, however, is a characteristic pattern of evolution, and in the animal kingdom there are also specimens that have developed a terrible smell absolutely at random, for no reason and no use.
Sloths are a perfect example of a 'useless stench', while some birds stink from a diet of leaves. But there are also other species of animals that stink for no specific reason.
Bizarre animals: sometimes the smell is for communication, sometimes it's for nothing
Some animals have developed a very strong and smelly odour system in order to defend themselves against external predators. Other times, however, smell serves to communicate between specimens of the same species. Unpredictability, however, is a characteristic pattern of evolution, and in the animal kingdom there are also specimens that have developed a terrible smell absolutely at random, without any reason or use. Sloths are a perfect example of a 'useless stench', while some birds stink from a diet of leaves. But there are also other species of animals that stink for no specific reason.
Di Stefan Laube (Tauchgurke) - Opera propria (Stefan Laube)Originally uploaded at de.wikipedia.org:
Linnaeus's two-toed sloth(Choloepus didactylus)
These animals stink because of everything that lives on their bodies. For example, during the rainy season, their fur is covered in algae, which is one of the reasons, it is thought, why these animals do not live much in captivity. In addition, their fur is also home to a large host of beetles. The adults live in the fur near the elbows and behind the knees, while the larvae feed on their droppings. In one study, they found as many as 980 beetles living in the fur of a single sloth. Their stench is of no use.
Di Murray Foubister - https://www.flickr.com/photos/mfoubister/26592958760/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://c
Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin)
A bird that lives in the Amazon rainforest, its very strong stench of manure earns it the name 'stinking bird'. This species of bird feeds exclusively on leaves, which is what gives it this horrible smell. In fact, bacteria in the gut break down plant matter and the fermentation process releases foul-smelling gases.
Di Gabriel Barathieu - https://www.flickr.com/photos/barathieu/7277953560/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://co
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
The world's largest carnivore is another one of those animals that unintentionally stinks because of what it eats. This animal often feeds on squid. Since squid could injure the sperm whale's intestinal tract with their stout beaks, the whales, to protect themselves, secrete a waxy substance. The result of decomposed squid and this substance is something called ambergris and is often found on beaches. This makes the sperm whale really disgusting and smelly.
Di Architas - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72594607
Ring-tailed lemur (Lemure catta)
Ringed-tailed lemurs use the pungent odor to conquer females in the mating season. In fact, they possess a few glands on their bodies (on their wrists, with an odor that stays for a short time, and on their shoulders). Their competition for mating goes according to who produces the most fetid and nauseating odor. By smearing a ball of the substance they produce from these glands on their tails, two male specimens strike each other to gain favor with the female.
By Rushikesh Deshmukh DOP - [1], CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=96645
Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena)
Hyenas communicate through smell, secreting 'hyena butter', which they use to mark tracks and boundaries. In addition, it has been discovered that each hyena has a specific odour, and that even each different clan has its own characteristic odour, which marks membership. This substance is smeared on the vegetation but also among themselves. Hyenas acquire the clan odour by rubbing their anal glands against the same vegetation that other members have already rubbed against.
Animal Curiosities
21/06/2024
The world is beautiful because it is diverse, is a phrase we have heard a thousand times, and this is true not only for human beings, but also for animals.
On our planet, the variety of fauna is far greater than that of human beings, who are basically almost all the same. On the other hand, in the most remote parts of the Earth, but not only there, there are absolutely unique species of animals, so much so that they even enter Guinness World Record. Birds, fish, mammals, so many characteristics that make them absolutely recognizable, and also very rare.
Animal lovers, keep us company and discover all the most bizarre beasts on the planet.