5 INTERESTING SAFARI FACTS

1. WE CAN ONLY SEA A SMALL SPECTRUM OF UV RADIATION WHICH COMES IN MANY FORMS. ANIMALS SEE THINGS THAT HUMANS DON’T AND VICE VERSA WHICH IS WHY THEY ARE ATTRACTED TO DULL OBJECTS AND ARE ODDLY COLORED THEMSELVES. SOME ANIMALS INCLUDING BIRDS, REPTILES AND INSECTS LIKE BEES CAN SEE INTO THE NEAR ULTRAVIOLET. FRUITS AND FLOWERS APPEAR MORE STRONGLY FROM ULTRAVIOLET WAVELENGTHS THAN IN HUMAN COLOR VISION. MANY BIRDS HAVE CERTAIN PATTERNS IN THEIR PLUMAGE WHICH ARE INVISIBLE AT REGULAR WAVELENGTHS BUT OBSERVABLE IN THE ULTRAVIOLET WAVELENGTH.

2. CERTAIN SPECIES OF MONKEYS HAVE PATCHES OF HAIR ON THEIR HEADS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO HUMANS WHICH DEVELOP DURING PUBERTY AND ARE FOUND ONLY AMONGST MALES. IT IS CALLED EPIGAMIC HAIR AND IT IS A SIGN OF SEXUAL DOMINANCE. THE LION’S MANE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF EPIGAMIC HAIR AS IT IS USED AS A SCARE VEHICLE DURING SEXUAL FIGHTING!! 🙂

3. ELEPHANTS REPLACE THEIR TEETH FIVE TIMES AND THEN THEY DIE WHEREAS GREAT WHITE SHARKS SPIT OUT NEW TEETH LIKE ROBOTS. THIS INDICATES THAT WITHOUT GREAT TEETH, ONE CANNOT SURVIVE!!

4. MANY MALE ANIMALS FROM HIPPOS TO HORSES GRIMACE BY FLARING THEIR NOSTRILS (FLEHMAN RESPONSE) WHEN THEY’RE IN HEAT ENABLING THEM TO SENSE THE FEMALES WHO MIGHT BE RECEPTIVE. THE GRIMACE ALSO OPENS THE GLANDS IN THE BACK OF THE THROAT NEAR THE TONSILS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO SENSE THE FEMALE PHEROMONE AND BRING A COUPLE TOGETHER- ONCE THE BULL PROVES HIMSELF AGAINST THE OTHER BULLS AND IS ACCEPTED BY THE FEMALE. MEN ALSO HAVE THOSE GLANDS IN THE ROOF OF THE MOUTH AS WELL.

5. THE LEOPARD AND THE LION ACTUALLY HURT THE FEMALE DURING INTERCOURSE. THE LEOPARD WILL HAVE SEX EVERY 15 MINUTES FOR FOUR DAYS AND HAS A BARBLIKE PROTUBERANCE ON ITS PENIS THAT HURTS THE FEMALE UPON REMOVAL. HE ALSO BITES HER NECK AND THIS DEMONSTRATION OF STAMINA AS WELL AS THE PAIN IT CAUSES IN HIS PARTNER PROMPTS HER RELEASE OF A RIPE EGG FOR FERTILIZATION. SEX ISN’T ALWAYS SENSUAL AS THE PAIN ASPECT HELPS DISSUADE THE FEMALE FROM MATING WITH OTHERS!! 🙁

IN THE JUNGLE