11 Animals That Break the Stereotypes of What We Think About Them

The animal kingdom is full of tales and stories. And each creature holds facts and myths that can sometimes be difficult to look past. We always assume owls are wise and that dolphins are happy animals who enjoy entertaining humans. All these stereotypes are based on ancient cultures, kids’ stories, or cartoons, but many of them have no basis in truth.

We at Bright Side wanted to know more about these wildly wrong animal stereotypes. This list promises to make your jaw drop. Are you ready for some surprises?

1. Most crocodiles are harmless.

As strange as it might sound, most crocodiles species are not really harmful. As a matter of a fact, they prefer to stay away from humans instead of confronting them. The species known for preying on humans are the Nile crocodile and saltwater crocodile, so these 2 need to be avoided at all costs. They can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.

2. Ants aren’t hardworking.

The image of the hardworking ant has persisted for centuries due to the fables and short stories we’ve been hearing since we were kids. But this popular belief needs to be reconsidered because not all ants are hardworking, according to researchers. They noticed a high level of inactivity in some ants and declared that almost half of the time, ants were found to be inactive.

3. Pigs are clean.

Pigs have a reputation for being dirty animals, but they’re really quite clean. Actually, they are some of the cleanest animals on the farm. Rolling around in the mud gives them a filthy appearance, but they do that because they’re unable to sweat, and the mud helps them to cool off. Also, they never release their poop or pee near their sleeping or eating areas.

4. Spiders are peaceful.

According to experts, you really have to do some work to get bitten by a spider because they don’t want to bite you. Generally, spiders are peaceful creatures and do not attack humans, they only bite when they are surprised or disturbed. In fact, spiders prey on insects instead of humans, and most of them can’t pierce human flesh.

5. Dolphins are dangerous.

Swimming with dolphins always seems like a good idea, and with the smiles on their faces and the lovely interactions they have with humans, we might be tempted to have the experience. But the truth is, the smiling face is simply an anatomical anomaly, and they are wild animals that can be very aggressive to people, other dolphins, and can even harm themselves.

6. Elephants are runners.

Elephants are fairly good runners, given their hefty weight and size. Even though they weigh in at anywhere from 6,000 lb to as much as 15,000 lb, they can run at speeds of more than 10 mph, which is very notable for these giant creatures. Researchers have claimed that elephants use a biomechanical technique to do this because they always need to keep one foot on the ground to balance their bodies.

7. Owls are not wise.

Owls are usually associated with wisdom, but little did we know that owls aren’t any smarter than other birds. In fact, studies have been conducted to ascertain this myth. It turns out that the owls’ specialties and biggest strengths are hunting, camouflaging plumage, super-sensitive hearing, and unique eyes that help them to catch prey.

8. Sloths are not lazy.

You’ve probably been called a sloth for being so lazy from time to time, but that statement is not entirely correct. Sloths may be the slowest mammals in the world, but that doesn’t automatically mean they’re lazy. They have little energy, so they must adapt to it. They eat, sleep, and move only when necessary and at a certain speed because their basic metabolism is set at a very low level.

9. Cows are intelligent.

When it comes to intelligence, cows don’t score the highest points, or at least that’s what we thought. It has been declared, by researchers, that cows possess advanced cognitive abilities and emotional capacity. They develop friendships, mourn losses and separation, and show love to each other and figure out problems while enjoying intellectual challenges.

10. Snakes are attentive.

Snakes don’t have ears, but they’re capable of sensing sounds. That is because vibrations traveling through the ground, such as the footsteps of predators or prey, cause vibrations in a snake’s jawbone, relaying a signal to the brain via that inner ear. The studies have shown that they are very attentive and can sense things through their inner ears.

11. Slow lorises are deadly.

Slow lorises come from the Lorisidae family, and they are found in Southeast Asia and bordering areas. Despite their cute and adorable looks, they can deliver a bite with toxins strong enough to cause the victim’s flesh to swell and rot away. They can be deadly to humans, and getting near them is a terrible idea.

Which animal on this list surprised you the most? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!