10 ASTOUNDING FACTS ABOUT ANIMALS YOU DIDN’T KNOW
By Natalie Wong
For thousands of years, humans and animals have co-existed side by side, sharing special emotional connections. Our bonds with animals can be traced back to ancient empires like the Egyptians, who worshipped animals such as cats, crocodiles and jackals, as they believed that they were embodiments of the gods.
There is much zoology and psychology research out there that explains why we love animals: our instinct draws us to things that look vulnerable, triggering strong protective responses and anticipatory senses of reward and enjoyment. And it’s very possible that they react to us in the very same way. Read on for 5 facts about some of our most beloved animals!
5 CUTE FACTS ABOUT ANIMALS:
1. Sea otters hold hands when they sleep to keep from drifting apart. When pups are too young to hold hands, they sleep on their mothers’ bellies.
Unfortunately, I cannot relate, for I’m very single. My mother doesn’t allow me to lie on her belly either.
2. Gentoo and Adelie penguins propose to their life mates with pebbles, and they only take one mate their entire life.
Now if my future partner doesn’t propose to me with a pebble, then what’s the point?
3. Squirrels will adopt other squirrel babies if they have been abandoned.
Apparently, I have more to learn from squirrels than just hoarding food during the winter months.
4. Dogs’ nose prints are as unique and unrepeatable as human fingerprints, and can be used to identify them.
Speaking of fingerprints, koalas’ fingerprints are so indistinguishable from humans’, that they have on occasion been confused for an actual human at crime scenes.
5. Cats have the largest eyes relative to their head size of any animal.
This probably explains why they can make you do anything they want.
Animals form a large part of our understanding of this world, allowing us insight into the complexities of nature. However, recently humans’ irresponsibility have been destroying our biodiversity, giving our companions none of the respect they deserve.
5 FACTS ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE IN SINGAPORE:
1. There are about 60,000 stray cats and 7,000 stray dogs in Singapore.
2. Most shelters in Singapore follow a ‘no-kill’ policy — however, this means that only a limited number of animals can be taken in.
3. In 2020, due to paranoia of human-animal transmission of the virus, pet abandonment cases rose exponentially.
4. However, efforts from shelters also led to a rise in adoption rates, with 904 adoptions in SPCA alone, an increase from 785 in the previous year.
5. Animal shelters rely almost solely on donations and fundraising campaigns to run their animal welfare services.
HERE’S JUST 1 WAY YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Donate. Every little thing is appreciated, whether it’s food, money, toys or your time. Homeless and endangered animals need all the aid they can get, and whatever you give contributes greatly to giving them a better life. Your help will go into making the world a safer place for unwanted, abused, abandoned and threatened animals.
3 CHARITIES YOU CAN DONATE TO:
1. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
A trusted leader in the promotion of kindness towards animals, looking after the welfare of both companion and community animals. Their programmes include adopting and rehoming strays, rescue and sterilization, clinical treatments and investigations of cruelty or abuse.
2. Save Our Street Dogs
They are dedicated to eradicating cruelty and abandonment of dogs, protecting their welfare. Their programmes focus on rehoming, rescuing, sterilizing and advocating for stray dogs.
3. Guide Dogs Singapore
Reiterating the message that dogs are a human’s best friend, GDS’ Guide Dog programme pairs blind or visually impaired beneficiaries with service companion dogs that are trained to enhance their safety and mobility.
“ True human goodness, in all its purity and freedom, can come to the fore only when its recipient has no power. Mankind’s true moral test, its fundamental test , consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals.”
― Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being