15 Extraordinary Animal Facts that are Hard to Believe

#13. Imagine a world with the absence of poison. Not possible? It is now!

Centuries ago, a lot of cases remained unresolved and considered taboo just because no acceptable cure has been found. Today, however, as science continues to advance, new discoveries are made and one of them is the mysterious yet envious ability of the opossum to neutralize almost any kind of poison, including those it has not yet encountered.

Thanks to the findings of the Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins, their studies proved that the American Opossum is actually capable of generating a protein called the Lethal Toxin-Neutralizing Factor (LTNF) that is solely responsible for neutralizing the poison.

Who knows, years from now, humanity too can benefit from thee opposum’s special ability. (Source)

#14. Although it may appear as a sheep at first sight, you would not believe what it actually is! Haha!

For anybody who loves meat, this creature may simply look like a stout sheep. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it is actually a Hungarian breed of domestic pig called “Mangalitsa” that has a very thick layer of coat, making it resemble a sheep.

Crossbreeding was considered unethical in the old times, until the 19th century when agriculture further developed through time and it slowly became acceptable. The “Mangalitsa”, also acceptably spelled as “Mangalica”, then became popular, crossbreeding the traditional Hungarian Bakonyi and Szalontai breeds with imported Sumadia pigs from Serbia.

To date, the only natural breed of sheep-like pig but has since become extinct is the England’s Lincolnshire Curly Coat pigs. (Source)

#15. Believe it or not, these galloping crocodiles ruled even the largest predators dominating the Earth!

Although dinosaurs were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for 135 million years, researches and further studies show that the moderate to immediate extinction of dinosaurs began when galloping crocodiles started to roam the Earth.

With their sharp tusks and snouts, they were no doubt the nightmare for the long lost beasts of Jurassic period. To date, at least five of such hunters were believed to be found in the remote and rocky regions of Morocco and Niger while some were believed to be tracked down in Africa.

The web of life has always been an interesting topic. However, one can only be thankful for the evolution that the world has gone through. (Source)