Animals

== Dog facts: ==
In total there is said to be around 400 million dogs in the world.
The domestic dog has been one of the most popular working and companion animals throughout human history.
Dogs perform many useful tasks for humans including hunting, farm work and security as well as assisting those with disabilities such as the blind.
Although experts often disagree, there is scientific evidence which shows that the domestication of dogs could have occurred more than 15,000 years ago.
There are hundreds of different breeds of dogs.
Examples of these breeds include: Bulldog, German Shepherd, Collie, Golden Retriever, St Bernard, Greyhound, Bloodhound, Chihuahua, Labrador, Great Dane, Rottweiler, Boxer and Cocker Spaniel.
The most popular breed of dog in the world by registered ownership is the Labrador. With their gentle nature, obedience, intelligence and near limitless energy, Labradors make for excellent family pets and reliable workers. They often assist police and are a common choice as guide dogs.
Dogs have formed such a strong bond as pets, workers and companions to humans that they have earned the nickname "man's best friend".
Humans help train various dog breeds to enter in competitions such as breed shows, agility and obedience contests, racing and sled pulling.
Dog have superior hearing than humans, capable of hearing sounds at four times the distance.
Dogs have a remarkable sense of smell, they are capable of differentiating odors in concentrations nearly 100 million times lower than humans can.
The average life span for a dog is around 10 to 14 years.
Those involved in dog breeding refer to males as ‘dogs’, females as ‘bitches’, dogs younger than a year old as ‘puppies’ and a group of offspring as a ‘litter’.
Domestic dogs are omnivores, they feed on a variety of foods including grains, vegetables and meats.
== Cat facts ==
Cats are one of, if not the most, popular pet in the world.
There are over 500 million domestic cats in the world.
Cats and humans have been associated for nearly 10000 years.
Cats conserve energy by sleeping for an average of 13 to14 hours a day.
Cats have flexible bodies and teeth adapted for hunting small animals such as mice and rats.
A group of cats is called a clowder, a male cat is called a tom, a female cat is called a molly or queen while young cats are called kittens.
Domestic cats usually weigh around 4 kilograms (8 lb 13 oz) to 5 kilograms (11 lb 0 oz).
The heaviest domestic cat on record is 21.297 kilograms (46 lb 15.2 oz).
Cats can be lethal hunters and very sneaky, when they walk their back paws step almost exactly in the same place as the front paws did beforehand, this keeps noise to a minimum and limits visible tracks.
Cats have powerful night vision, allowing them to see at light levels six times lower than what a human needs in order to see.
Cats also have excellent hearing and a powerful sense of smell.
Older cats can at times act aggressively towards kittens.
Domestic cats love to play, this is especially true with kittens who love to chase toys and play fight. Play fighting among kittens may be a way for them to practice and learn skills for hunting and fighting.
On average cats live for around 12 to 15 years.
Cats spend a large amount of time licking their coats to keep them clean.
Feral cats are often seen as pests and threats to native animals.
== Other animal facts ==
Rats breed so quickly that in just 18 months, 2 rats could have created over 1 million relatives.
The blue whale can produce the loudest sound of any animal. At 188 decibels, the noise can be detected over 800 kilometres away.
Horses and cows sleep while standing up.
Giant Arctic jellyfish have tentacles that can reach over 36 metres in length.
Locusts have leg muscles that are about 1000 times more powerful than an equal weight of human muscle.
Hummingbirds are so agile and have such good control that they can fly backwards.
Instead of bones, sharks have a skeleton made from cartilage.
Insects such as bees, mosquitoes and cicadas make noise by rapidly moving their wings.
The horn of a rhinoceros is made from compacted hair rather than bone or another substance.
Sharks lay the biggest eggs in the world.
Even when a snake has its eyes closed, it can still see through its eyelids.
Unlike humans, sheep have four stomachs, each one helps them digest the food they eat.
Despite the white, fluffy appearance of Polar Bears fur (which is transparent), it actually has black skin.
As well as being a famous Looney Tunes character, the Tasmanian Devil is a real animal that is only found in the wild in Tasmania, Australia. It is the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world.
The average housefly only lives for 2 or 3 weeks.
Mosquitoes can be annoying insects but did you know that it's only the female mosquito that actually bites humans.
Cats use their whiskers to check whether a space is too small for them to fit through or not.
Source: sciencekids.co.nz