Why do giraffes have purple tongues? Melanin makes the color
Melanin gives a giraffe’s tongue its purple, blue or black color, and the dark color is thought to protect giraffes from sunburn while they reach for leaves.
Animals Editorial Team
Which is bigger, hippo or rhino? The white rhino ranks higher
National Geographic ranks hippos third among land mammals, after elephants and white rhinos. See weights, lengths and heights for both animals.
Why do lions not eat cheetahs? Lions kill or compete with them
Lions often kill and/or compete with cheetahs (Animal Diversity Web). Of cheetah cubs, up to 70 percent succumb to lions and hyenas (San Diego Zoo).
Who usually wins, sperm whale or giant squid? Mostly the whale
Animal Diversity Web says the sperm whale wins most of the time against a giant squid, and that the colossal squid may prey on or fight with the whale.
How do orcas sleep without drowning? Whales rest half the brain
According to NOAA Fisheries, whales and dolphins rest just half their brain and keep the other half awake to breathe. SeaWorld describes how orcas rest.
How long do bears live? Lifespans by species
Bear lifespans vary by species: wild brown bears average about 20 years, wild black bears most often live about 10, and wild polar bears typically 15 to 18.
How long do giant pandas live? Wild and zoo lifespans
Giant pandas live about 15 to 20 years in the wild and about 30 in human care, by the Smithsonian’s National Zoo estimate. Other sources give different figures.
How long do tigers live in the wild and in captivity?
Estimates for wild tigers run 8 to 10 or 10 to 15 years. A typical captive lifespan is 16 to 18 years, and some tigers have lived to 26.
Gorilla bite force: what the research does and does not show
None of the zoo, wildlife or research sources behind this article gives a measured gorilla bite force. They describe skull crests, jaw muscles and teeth.
Orca bite force: what jaw research does and does not show
This article’s sources give no measured orca bite force. One thesis concludes the killer whale appears to lack an especially powerful bite for its skull size.