28th April is National Superhero Day and what makes a good superhero? Well, super powers of course!
While we consider all the superpowers we could possibly have, many animals already have some. Ok, so I’m not talking X-ray eyes or laser beams but they’re still pretty amazing.
Naturally, I’ve got to look at my own section first and where better to start than with our big cats?
Jaguars
Many people will know who I mean when I say Loki without me having to tell them he’s a Jaguar. Everything about jaguars is awesome! They’re very intelligent, highly aggressive and their patterns are beautiful, even Luna’s (but you will only see it in the right light). However, what makes them real superheroes is their bite!
At 1,500 psi they have almost 500 psi more than a tiger- which can be more than twice their size. In fact, their bite force is only really out-matched by hippos and some crocodilians. To really put this into perspective, when researching what an average human adult’s bite force is the highest I’ve found so far is a measly 250 psi. The jaguars incredible bite allows them to get through turtle shells and caiman skin and even through the skull of their prey.
Leaf Cutter Ants
When it comes to super strength I’m going to the bug section. Leaf cutter ants definitely hold that title!
Imagine being able to carry something up to 50 times your own weight. They carry leaves and flowers over their head by their mandibles. Believe it or not, they don’t actually eat the leaves etc themselves. They are actually taking it down into a chamber where they are growing fungus, which is their real food source. So these plants are being used as fertiliser.
A recent study has also been done on one type of leaf cutter and it showed they have calcite covering their exoskeleton. This provides an extra shield against attack, which is very useful when war with another colony could break out at any moment.
The super facts don’t end there either! With colonies as many as 10 million strong they really are a force to behold. Each type of leaf cutter ant also farms its own type of fungus and the workers are coated in a symbiotic bacteria which secretes chemicals that kill invasive fungus which would damage their own. Incredible!
Black Howler Monkeys
Black howler monkeys calls have been recorded at 140 decibels and they are considered among the worlds loudest land animals. For comparison, thunder is measured at an average 130 db and a jet taking off at 25m is 150 db. The loudest a human can shout is typically 120 db. They’re whooping roar can be heard between 3 and 5 miles away. To listen to it at close proximity would actually be painful and over long periods of time would likely damage your ear drums.
Chameleons
Most people have heard of chameleons but they have to be brought up here. Their natural colours are generally green-brown which allows them to camouflage with their environment. However, when it’s time to mate or a predator is around they can change colour to either attract or ward them off. This is done by coloured cells under their see through top layer of skin expanding and contracting.
As if that isn’t enough, their tongue is around twice it’s body length. That would be like us having a 3-4 m long tongue. This tongue has been recorded going 0-60 in a hundredth of a second too!
Giraffe
Now we’ve all been there, standing in the supermarket and what you want is on the top shelf. Some of us may be tall enough to reach it but what if it was higher. Well maybe we’ll just have to get a longer neck. Yep, you’ve guessed where I’m going with this. The giraffes have to have a mention. You have likely had blogs on them before but I have to bring them up in this.
Being able to reach that high is going to be useful. They can eat all kinds of browse that other animals can’t reach. The incredible thing is that they still have the same number of bones in their neck as we do. Just 7 cervical vertebrae. The difference is that they can be about 10 inches long! On top of this they are also linked by a ball and socket joint giving them much more flexibility.
Cheetah
Fastest land animal goes to the cheetah so if you want super speed then look no further. Their top speed ranges between 69- 75 miles per hour. They can reach 0-64 mph in just 3 seconds. While they can reach these staggering speeds they can only do it for about 0.28 miles but still an impressive feat. It would certainly make running for the bus a little easier. You can learn more about their super powers in my previous blog here.
Emu
I haven’t mentioned any birds yet so here it is.
The emu cannot be underestimated, their colour is supposed to protect them from the suns rays, which is impressive enough.
However, they can also run at about 30 mph which may not be a cheetah speed but is still impressive.
Their super power has to be their kick though. Once running is not an option, they will turn and face their attacker. Using their powerful kick and the sharp claws on their 3 toes they can do some serious damage. So before you decide on a very large omelet for breakfast maybe consider your odds against mama bird.
Have a look out for these superheroes on your next visit to us and see if you can spot a few more for yourself too!
