Unbelievable animal facts that prove how little we really know

The dolphin photo isn't AI*. It isn't Photoshop. It's a pantropical spotted dolphin launching itself nearly five metres into the air off the coast of Maui, and the internet has lost its mind over it.

Captured by former research biologist Jessica McCordic during a Pacific Whale Foundation research trip, the image went viral, with the foundation dubbing the animal "the Michael Jordan of dolphins." To put the leap in perspective, it's the human equivalent of jumping right over a basketball hoop. And it got us thinking … what else don't we know about the wildlife we share this planet with?

PANTROPICAL SPOTTED DOLPHIN
The pantropical spotted dolphin might not be the species most people picture when they think of dolphins, but they're remarkable athletes. Growing to just 2m long and weighing around 115kg, they're smaller and more agile* than their bottlenose cousins. They're found in warm oceans worldwide and are known for their acrobatic displays, but a 5m vertical leap? Even marine biologists were stunned.

Dolphins typically need to surface every 10 to 15 minutes to breathe, but sloths can actually hold their breath for up to 40 minutes by slowing their heart rate. Nature's record books are full of surprises.

EMPEROR PENGUIN
Emperor penguins are the tallest of all penguin species, standing up to 130cm. That’s roughly the height of a nine-year-old child. There are around 600,000 of them spread across more than 40 colonies in Antarctica, and they're built for conditions that would kill most other animals on Earth.

During breeding season, males huddle together in temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius, balancing a single egg on their feet for over two months while the females head out to sea to feed. It could be described as one of nature’s most extreme acts of parenting.

ENGAGEMENT PEBBLES
It has been observed that male penguins “propose” to their partners by finding the smoothest, most perfect pebble they can and presenting it as a gift. If the female accepts, the pair use the pebble to start building their nest together. Penguins have even been observed stealing pebbles from neighbouring nests when they think nobody's watching. It's basically the animal kingdom's version of a diamond ring heist.

WORLD OF WHALES
If you have ever seen a humpback whale breach in person, you would know it's one of those unbelievable moments in life. These animals weigh around 40,000kg (roughly the same as seven African elephants), and yet they can launch their entire bodies out of the ocean.

Male humpbacks are also musicians, performing complex songs that can last up to 30 minutes to attract a mate. The songs evolve, with new phrases spreading through the population like a hit single.

Orcas sit at the very top of the Antarctic food chain. Reaching almost 10m in length, they're the largest carnivores* on Earth, and their intelligence is astounding. Different orca populations have different cultures, dialects*, and hunting techniques that are passed down through generations. In 2025, researchers confirmed that orcas have been observed using tools, which is a behaviour previously thought to be limited to primates* and a handful of bird species.

The blue whale is not just the biggest animal alive — it's the biggest animal that has ever existed. Bigger than any dinosaur. A female blue whale can weigh 190,000kg, and her heart alone is roughly the size of a small car. Their tongue weighs as much as an elephant. You'd think something that enormous would be easy to spot, but blue whales have often proved to be elusive* in the vast Southern Ocean.

ARCTIC CREATURES
Now let's head to the other end of the Earth. Antarctica has often received most of the attention for polar wildlife, but the Arctic is home to one of the quirkiest creatures on the planet — the narwhal. Often called the "unicorn of the sea," the narwhal's iconic* tusk is actually a canine* tooth that grows in a spiral through their upper lip and can reach up to three metres long. Scientists now believe the tusk is packed with millions of nerve endings, essentially making it a giant sensory* organ that can detect changes in water temperature and salinity*.

Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world, with males weighing up to 700kg. But here's something most people don't know: their fur isn't actually white. Each hair is a hollow, transparent* tube that reflects light, giving the appearance of white fur.

Underneath that fur, their skin is jet black, and it’s designed to absorb heat from the sun. In 2026, researchers also found that polar bears were undergoing genetic changes that may help them adapt to warming climates.

SEAGULLS DON’T REALLY EXIST
There is no such thing as a seagull. Seriously. "Seagull" is not the name of any bird species. It's actually just a nickname that stuck, but no ornithologist* or bird guide in the world lists a species called a "seagull." What most people call seagulls are actually one of more than 50 distinct gull species in the family Laridae, and telling them apart is one of the hardest challenges in birdwatching.

So what are you actually looking at when you see a "seagull" pinching your chips at the beach? In Australia, it's most likely a silver gull.

In the US, the most common beach species is the ring-billed gull, identifiable by the dark band on its bill and yellow legs.

The funny thing is that gulls aren't even exclusively sea birds. Gulls are found in car parks, rubbish tips, farm fields, freshwater lakes, and basically anywhere there's food to steal. They're some of the most adaptable birds on Earth, and have been observed stomping their feet on grass to mimic rainfall and trick earthworms into surfacing. They've also learned to time their visits to outdoor dining areas with peak restaurant hours.

SEISMIC SMS
Back on land, elephants have their own form of long-distance communication that puts our smartphones to shame. They send messages through seismic signals (low-frequency vibrations transmitted through the ground) that can be detected by other elephants up to 10km away. They "listen" through their feet, picking up the vibrations through specialised bone and fat tissue. This means an elephant can warn its family about danger, call for help, or locate a distant herd member without making a single audible* sound.

NINE BRAINS?
The octopus is arguably the closest thing to an alien intelligence on our own planet. They have three hearts, blue blood, and nine brains — a central brain plus a mini-brain in each of their eight arms that can act independently. They can change colour and texture in milliseconds, squeeze through any gap their beak can fit through, and have been filmed unscrewing jars from the inside. Some species have even been observed carrying coconut shell halves to use as portable shelters.

While we're underwater, meet the mantis shrimp, a creature that sounds like a video game glitch. Their punch is one of the fastest movements in the animal kingdom, accelerating at the same force as a .22 calibre bullet. The strike is so fast it boils the water around it, creating a shockwave that can stun or kill prey even if the punch misses. Oh, and they have 16 types of colour receptors* compared to our three. They experience a version of reality we can't even comprehend.

From a dolphin that can outjump Michael Jordan to a bird that doesn't technically exist, nature has no shortage of stories that make you question how much you actually know about the world. And honestly? We've barely scratched the surface. Scientists estimate we've only catalogued about 20 per cent of all species on Earth, which means there are millions of creatures out there we haven't even named yet.

The next time you see a gull stealing a chip, at least now you'll know what to really call it. Or at least, what not to call it.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• AI: artificial intelligence, there are many AI programs that use machine learning to create fake images
• agile: being strong, co-ordinated and able to move quickly
• dialects: variations in a language unique to different regions or groups
• primates: the order of mammals that included humans, apes, monkeys and lemurs
• carnivores: animals that only or mostly eat the flesh of other animals to survive
• elusive: very hard to find
• iconic: symbolic of an animal, country or culture
• canine: canine teeth are sharp teeth designed for tearing apart food
• sensory: being able to feel things through one or some of the five senses
• salinity: the level of salt in the water
• transparent: something that allows light to pass through it. Transparent objects are usually clear or something that you can see through
• ornithologist: a scientist who studies birds
• audible: something that can be heard
• colour receptors: cells in the eye’s retina that detect light, enabling us to see colour

EXTRA READING
Croc hunts cuisine in crazy scenes
Giraffes’ clever solution to rain
Great white shark a playful puppy?

QUICK QUIZ
1. How many hearts does an octopus have?
2. What is the colour of a polar bear’s skin?
3. Where do narwhals live?
4. What is the tallest penguin species?
5. How long can a sloth hold its breath?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Use their name!
Design a poster or a meme. Your purpose is to encourage and convince people to learn and use the real name of seagulls in Australia.

Time: Spend at least 30 minutes on this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Visual Communication Design

2. Extension
Write a Kids News Story. Your topic is ‘Fascinating Human Facts’ and your audience is the animals who are in today’s story.

Time: Spend at least 40 minutes on this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science

VCOP ACTIVITY
Animal alliterations
With a partner, choose one of the pictures from the article.

Make a list of nouns you could use to name the animal in the picture. For example, instead of a penguin, you could also say seabird, marine bird or use its scientific classification, Spheniscidae.

Pick your favourite noun and identify its initial sound — what sound it starts with, not necessarily what letter.

Now, using the initial sound, make a list of adjectives to describe the animal. Try to be specific. Don’t just look at the animal as a whole, look at their different features as well.

Build on these same sound words, and add any verbs and adverbs you could use to describe the animal and their movements.

Try to put it all together and use as many same sound words in a sentence, to create an alliteration about the animal in the picture. For example: the terrifying tiger, tiptoed through tangled trees chasing his prey.