Facts You Didn't Know
7 Fun and Surprising Animal and Nature Facts
Discover fun facts about traveling fish, shy plants, and why tanks got their name
- Debbie Reichman
- פורסם י"ג תמוז התש"פ

#VALUE!
• Did you know about the fish that travels for three years?
The eel starts its life in the salty waters of the Atlantic Ocean and then begins a journey to freshwater that takes about three years! Once it reaches freshwater, it lives there for another seven years before returning to the ocean to lay eggs and begin the cycle all over again.
• Did you know there are bridges made from living trees?
In Meghalaya, India, people have been growing their own bridges for hundreds of years. These amazing bridges are made from living tree roots and are strong enough to hold up to 50 people at once. Some are about 30 meters long!
• Did you know there’s a poisonous bird in Papua New Guinea?
The Hooded Pitohui is one of the only birds in the world that’s actually poisonous. Its poison can kill insects and even harm small animals. If a person touches the bird, they might feel numbness or tingling. The bird gets its poison from eating special beetles called Choresine.
• Did you know what the biggest bird in Australia is?
It’s the emu, the second-largest bird in the world after the ostrich. Emus can grow up to 2 meters tall and weigh up to 40 kilos. They don’t fly, but they sure can run up to 50 kilometers per hour!
• Did you know about the shyest plant?
The “Sensitive Mimosa” is a special plant that reacts when you touch it. Its leaves fold up and droop, almost like it’s being shy! That’s how it got its name. You’ll mostly find it in Central and South America.
• Did you know who invented the microscope?
Three people actually came up with it around the same time. A father and son, Zacharias and Hans Janssen, built a simple one in 1590 that could magnify things 20 times. Around the same time, another Dutchman named Hans Lippershey was working on a similar device, which later became the first telescope.
• Did you know why a tank is called a “tank”?
During World War II, the British were building a new armored vehicle. To keep it secret, they gave it the name “tank,” like a water container, so no one would suspect what it really was. The name stuck and that’s what we still call it today.