Cool Facts About Animals

This is Jaguar meow meow! Learn how to cook endangered meat with just a flame thrower, trebuchet and elbow grease in this best ever episode! 

In this episode we learn all about lake cow bacon, otherwise known as the hippopotamus! You'll learn about poop-flinging, built-in sunscreen, mouth gape, how huge they are, and more. Thanks for listening! If you would like to support us on Patreon, please head here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals  We have fun benefits like shout-outs and outtakes (including a funny one on poop today...

We at Cool Facts About Animals are pretty jealous of our east coast listeners who are about to get visited by TRILLIONS of cicadas! In this episode, we give you all the information you need to know about this amazing insects, which have been waiting for the past 17 years to emerge. Included in that is a zombie fungus disease that makes their butts fall off! You don't want to miss this one.  Thanks...

Happy Earth Day! In this special bonus episode, we each choose an endangered or extinct animal to learn about, then we choose an animal that's making a rebound, and share an idea for how you can help to keep animals of the endangered list! In this episode, we learn about: Black rhinoceros White rhinoceros European Jaguar Blackfooted pigeon Tooth-billed pigeon Condor Vaquita American alligator Here...

In this special double episode, we learn all about herons. First, we are joined by Patreon supporter and friend Meryl to learn all about the third biggest heron, the great blue heron. Then, the usual crew learn more about the second biggest and biggest herons - the white bellied heron and the Goliath heron.  We want to hear from you too! Send us an audio clip with your cool animal fact to coolfact...

Jaguar wants to cover the world in trash. Can Corduroy stop him?  (No animal facts in this one - this is just for fun!) 

Horseshoe crabs have been around since before the age of dinosaurs! During the time, they've seen a lot of changes in the world. We talk about these living fossils, including why their blood is so valuable, their many eyes and legs, and many other cool facts.  If you think you know the answer to the riddle or creature quiz, or if you do the Kid Power challenge, send us an email at coolfactsaboutan...

Dragons are one of the most amazing animals in the world - but it's hard to get the facts about them when they are so rare. Luckily, we were able to speak with Mr. Eric of What If World and a real live What If World dragon, Dracomax! Dracomax fills us in on all sorts of interesting stuff about dragons, like their favorite jokes, systems of governance, and their deepest, darkest secrets (it involve...

We have a really cool special episode for you today.  In this one, we interview Gina Zwicky. Gina is a graduate student at the University of New Orleans, where she studies reptile immuno-evolution, and she knows a ton of stuff about toads, frogs, alligators and turtles. In this episode, we learn about snapping turtles' butt-breathing, how to tell an alligator from a crocodile, and why frogs have t...

This is one tough animal. Smart, recklessly aggressive, equipped with tough skin, stink bombs and sharp claws - even lions run from the honey badger!  We mentioned a bunch of things in this episode. Here's a link to the Nature documentary:  https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/honey-badger-honey-badgers-masters-of-mayhem/8636/ Here's a link to our YouTube channel - you can check out our collaboration w...

Learn more about sea stars (aka starfish) while playing along with the Cool Facts About Animals and At Your Level podcasts. During this activity-filled video, you'll learn how to draw the crown of thorns sea star, make an origami sea star, and hear a story about a sea star going to the library. You'll also get to see Jaguar interviewed as a sea star - aka Ulysses S. Grant. Plus, dad jokes and some...

Grady, Clara, Teddy and mom Ali sit down to talk about the starfish (or is it a sea star?).  You'll learn that this festive-shaped star can come with many, many more arms than you'd imagine, what important things it's lacking, the strange place its eyes are located, and about its amazing superpower. Here's a picture of that heron and eel: https://www.livescience.com/snake-eel-bursts-out-of-heron.h...

In this episode, the crew shares a whole bunch of really, really gross animal facts. If you do not like being grossed out, DO NOT listen to this episode! Animals include a toad that gives birth by baby toads breaking through the skin on its back, a lizard that shoots blood from its eyes, an animal that feasts on human skin, and a sea cucumber that shoots out its internal organs. We have a lot of s...

In this episode, we get pretty confused talking about opossums v. possums - because they sound the same! We sort it out with the help of Jaguar's helpful poem. We also learn about why they play dead and why it's so confusing, other gross defense mechanisms, and lots of other cool facts.  Our friends at Nature Nerds are going to be putting out an episode on opossums too! Be sure to check it out.  T...

Hi Listeners! We are trying out something new this episode, and swapping an episode with our friend Laine at Nature Nerds, a podcast in the Kids Listen family. We've never done this before, but we thought we would try it this time because we really think if you like our show, you'll also like Nature Nerds. (Our family listened to the whole first season in one day.) In each episode, Laine and her n...

Do you think crows are scary? In this episode, we learn that crows are scary – scary smart! Did you know that crows can solve 8-step puzzles, make and use tools, recognize faces, hold a grudge and even obey traffic lights? In this episode, we learn all about these spooky smart creatures. This episode is part of the Kids Listen Halloween collaboration. I'll be updating the show notes with a link to...

On this episode, we talk all about peafowl! New fact for me, only the male peafowl is called a peacock. Who knew! We also give lots of info on the peacock's beautiful tail (or train), its flying ability, and some cool facts about their eggs.  For our kid challenge, we are challenging you to make a bird feeder out of apples, nut or seed butter, and birdseed. Find an example of how to do this here:...

In this episode, we talk to dragonfly and damselfly expert Dr. Jessica Ware about what makes these insects so cool. And there's a lot! Like their eyes, the way they can do math even with their tiny insect brains, how big they used to be (and sometimes still are), how long they've been around for, and even how you can try to find your own new species of dragonflies.  Thanks so much to Dr. Ware for...

Big news, listeners! Jaguar and Corduroy have made their first music video. Now, I'm not sure about the message, but you know Jaguar. Check it out on YouTube, https://youtu.be/ikzSylqEkRQ , and listen to the preview here. 

We're back! With an episode about the pink river dolphin/aka Amazon River Dolphin/ aka Boto. In this episode we learn about why they might be their unusual color, how they look different from marine dolphins, interesting myths surrounding them, and lots more.  If you think you know the answer to our creature quiz or our riddle, or if you took part in our Kid Power challenge, send us an email at co...

On this second part to our spider monkey episodes, we have the opportunity to speak with Dr. Michelle Rodrigues, who has Jaguar's dream job - getting up close and personal with spider monkeys. (Although her motivations differ from Jaguar's.) Dr. Rodrigues talks to us about spider monkey sociality, the effect of climate change on spider monkeys, whether they laugh, and - of course - answer Jaguar's...

It's Corduroy turn to share his origin story! Learn about how he found his corduroys and how he got his name. It involves a very famous person - maybe you can figure out who!  You also hear more about the Amazon Inn Hub & Grub. Be sure to head to www.amazoninnhubandgrub.com  to get your gift certificates!

Did you ever wonder how Jaguar became Jaguar? In this bonus episode, Jaguar explains how he became the cat he is today.  Don't forget to check out his enterprise, Amazon Inn Hub & Grub at www.amazoninnhubandgrub.com  

The day has finally come, listeners. Jaguar learns all about spider monkeys. Now, the question is - will he learn to love them so much that he won't eat them again? Listen to find out, as well as finding out about their amazing tails, their calls, and some pretty gross ways they have of deterring intruders.   Thank you to Emily, our latest Patreon sponsor. If you would like to be a Patreon sponsor...

What animal is so big it takes to podcast episodes to cover it? The elephant! In this follow-up to our first elephant podcast, we interview Dr. Josh Plotnik, an elephant expert who studies sociality and empathy. We talk about the smartest thing Dr. Plotnik has ever seen an elephant do, whether elephants can recognize themselves in a mirror, how they show empathy, and more.  Thank you to our Patreo...