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How many bones are in an African elephant skeleton?

The African elephant has 21 ribs and its vertebrae are held together by tight joints. The skull is tough enough to withstand head smashing, as well as whatever leverage it can achieve using its tusks. The skull also contains air cavities that lighten the skull to maintain overall strength. The bones make up about 12 to 15 percent of the elephant's body weight. The bones in its limbs are spongy and have no marrow cavity. The African elephant's neck is almost horizontal due to its double spine. This helps to bear the weight of its large tusks.

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Do female cats spray to mark territory?

Spraying is a form of communication used by domestic cats as well as those living in the wild, claims the ASPCA. Outdoor cats use spraying to mark their territory. Information about the cat's readiness to mate is also passed along in the scent.\nSpraying is a natural behavior for unspayed female cats, states the Humane Society. Surgically sterilizing the cat often, but not always, will stop the cat from spraying. However, stress and medical conditions can also cause spraying, even in neutered cats.

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What eats cheetahs?

Fierce competition between more muscular predators creates disadvantages the cheetah; this is due to the fact that the cheetah’s body style is built for speed, not for fighting with the larger, more muscular predators of the African plains. The land development of the natural habitat for large predators is rapidly increasing, resulting in the displacement of big cats into unlikely habitats. Cheetahs have difficulty finding food in these new, unknown areas. This difficulty drives them onto human-occupied lands, where they are often killed for eating livestock.

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How long can penguins stay underwater?

Live Science reports that penguins have special probes that monitor oxygen levels when diving on a single breath of air. In 2011, a study was published in the "Journal of Experimental Biology" concerning the other ways in which penguins manage oxygen levels while diving. In one method, penguins allow the muscles to function on their own and divert oxygen to the brain and heart. Alternatively, to avoid fatigue and prolong dive time, their bodies periodically deliver oxygen to the muscles.

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What do brine shrimp eat?

Artemia salina is a species of brine shrimp found in the Great Salt Lake of Utah. Young brine shrimp hatch each April from cysts in the Great Salt Lake and are used as food in aquariums for fish and other animals. If conditions are favorable enough, a newly hatched brine shrimp can develop into adulthood in only eight days. However, most take three to six weeks to develop fully.

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Where do sharks live?

Sharks, like most fish, do not stay with their eggs after they are hatched. They could lay eggs hundreds of miles from their current habitat and never see their young hatch. Sharks will frequently travel for long distances to find food and will generally go only where there is a large amount of food for them to live off of. They are not territorial creatures and are able to change their habitat somewhat easily depending on their nutrition needs. They are among some of the most adaptable animals on the planet.Sharks are cold-blooded animals. They are able to take care of themselves from the tim..

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Where do brown bears live?

Approximately 100,000 brown bears live in Eurasia, with 70,000 of them living in the former Soviet Union, including the forests of Siberia. An estimated 8,000 brown bears live in Western Europe and the Carpathians, where the bears reside in mountainous woodlands. Upwards of 30,000 brown bears may also live in Western Canada and Alaska, where they stay comfortably in tundra and along coastlines.

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Are oranges bad for dogs?

Oranges make nutritional treats for dogs, but they have components that can inflame a dog’s stomach. They have plenty of citric acid, which can damage a dog’s digestive system when consumed in high amounts. Orange rinds also contain citrus oils, which can be harmful to dogs, so it’s important to keep the peel out of a dog’s reach and to provide only a few orange slices at a time. Aside from oranges, dogs can also eat other fresh fruits, including apples, bananas and watermelon. However, owners should get rid of the seeds, stems and leaves to avoid digestive problems.\nVegetables are al..

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What is the difference between a possum and an opossum?

Opossums are a very old group, with features that are similar to early mammals. They have five toes on each foot and canine teeth, and they are usually omnivorous. Few are strict herbivores, and some even hunt venomous snakes. They can be found throughout the Americas, but the most well-known species is probably the Virginia opossum, the only species native to the United States.\nPossums, in contrast, live in Australia, are related to kangaroos and koalas, and have some unique adaptations that make them very distinct from early mammals. All animals in Diprotodontia, possums included, have fuse..

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What are some facts about dolphins for kids?

Dolphins have anywhere from eight to 250 teeth, depending on the type of dolphin they are. They don't use their teeth to chew food but rather for catching it. Dolphins are carnivores, which means that they eat meat. The most common and well-known type of dolphin is the bottlenose. Despite their name, killer whales, or orcas, are actually the largest type of dolphin. Dolphins are one of the most intelligent animals and can be trained by humans. Dolphins have a special way of communicating with each other by using clicking and whistling sounds. They are social animals that live in groups of..

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