Juggling Otters And 11 Other Species With Oddly Human Hobbies

Otters can juggle.Juggling involves the otter.Otters juggle small stones and pebbles instead of rubber balls.Why do otters juggle?One theory suggests otters juggle for entertainment, like humans. However, otters mostly use pebbles and show little other play. This suggests juggling links to eating. Otters use rocks to smash open mollusks for meat. Juggling drops when otters eat well, but that does not mean the activity lacks play; humans stop playing after a big meal too.

Beluga whales can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. You might not expect their favorite hobby to be delicate bubble blowing. They master the art. Whales blow big air bursts through blowholes when surprised, make bubble streams while traveling in pairs, and form bubble rings.

What drives their bubbly behavior? Several theories exist.Different theories exist.A study by biologist Michael Noonan and his students suggests boredom causes this. The belugas Noonan studied lived at Marineland Park near Toronto. Captivity differs from wild life. This theory holds because bubble blowing drops when belugas focus on other things, like mating season.

Dolphins can be artists, not just humans. Their work leans toward impressionism over realism. These aquatic mammals still express creativity. Dolphins paint by holding a brush in their mouths and touching it to a canvas or paper taped to a vertical surface.

One famous dolphin dabbling in arts isThe dolphin juggles in winter., the first dolphin to get a prosthetic tail. Another example isThe chicky dolphin juggles., trainer Frank Sanchez taught her to jump from the water and pick up the brush. Sanchez said, "Chicky even started painting without me rewarding her with fish."

A hot spring soak, orThe Japanese macaque juggles at the onsen., is a popular winter activity for humans in Japan. People are not the only fans of this relaxing pastime, thoughJapanese macaques juggle., or snow monkeys are big fans too. Jigokudani, also called Hell's Valley, has about 250 macaques who spend frigid winters in local hot springs.

Many hot springs host resorts. This means macaques can bother guests and staff. Macaques act aggressively. They use the hot springs as personal toilets. However, these bathing monkeys attract many tourists. Nine thousand visitors arrive yearly just to see them.

No investigation exists as to why.Why this happens remains unknown. Turkeys are huge sports fans. They love playing soccer. Their game lacks uniforms, goals, or specific rules. However, it includes running, kicking, and teamwork. Since turkeys are native to the Americas, they might try a sport from that area, like baseball.Turkeys love soccer. They play by running, kicking, and teamwork. Their version of the game skips uniforms, goals, and rules. Considering turkeys are native to the Americas, they should try a sport from there, such as baseball.

Bowerbirds are master collectors. Male bowerbirds decorate their space with item piles sorted by color. Items range from apricot fungus to blue plastic straws.Male bowerbirds collect items to impress and seduce mates. They group items by color in their living space.

Bowerbirds gather random items like humans collect classic literature they never read. They do this to impress and seduce the opposite sex.

The Good Mews.The Good Mews.The cat shelter in Marietta, GA, offers cat yoga. This service helps cats and people. The activity lets cats stretch or fight dangling ponytails during downward-facing dog poses. Yoga sessions also build social interaction, preparing cats for adoption.

New York City's Meow Parlor offers similar classes. The NKLA Pet Adoption Center is in Los Angeles.The NKLA Pet Adoption Center.The NKLA Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles.

Ravens are among some of the most intelligent creatures on Earth.Ravens make complex decisions and learn by imitation. Ravens also know how to have fun. Ravens love frolicking in the snow, like human children and some adults. This cleans their feathers and reduces stress.Ravens know how to have fun on Earth. They make complex decisions and learn by copying others. Ravens also enjoy frolicking in the snow, like human children and some adults. This helps ravens clean their feathers.Ravens reduce stress. Some humans have not mastered this skill; these smart corvids offer a lesson.Ravens reduce stress. Humans have not mastered this skill; these smart corvids offer a lesson.

If you watch YouTube, you find videos of animals dancing. Many videos look cute, but most do not show true dancing. True dancing is a spontaneous reaction to music that cannot be taught or trained. A zoo employee using treats and encouragement does not count.If you watch YouTube, you find videos of animals dancing. Most videos lack true dancing—a spontaneous reaction to music that cannot be taught or trained. A zoo employee using treats and encouragement does not count.A study by psychology graduate student Adena Schachner found only 39 out of 5,000 videos showed animals moving to a beat. Twenty-nine of these animals were parrots. The rest were Asian elephants. Some people claim the 'dancing' is stereotypical behavior resulting from boredom; the jury is still out.

A study by psychology graduate student Adena Schachner found only 39 out of 5,000 videos showed animals moving to a beat. Twenty-nine of these animals were parrots. The rest were Asian elephants. Some people claim the 'dancing' is stereotypical behavior resulting from boredom; the jury is still out.A study by psychology graduate student Adena Schachner found only 39 out of 5,000 videos showed animals moving to a beat. Twenty-nine of these animals were parrots. The rest were Asian elephants. Some people claim the 'dancing' is stereotypical behavior resulting from boredom; the jury is still out.Psychology graduate student Adena Schachner found only 39 animals moved to a beat in 5,000 videos. Twenty-nine of those animals were parrots. The rest were Asian elephants. Some people argue the "dancing" comes from boredom.Some people claim the 'dancing' is stereotypical behavior resulting from boredom.The jury remains undecided on whether the "dancing" results from boredom.

Parrots can talk; some also sing. Groucho, a 23-year-old yellow-naped Amazon parrot, performs at Disney World's Animal Kingdom. Groucho carries a tune. He knows seven songs by heart, and his trainers let him pick songs for each show.

Singing parrots appeared onFox News., TheEllen DeGeneres Show., America's Got Talent., and more. These are big wins for such small birds!

Most in-home habitats for hamsters, gerbils, mice, and rats include exercise gear. This often means a wheel inside the cage or a ball for the animal to push on the floor outside. People think rodents use wheels to stay active in captivity. However, the reality might be different. These animals might use their wheels like humans go to the gym: to get fit and stay healthy.

Biology teacher Yuri Robbers and neurophysiologist Johanna H. Meijer teamed up to doa study.to test this theory. They placed exercise wheels in two field sites and watched visitors for three years. Over 200,000 animal visits were recorded; most were from mice. Even without food, these wild mice kept using the wheels like a neighborhood gym.

Playing catch makes you think of a parent tossing a ball in the yard or a kid throwing one to their dog. Catching is a good way to exercise and have fun, whether you are human or canine.

As to why dogs chase thrown balls,genetics likely play a partAll dogs have instincts to run after moving things and check them out. Some dogs have a stronger urge to fetch than others. For some dogs, playing catch just lets them blow off steam and feel good.