Skeptics Stack Exchange
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Questions tagged [zoology]

Use this tag for questions involving animal biology; evolution, ecology, physiology, behavior, genetics, and marine biology.

Zoology the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct, and how they interact with their ecosystems.

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Did a group of monkeys steal SARS-CoV-2 positive blood samples from a health care worker in India?

An article from Reuters claims that a health care worker in India was assaulted by a team of monkeys and robbed of the blood samples that he was carrying: LUCKNOW, India (Reuters) - A troop of monkeys in India attacked a medical official and…
Robert Columbia
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Is it illegal in Alaska to wake up a sleeping bear for the purpose of taking a photograph?

DumbLaws.com claim: While it is legal to shoot bears, waking a sleeping bear for the purpose of taking a photograph is prohibited. The Gray Line Alaska blog repeats the claim. There is also a Quora question asking why, with no answers. Is it…
user23013
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Can Rambo, the German shepherd, follow written commands?

An article on The Laughing Squid shows a German shepherd seemingly following written commands. An impressively intelligent German shepherd named Rambo, who’s learning how to read with the help of his human Lily, deftly demonstrated his…
SQB
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Is this video of a boxing kangaroo match authentic?

Video link here It's awesome, weird, and unbelievable at the same time. If it was edited, I'm not sure how they did it. It LOOKS authentic but I would want confirmation. Anyone who has more info on this video?
Zaenille
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Do pigeons and doves refrain from mating after their lifelong mate dies?

I just came across this quote by Jerome (I don't know in what book he originally wrote it): Even the pigeons and doves don't take another partner if their companions pass away. I don't take Jerome's statement to mean that it has literally never…
Mr. Bultitude
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Do small dogs live longer than large dogs?

I thought small dogs lived longer than large dogs, then I stumbled on this answer about heart beats and longevity. In the following table: Large dogs are said to live longer than small dogs. Which is contrary to some beliefs, like in this…
Nikko
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Do mice sneeze?

I heard a story on NPR today about how new safety concerns affected one scientist's research on corona viruses. The fear is that scientists may make viruses more contagious and therefore dangerous to people in the event the viruses escape the…
Kyle Jones
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Did lions in Ethiopia save a 12 year old girl from rape?

The story goes, with a youtube video: A 12-year-old girl was kidnapped in Ethiopia, beaten, and almost forced into an awful and disgusting marriage, but luckily, that marriage didn't happen because she was saved by LIONS. ... Here's what the police…
Brian M. Hunt
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Do cows lie down before rain or thunderstorms?

Example of the claim: Users on the Snopes forums I've been told that if you see cows lying down in the field, that means it's going to rain. [...] Pretty much "common knowledge" among the PA Dutch but that doesn't mean it's true.
Lehzer
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Do chameleons change colour for a reason other than camouflage?

I recently stumbled across the following article: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-chameleons-change-their-colors/ which made the claim: Many people believe chameleons change colors to disguise themselves and hide from predators. However,…
Kenshin
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Do hares chew cud?

In Leviticus 11:6, a hare is referred to as a "chewer of the cud." What evidence is there on this matter? It is not necessary, strictly speaking, that the evidence be on chewing cud in the same sense as ruminants. From my research, hares are not…
voithos
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Can birds scream as loud as a jet engine?

I'm moving into an apartment with my cockatoo, and in thinking about sound level I realized I've never actually seen a source for the claim I've heard quite often and passively believed myself: Cockatoos can scream as loud as a jet engine! You can…
GManNickG
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Are fish addictive to cats?

Today I found an interesting article that claims that feeding fish to cat is not a good idea: Fish should be avoided, except for occasional use, for many reasons including: heavy metal contamination, vitamin E depletion and the fact that cats get…
Matteo
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Do koalas sleep 22 hours a day?

I came across this image on Facebook from the website Learn Something Every Day: When I searched for a reliable source, I came across several sites of the same kind (OMG Facts, Snapple Real Facts,etc.) but never anything quite authoritative. Is it…
Borror0
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Do maneaters exist?

Can an animal develop an affinity for manflesh? Would a tiger like human meat so strongly that it goes after humans?
Mateen Ulhaq
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