Random Facts About Animals That You Have Completely Wrong Thanks To Movies And TV (12 items)

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  (#1) Shark

  • Animal

  The Myth: Anyone who watched Jaws learned about sharks' sense of smell. According to movies, the water-bound animals are able to sense a single drop of human blood from miles away, immediately locating wounded prey.

  The Truth: Although scientists long suspected that sharks had a superior sense of smell, certain studies casted doubt on the theory. Researchers found that sharks were able to sense blood, but the animals can't detect blood over great distances. If they were able to smell that well, they'd be oversensitive to other ocean scents. The influx of information would confuse them.
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  (#2) Mothers Abandon Baby Birds That Humans Touch

  The Myth: Folklore suggests that touching a baby bird dooms the young creature. Allegedly, nestlings that are handled by humans will be abandoned because the human scent confuses bird parents. Films like Fly Away Home warn that any well-wishing children should steer clear of injured or lost birds.

  The Truth: Most birds will never abandon their young except in very specific circumstances. Like other animals, these winged creatures innately prefer to protect their children, developing bonds as soon as the eggs hatch. Besides, birds generally have a very weak senses of smell. They wouldn't be able to distinguish the scent of a person from the other smells in the surrounding area.
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  (#3) Lemming

  • Organism Classification

  The Myth: Lemmings garnered a decades-old reputation for being suicidal. The Disney documentary White Wilderness was responsible for popularizing the concept, suggesting that the small rodents might kill themselves during migration events.

  The Truth: The animals never exhibited any tendencies to commit suicide. In fact, the type of lemmings shown in the Disney film don’t even migrate. Allegedly, the scenes were faked. The small animals were driven into the water; they didn't voluntarily choose their deaths. 
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  (#4) Dogs Are Colorblind

  The Myth: People believed dogs were colorblind for decades, and movies didn't help the misconception. In Cats & Dogs, the dogs are unable to disarm a bomb despite knowing the correct procedure because they cannot tell which wire is which. It's usually suggested that dogs only see in black and white.

  The Truth: Although dogs are not quite as capable as humans at seeing color, they definitely do not see in black and white. Canines distinguish between different colors to some degree. However, they only have two different types of cones that detect color, so it's difficult for them to see reds and greens.
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  (#5) Cockroach

  • Order

  The Myth: Supposedly, if a nuclear explosion were to occur, cockroaches would be the only surviving creatures. While every other living thing would perish from radiation, these bugs would endure. Animated movie classic Wall-E affirms this theory; the only living animals in the post-apocalyptic world are cockroaches. 

  The Truth: In reality, though, cockroaches would not survive a nuclear blast. Yes, they're strong. However, their distinctive biological structure isn't strong enough to withstand extremely high doses of radiation. Additionally, the force of any explosion would render them defenseless. 
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  (#6) Bulls Hate The Color Red

  The Myth: Hollywood suggests that bulls are aggressive brutes that go wild if the color red is waved in front of them. In fact, matadors in Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Johnny Dangerously base their entire careers on waving red flags in front of charging bulls. 

  The Truth: Bulls will never charge at something simply because it is red. In fact, bulls are colorblind to that color, so they aren't able to distinguish it from other shades. In bullfights, the movement of the cape actually attracts a bull’s attention, instigating the charge. The cape is only red because the color is distinctive, and it hides the bull's blood splatters.
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  (#7) Bat

  • Animal

  The Myth: According to common thought, bats are completely blind. They have to rely on echolocation in order to navigate the world. It's assumed that without their sonar ability, bats wouldn't be able to see and travel effectively. Television shows like Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat propagated this idea so much that sayings like “blind as a bat” became normal.

  The Truth: Despite the media portrayal, bats are not blind. All bat species have some sort of sight. While many do use echolocation to hunt prey during the night, the small creatures can navigate just as well using their eyes. There are even some non-nocturnal bats that feed on fruit; they don’t use sonar abilities whatsoever.
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  (#8) Sleeping Cows Can Be Tipped

  The Myth: Movies suggest that people in rural areas love to go out at night and tip over sleeping cows. In theory, cow-tipping is a relatively simple task because the animals are supposedly rather stupid. Plus, they stand while sleeping, making them easy targets for characters from Tommy Boy or the Heathers film.

  The Truth: Cow tipping is nearly impossible, though. The dairy-producing animals are incredibly strong and heavy. It would take the strength of at least six people to achieve such a feat. There are also other problems with the myth. Cows do not sleep standing up, and they are perfectly capable of defending themselves. Bovines can seriously injure or kill human predators.
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  (#9) St. Bernard

  • Animal breed

  The Myth: Supposedly, monks in Switzerland used St. Bernard dogs at the Great Saint Bernard Hospice to carry brandy to people trapped on the snowy mountains. The doggos in productions like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Adventures of Topper carry alcohol in barrels hung around their necks.

  The Truth: While monks did use St. Bernard dogs to help rescue snowed-in travelers, the holy brethren never affixed brandy to their canine friends. Edwin Landseer painted a picture depicting the dogs with barrels around their necks, possibly starting the whole myth.

  Also, drinking brandy while lodged in the snow would be incredibly dangerous. The alcohol would spread heat to the vital organs, increasing chances of hypothermia. 
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  (#10) Wolves Howl At The Moon

  The Myth: Everyone believes wolves howl at the moon. Some people even suspect that werewolves howl at the heavenly body during transformation. Blockbusters like Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban totally contribute to this misunderstanding.

  The Truth: However, wolves simply have no inclination to howl at the moon. Researchers prove that the animals don't howl any more when the moon is visible. In actuality, they use the vocalization to communicate with other wolves. Howling helps to reorganize the pack, scare off competitors, or alert others about a possible threat.
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  (#11) Ostrich

  • Animal

  The Myth: One of the most common animal stereotypes in movies like Dumbo is that ostriches bury their heads in the sand when facing real or imagined danger. 

  The Truth: Animals usually do one of two things when dealing with a threat. They either run away or face the danger and attempt to fight. Ostriches are no different, and their large sizes frighten off potential attackers. Ostriches are also able to outrun many foes. Sometimes they lie down to blend in with their surroundings, but the large birds never plunge into the ground. They would become completely defenseless and possibly suffocate if they did so.
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  (#12) Birds Of Prey Carry Off Small Children

  The Myth: Eagles, vultures, condors, and other massive birds of prey are supposedly capable of carrying off children. In movies like Jurassic Park, even pterosaurs take the helpless victims to nests for devouring. 

  The Truth: Neither large birds nor flying dinosaurs, are capable of picking up children or babies. While the aggressive birds are certainly capable of killing much larger prey, they can't lift anything heavier than a few pounds. When these types of birds attack larger victims, they tend to kill and eat in the same spot rather than attempting to fly.

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