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8 Interesting Dances In The Animal Kingdom

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  • 1

    The mating dance of the Peacock Spider

    Meet the peacock spider. Males from several species within this group of spiders put on remarkable mating displays to win over mates of the opposite gender. The tiny creature dances and lifts up its tail-flap, which, once unfurled, resembles an abstract Indian blanket of intense color. He hops about, lifts up its legs alternately like an air traffic controller, gesturing this way and that. Its large, furry mouthparts almost make it look like it's smiling, or at least mildly amused at this outrageous act.


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  • 2

    Flamingos are using more than 100 Smooth Moves During Mating Season

    Pink flamingos are really into courtship and during the mating season, their dancing consists of a surplus of more than 136 unique motions. Research suggests that the more intricate and complex the movements, the higher their likelihood of snagging a sweetie gets.


  • 3

    Parrots are truly connected to the rhythm of music

    Unlike other animals that dance to signify a specific life event - such as death, courtship, or resources - parrots dance because their brains are wired to do so. It's all a part of their mimicry, according to experts. The same brain circuitry that allots them the ability to talk and sing is also responsible for their sense of rhythm. When a parrot dances, they're aren't just imitating humans they are connecting with human sounds and interpreting them with their bodies. They are truly "chained to the rythm."


  • 4

    The Water Dance of the Gorillas

    Gorillas are quite good with dance moves. What's interesting though, is that these hilarious dance routines seem to happen most frequently near water and fire. Could gorillas be engaging in rain dances across the globe? Some experts would say this is true.


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  • 5

    The Rhythmic GPS of the dancing dung beetle

    The dung beetle is an intriguing insect for more than one reason, but scientists have been particularly mystified by the "dance" the beetles perform while atop their balls of dung. In a recent study, a group of researchers set out to figure out what causes this unusual behavior. It turns out that the dancing has to do with how the beetles orient themselves and determine which direction they need to go. The beetles, which transport pieces of dung by rolling them away to bury and feed their young, move in straight lines away from the dung pile in order to get it away from other dung beetles who are competing for the food source. dung beetles take their dancing cues from the sun and the moon, capturing tiny celestial snapshots while they dancing and referring to those images for navigational purposes. Think of it as a kind of rhythmic GPS that is entirely unique to the species.


  • 6

    The Deadly Scorpion dance

    When two scorpions decide to mate, the result is a lethal tango for two. Initially, the mates will lock claws, twirling around like ballroom ballerinas. Once the beautiful dance is finished and the scorpions have shared an intimate moment beneath the stars, the female usually kills the male in cold blood. Not the sweetest dance partner.

  • 7

    Dolphins dance just for fun

    Dolphins in captivity are often seen engaged in aquatic dance. On the surface, this dance does not have practical applications. However, a released dolphin was observed teaching dances to other wild dolphins who then emulated him. The dolphins appear to enjoy themselves, walking on open water with their tails and propelling themselves rhythmically across the ocean. This could mean that dolphins are even more intelligent than we previously perceived and enjoy pastimes not necessary for survival.


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  • 8

    Stoats Hypnotizes their poor dinner victims with some dancing moves

     Stoats are willing to do almost anything for food. That includes dancing. As you can see, when a stoat can't catch a rabbit, he tricks it into becoming his lunch by breaking out some hot dance moves around. His style borders on acrobatic, as he wriggles and flips through the air. In the end, his audience becomes his lunch.


  • 9

    Bears Pole Dance on trees to leave scent messages behind

    While this hilarious routine could easily be perceived as a simple back scratch, the team over at BBC has suggested that when bears press themselves up against trees, gyrating up and down like exotic dancers in a club, they are actually leaving messages behind with their scent. The messages are meant to attract members of the opposite sex, as if to say, "I danced alone here darling. Next time, won't you be my partner?"


  • 10

    The “Waggle Dance” of honeybees

    Researchers at Sussex University spent two years decoding the "waggle dance" of thousands of honeybees, a form of communication by which the bees tell their nestmates where to go to get the best source of food to bring back to the hive. By measuring the angle of the dance in relation to the sun and the length of time the bee waggled its abdomen while moving in a figure of eight pattern, researchers have been able to map the distance and location where bees forage from month to month.


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