Once upon a time, in the deep jungle, there lived a creature called human being. He lived in the midst of nature, along with his furry jungle friends. He lived in sync with his surroundings and had a complete understanding of his co-inhabitants as well. Everything was perfectly harmonious, until our human became a person. Now armed with his highly developed brain, he started considering himself superior, especially in comparison to the other animals. As he began marauding nature, his 'super intelligence' caused him to believe that he is above all. He distanced himself from his natural abode, away from his animal friends. Currently, our person lives in his buzzing world, a little devoid of his natural instincts. Having lost all memories of his jungle life, he now considers other animals inferior, capable of doing some very dopey things. Want proof? Here goes... Misconceptions about Animals A startling number of people among us believe that we are genetically related to monkeys. Considering how much we know about ourselves, the following myths about animals should not take us by surprise. And before we begin, we are closest to gorillas and chimpanzees, not monkeys. Myth 1: As Blind as a Bat! Or maybe not! Bats are not blind per se, although they do rely heavily on their sense of hearing. They have a system where they emit ultrasonic sounds to produce echoes that help them locate their prey, even in the dark. In fact, some bats are known to possess excellent daylight vision. Myth 2: Bulls See Red The poor creatures are blind to the color red. It is the movement of the cloth that the bull takes offense to, certainly not the color. So why does a matador only use red? Maybe it goes well with his fancy gold costume, or better, let's just ask the Spaniards. Myth 3: These Charmed Snakes Before you slam the snake community for their terrible taste in music, spare a thought for their hapless condition. Snakes are deaf, so the swaying is definitely not inspired by the music. They are tuned in to vibrations all around them, so it is either that, or the movement of the instrument that makes them sway. Myth 4: Something's Fishy Is it a fish? Is it an amphibian? No, it's a whale, and it's a mammal! A marine mammal, to be precise. They have a nose on top of their heads, and they rise to the surface at specific intervals to breathe. They are descendants of regular mammals that lived on land. It was 50 million years ago that the whales shifted their residence to the sea, and have been happily living there ever since. Myth 5: Hide me, Quick! For all those who thought an ostrich was trying to escape an attack by burying his head in the ground, shame on you! There is a belief that an ostrich buries its head in the sand because if it can't see the predator, it means that the predator cannot see him. The truth is, as he buries his head in the ground, he could simply be exploring it. The ostrich may have a pea-sized brain, but humans don't. Myth 6: This Pole, That Pole To begin with, Arctic is in the North, and Antarctica in the South. Polar bears are found in the Arctic, penguins live in Antarctica. They never, ever exchange poles. Repeat these lines ten times a day. Myth 7: Now You See Me; Now You Don't Chameleons are very good at blending in, but when they change color, that's not what they have in mind. A chameleon changes colors according to variations in mood, for instance when it feels angry or threatened, or even when it is at peace. It's more like having a conversation, except we humans don't understand the language. Myth 8: Who Stole My Water? I hate to ruin this one, but camels do not store water in their humps. They have their tummies for it. The hump actually stores fat, which gives them energy for their long journeys, but still, it's not the same as water. Myth 9: 'Ear Me Out! Earwigs do not have a predilection for residing in human ears, and this is the complete truth. While it is true that they love dark, damp places, human ears don't catch their fancy. But if you insist on further assurance, there is a bone in your ear that will stop any insect from getting inside. Happy? Myth 10: Sorry, Garfield; Sorry, Odie Our favorite domestic pets are also victims of human naïvety. We have always tried to attach some kind of explanation to every little thing about cats and dogs that strikes us as an oddity. Cats are often labeled sinister and unfriendly, whereas every dog is assumed to be Lassie. And we all know the list is endless. It is time we stop being so pompous about our sharp rise on the evolutionary scale. These smart animals have fooled us into believing things that are an insult to our so-called intelligence. Wake up and listen to the laughter echoing throughout the animal kingdom!