Beluga Whale

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 image source: damncoolpictures.com 

image source: news.nationalgeographic.com

  
The Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) is an Arctic and sub-Arctic creature that has quite the personality. These cute whales are quite playful and are known for their love of one thing: blowing bubbles. Belugas will puff out a huge gust of air from their blow-hole to make a doughnut-shaped ring, then they roll underneath the bubble and kisse it with the tip of their nose and finally glide over it. Scientists don’t think this behavior really serves any really purpose, except for having some fun of course! 

Indonesian Mimic Octopus 

image credit: Ann Benwick

The Indonesian Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) gets its kicks from copying other animals. It will mimic creatures such as sea snakes, lionfish, flatfish, brittle stars, giant crabs, sea shells, stingrays, flounders, jellyfish, sea anemones, and mantis shrimp to the extent that it’s almost hard to tell what it actually is! I think it would be a pretty awesome hobby to change my appearance on a whim! It would certainly make getting ready in the morning easier.

Ravens

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image source: swarthmore.edu
Ravens, which are members of the genus Corvus are total snow bunnies, er, birds. Whenever there’s fresh powder on the ground you can bet a raven isn’t far. Playing in the snow is this bird’s favorite past time! 

Satin Bowerbird

image source: thebeautifulbrain.com

image credit: Tim Laman

The Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)would be a great student at an interior design school. Their hobby is to decorate their homes with brightly hued blue things – pieces of plastic, blue feathers, blue berries, you name it. Their goal is to attract a mate who shares a similar aesthetic.

Elephants 

elephantcamp10
image credit: Lou

image source: academics.skidmore.edu

Elephants have long been touted as some of the most intelligent creatures in the animal kingdom. Their love for painting gives them a truly human air about them – although there is a small catch. A few months ago a video surfaced of an elephant painting a “self portrait” of an elephant holding a flower in its trunk. People were dumbfounded because it really did look like the elephant was painting the portrait – and it was! However, what people failed to notice was that the elephant’s handler, or mahout, was gently tugging at the elephants ear to make it do different strokes. Now, this doesn’t ruin the fun entirely because the elephant still needs to be able to interpret those slight tugs into precise muscle movements in its trunk. It really is incredible control, if not artistic ability. Check out the video below: 

Sponge Crab 


image source: blogs.discovery.com 
 image source: oceanblue-web.com

image source: aquariumdomain.com

Sponge Crabs (Dromidiopsis dormia) are all about fashion. They cut off pieces of sponge and trim them down to the perfect shape & fit using their claws, then they place the chic accessory square on top of their head. The sponge, besides making the crab look dazzling, serves as a permanent shelter and as protection for the crab.

Japanese Macaque

image source: telegraph.co.uk

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Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata)have my favorite hobby of all: doing absolutely nothing in a hot tub. These obviously smart monkeys decided that soaking in the Jigokudani hot springs of Nagano was enough of an activity for them. Though, when they feel like it they will groom each other. Bathing and beautifying –
NICE!