Not all animals are friendly, cuddly little things. Many creatures are highly intelligent, and they use those smarts and cunning for their own sinister or selfish purposes.
And, to be fair, they’re pretty good at it. From monkeys who have mastered the art of negotiation to a bird that can transform itself into an umbrella for the hunt.
Boxer Crabs
Boxer crabs and sea anemones form one of the most unusual and astounding symbiotic relationships in the entire animal kingdom.
These crabs wield sea anemones attached to their claws in horizontal motions as they move.
This colorful display serves as a natural deterrent to predators, and when directly threatened, the crab will utilize the sea anemone in a forward, ‘punching’ movement towards the aggressor.
The sea anemone’s stinging tentacles serve as the ultimate defense mechanism for the crab. In exchange for this defense, boxer crabs feed their helpful partners.
The crabs utilize the sea anemone’s tentacles to collect food particles then subsequently digest the debris and provide adequate meals in return, making for the most unlikely and amazing friends.
While most cases of symbiosis are pretty fascinating, this one really takes the cake.
Bowerbirds
Bowerbirds are stout, typically heavy-billed, and strong-footed songbirds that range from the size of a Common Starling to that of a small slim Jackdaw.
The bowerbirds include both sexually monochromatic and strikingly sexually dichromatic species.
Three socially monogamous and territorial species are known as catbirds and the remaining 17 species are confirmed or presumed to reproduce polygynously and apparently without defending territory other than their immediate bower or nest sites.
The bowerbird is a medium-sized bird known for its unique courtship ritual. Male bowerbirds construct miniature art galleries, fittingly called bowers, to attract potential mates.
This is done by weaving together little stick structures and decorating them with brightly colored objects.
Due to their appreciation for novel objects, it’s not uncommon to find the walls of these little museums peppered with things like glass, rifle shells, coins, and broken plastic.
Once these structures are finished, female bowerbirds flit from gallery to gallery playing the part of snobby art critic.
To ensure they get all the chicks, male bower birds make a habit of destroying the bowers of their rivals. They’re basically a strange mix of artists and corporate saboteurs.
