Here are 4 practical jokers whose pranks are really the bee’s knees:
1. Elephants
A herd of elephants gave rangers at the Thula Thula wildlife reserve in Empangeni, South Africa, a run for their money. The rangers were studying six antelopes they had captured and put into a gated field when a herd of elephants who were passing by unhinged the latch, opened the gate, and watched as the freed antelopes bolted and the rangers stared in disbelief.
2. Caterpillars
The kids who broke out the fake-puddle-of-vomit joke today? Yeah, caterpillars have them beat. When they feel threatened, certain species will regurgitate their food all over an unsuspecting victim.
3. Dolphins
Captive dolphins have been known to outsmart their trainers. One female dolphin was rewarded with a fish for every piece of debris she collected from her tank and turned in. So she began smuggling large items such as newspapers, hiding them underwater, and bringing them to the surface bit by bit to get more treats.
4. Drongos
Shiny black African birds called fork-tailed drongos have figured out how to steal meerkats’ food by lying to them. Meerkats rely on birds’ alarm calls to alert them to predators approaching. So when a meerkat has a particularly yummy-looking piece of food, drongos might sound the alarm to send the meerkats scurrying and then steal the meal. How do they keep from getting caught? Drongos only cry wolf on occasion, and they mimic other birds’ alarm calls so that they don’t get blamed.
Happy April Fools’ Day from animals who are clearly nobody’s fools.
