Every knot
tells a story.

Terns live for about 30 years, and during that time they can travel more than 2.4 million kilometers. That’s the equivalent of traveling to and from the moon three or four times! It’s absolutely incredible that a bird weighing just over 100 grams manages to make a 90,000-kilometer journey every year between the Arctic and Antarctica—considered the longest migration undertaken by any animal. It sees more daylight than any other animal, because it always arrives at the poles during the summer.

The regal angelfish is one of the ocean's most striking creatures. Its bold pattern of vivid orange and white vertical stripes makes it one of the most recognisable fish on coral reefs. No two individuals have exactly the same pattern, making each fish truly unique. Like many angelfish, royal angelfish are hermaphrodites and live in small harems. If the dominant male dies, the largest female in the group can change sex and take his place — a remarkable biological adaptation. They are not considered endangered, but like all reef fish, they depend heavily on healthy coral ecosystems to thrive.

The axolotl is one of the most extraordinary and bizarre creatures in nature — once you learn about it, you can't help but be fascinated! It's a Mexican salamander that never grows up. Thanks to a phenomenon called neoteny, they never undergo metamorphosis. They retain their larval features, including their iconic feathery gills, throughout their lives, essentially remaining in a permanent state of childhood. In the wild, axolotls are dark brown or grey, but in captivity, they come in a variety of stunning colours, including pink, white, golden and black. This makes each one look like a tiny mythical creature! They only exist naturally in Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City. They are nearly extinct in the wild due to pollution and habitat loss, yet paradoxically millions are thriving in captivity and laboratories worldwide. Their genome is even 10 times larger than ours. It is truly one of nature's most wonderfully strange creations!

Rhinos are far more remarkable than their armoured appearance suggests. Despite weighing up to 2t, white rhinos can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h — surprisingly fast for such a massive animal. Their iconic horn is not bone but keratin, the same material as human fingernails, which means it grows back if damaged. Sadly, this horn is exactly what makes them a target for poachers. Rhinos have a unique relationship with oxpecker birds, which ride on their backs and feed on tickts and parasites - a classic example of nature's teamwork. A group of rhinos has one of the best collective nouns in the animal kingdom: a crash. Fitting, given how they tend to charge first and ask questions later. 🦏