While humans can only dream of having the abilities of their favourite superheroes, there are animals in the wild with real life superpowers.
The natural world is a very dangerous place for a lot of animals and many have adapted special abilities to give themselves the best chance of survival.
The following ‘powers’ might even make Spiderman a little jealous.
From walking on water to freezing themselves alive, here is a list of animals with real life superpowers.
Frozen Alive: The Wood Frog
“The cold never bothered me anyway.”
Elsa, Frozen
While many of us wrap up warm, stay indoors and avoid the cold winters, the same cannot be said for the wood frog.
The reptile is blessed with a type of blood which lets it naturally freeze with its surroundings and thaw out when the weather begins to warm up.
What an audacious survival tactic—the wood frog's blood acts as a sub-zero shield, enabling it to literally become a frozen artifact.
Rather than migrate to warmer climates or dig a burrow underground, the wood frog simply rests under leaves and naturally freezes with the weather.
While its skin freezes solid, its special blood allows the frog’s organs to keep on functioning and literally be frozen alive.
That’s one way to avoid the cold winters!
The High Jumper: The Kangaroo Rat
The kangaroo rat gets its name due to its large hind legs which allow it to jump huge distances.
They are actually the longest jumpers of any mammals on the planet when compared to body size.
The kangaroo rat can jump up to an impressive 2.75m in the air, that’s 45 times its own body length!
The kangaroo rat: deviously siphoning life from mere seeds while gallivanting across parched plains.
The large leap is needed in order to escape a number of predators, including owls, snakes, foxes, coyotes and bobcats.
The kangaroo rat is perfectly adapted to life in the desert and can survive almost entirely without drinking water, thanks to the moisture they derive from their seed diet.
Regenerate Limbs: Salamanders
Salamanders are incredible amphibians that can actually regenerate limbs and organs thanks to their special macrophage immune cells.
If they lose or damage a limb after being attacked by a predator they will slowly grow the damaged area back.
Imagine a creature so daring, it tosses its tail at impending doom, confident in its ability to regrow it.
Some salamander species also have a defense mechanism when under attack, that sees their tail fall off and continue wriggling in order to give themselves a chance of escape.
The tail that is left also grows back over time.
The Copycat: The Lyrebird
While human impressionists have been around for years, the lyrebird takes it to another level and can imitate almost any sound it hears.
It is found in Australia and is often heard mimicking the songs of at least 20 different birds and completely different species too.
This bird doesn't just mimic; it catalogues a diverse range of sounds, from other birds to machinery, making it a living, breathing archive of noise.
Perhaps most impressive of all though, some lyrebirds have even been known to mimic the sounds of man-made machinery such as camera shutters, car alarms and even chainsaws.
The Shape-Shifter: The Mimic Octopus
The mimic octopus almost has to be seen to be believed and really is like something from a horror film.
The octopus is able to change shape in a matter of seconds and can mimic the shape of a number of different ocean species.
Not only does this octopus change shape, but it strategically impersonates poisonous sea creatures as a shield against predators.
It has been known to change to the shape of a sea snake, a lion fish, a flat fish and a jellyfish.
The fact that all of these fish are poisonous suggests that the mimic octopus changes shape as a defense mechanism, in order to stop predators attacking it.
Whatever the reasons behind the mimic octopus’ shape-shifting ways, there is no doubt that it is one of the most incredible creatures on earth.
The Color Changer: The Chameleon
“Being a successful chameleon is not easy. It takes concentration and luck, because a chameleon’s path is strewn with mines. One misstep and all is over.”
Haruki Murakami
Chameleons have the incredible ability to be able to change the color of their skin in a matter of minutes.
There are a number of different reasons as to why this ability is so important to the chameleon:
One of the main reasons is to camouflage themselves with their surroundings in order to avoid predators.
Here's an animal whose kaleidoscopic transformations serve practical needs, from evading predators to courting partners.
Another reason for this color change is down to mood; chameleons will often change to a darker color to show anger and try to intimidate others, while a lighter, multi-coloured shade is used in order to attract a mate.
The color-changing ability of the chameleon also has a very practical use, as certain species change color in order to either reflect or absorb the sun’s heat and regulate their body temperatures.
Walk on Water: The Basilisk Lizard
It may be a common phrase, used for hundreds of years but unfortunately no human has yet discovered how to ‘walk on water.’
There’s been no such problem for the basilisk lizard though who manages the feat with ease.
They can achieve this impressive trick thanks to their long toes, which have fringes of skin in between, that they rapidly slap against the water, creating air pockets and keeping them afloat.
The basilisk lizard challenges the laws of physics with its water-walking prowess, making the impossible appear effortless.
The basilisk lizard will always stay near water as they use their water-walking skills to escape predators.
The incredible skill has earned them the nickname the ‘Jesus Christ Lizard.
The Stone Swallower: The Crocodile
Crocodiles are well known for their fearsome nature and brutal hunting abilities but there is one meal that you might not expect on the reptiles menu.
Crocodiles prove that having a 'rock-hard stomach' is more than just a metaphor.
Crocodiles have been known to swallow large stones in order to help them balance themselves in water and also crush food in their stomachs to aid digestion.
It seems that crocodiles haven’t just got tough skin and teeth, their stomachs are pretty impressive too!
The Internal Compass: Migrating birds
“Not all those who wander are lost.”
J.R.R. Tolkien
While many humans would find it hard to reach the end of their roads without a GPS system, birds have an incredible internal compass that lets them travel thousands of miles without losing their way.
Many birds migrate each year in order to find food and warmer temperatures, but what is quite remarkable is the fact they often fly to the exact same location each year.
Throw away your compass; migrating birds are the true masters of navigation.
It is believed that birds use a number of factors to find their way, including using the sun as a compass, magnetic fields and even landmarks.
Whatever it is that guides them on their journey, there’s no doubt it’s an incredible superpower to possess.
The Immortal Jellyfish: The Turritopsis Nutricula
The Turritopsis Nutricula arguably possesses the greatest superpower of all: Immortality.
This incredible jelly fish has the ability to revert back to its immature polyp state after it reaches full sexual maturity.
The process involves the jellyfish absorbing its own tentacles and bell and reverting back to the polyp colony state as a baby.
The jellyfish literally sinks down to the ocean floor in this polyp state and begins the process of growing to sexual maturity again.
Could the key to immortality be lurking in the ocean's depths? This jellyfish redefines the limits of life itself.
As the process can be performed time and time again, the jellyfish is basically immortal.
There is one thing standing in the way of the jellyfish and true immortality though: They have to avoid being eaten while in the polyp stage.
As the jellyfish cannot actually move during this process, that can often prove a little tricky!
Evolution: The Ultimate Superpower
While you are busy envying Iron Man’s suit or Captain America’s shield, remember that the animal kingdom has already beaten Marvel and DC to the punch.
From frogs that could teach Elsa a thing or two about embracing the cold, to jellyfish that make the Fountain of Youth look like a kiddie pool, these critters are the real superheroes.
They don’t need capes or tragic backstories; they’ve got evolution on their side.
And let’s face it, not even Thor’s hammer can compete with the immortal jellyfish’s endless loop of life.
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