The jungle may hold many surprises in the real world, but they are nothing compared to what is discovered in The Far Side. Sometimes the secrets turn out to be predatory, holding some lethal consequences for the humans who go exploring in the jungles of The Far Side. On the other hand, sometimes the secrets of the jungle are downright intriguing and even cute.

Since it is The Far Side, one can expect the unexpected, even in an already mysterious setting like the jungle. More often than not, the unexpected secrets are thanks to the animal friends of the ecosystem. And those secrets are up for sharing in some of Gary Larson's best jungle-themed Far Side strips.

10 "This One's Got a Knife"

March 1st, 1983

Driving through the jungle, two adventurers come face to face with an elephant, but this is no ordinary elephant or even a friendly elephant. They stop themselves from getting any closer to the elephant because the animal is holding a knife. It is an odd enough sight that the elephant is standing on his back two legs out in the middle of the brush, but the knife adds another layer of bizarre.

One could never foresee an elephant holding a knife in the jungle like it is some sort of tough thug, taking the reader and the two adventurer characters by surprise. Although humans are usually pretty clueless in The Far Side, at least these human characters know to stay back from the knife-wielding elephant. The adventurers unearthed a secret of the jungle, but it was not a fun one.

9 "Santarantula!"

Out in the depths of the jungle at night, two explorers are woken up by a terrifying (and festive) sight. One of them shines their flashlight onto the sleeping bag of their bunk mate to show them the creature that was believed to be a myth but is now too real to be denied: the Santarantula.

A mix of a tarantula and Santa Claus, the Santarantula looks like an average tarantula, just with a Santa Claus cap on top of its head. As jolly as the Santarantula looks thanks to its hat, Cromwell is in some serious danger thanks to this very unwelcome surprise from the jungle. When sleeping in the jungle, one is bound to come across a bug or two, but the Santarantula is a unique bug that stands above the rest.

8 "They Don't Tell You Which Is Which"

April 27th, 1994

Two tourists visit a spot in the jungle where there are two statues. However, the tourists are not happy with their guidebook thanks to it giving information about how people worshiped two deities: one that was all knowing and one that was all seeing. But the guidebook does not say which statue is for which deity.

Given that one statue has a gigantic cranium and the other statue has a gigantic eye, it can be gleaned that these two tourists are not the brightest, as it is really not necessary for the guidebook to share which is which, since it is painfully obvious. The Far Side often likes to point out the cluelessness of humanity, with this strip being a perfect example due to the two dim-witted tourist characters who need all the guidance they can get.

7 "Elephant Skyways"

December 30th, 1983

The dense plant life of the jungle floor can make it hard to walk sometimes. Likewise, the jungle floor offers some predators, namely hunters and poachers. The elephants of The Far Side have gotten tired of dealing with the jungle floor issues, so they have enacted another walkway instead.

Above the trees, there is an elephant skyway where the elephants can walk without interference or worry about getting tangled up with people they would rather stay clear of. What is the poacher's bad luck is the elephants' immense good fortune, making one wish that elephant skyways were a thing in the real world as well. While elephants in the sky would not be a thing to be blasé about when in the jungle, it is a helpful tool for elephant survival in The Far Side.

6 "I'm Gonna Wring de León's Neck"

July 2nd, 1980

After a long, dangerous trek through the jungle, two conquistadors finally get to the Fountain of Youth that Ponce de León has put them on a mission to find. However, there seems to be a massive misunderstanding, as what was believed to be the fountain of youth is in reality a soda fountain stand called Yuth's.

Seeing a soda fountain in the middle of the jungle would not rank highly among any list of predictions...

Understandably, the conquistadors are furious, with one volunteering to wring Ponce de León's neck when they get back to Spain for all the trials he put them through, all for a soda fountain stand in the jungle. Seeing a soda fountain in the middle of the jungle would not rank highly among any list of predictions, but it turns out to be true, much to the surprise and dismay of the explorers. Maybe they can get some ice cream before their trek home.

5 "Larry of the Lemurs"

July 13th, 1992

Tarzan is widely known as the Lord of the Jungle, being a famous character all over the world. In The Far Side, there is a similar character who did not reach even a fraction of the attention that Tarzan has received. In Madagascar, there is a sight that is common to the natives of the country: Larry of the Lemurs, who acts like a lemur and lives among them in the trees.

Seeing a naked man act like a lemur, jumping from tree to tree, is a secret best kept hidden in The Far Side. Lemurs may not be as imposing as apes, but that does not mean that they cannot raise a man like the apes did for Tarzan. Larry of the Lemurs may have a good ring to it, but he still does not experience the fame of his more well-known jungle friend.

4 "Few Remaining Mountain Chihuahuas"

July 21st, 1992

Out in the mountainous jungle terrain, tourists by the hundreds travel just to see the last few of the mountain chihuahuas. Comparing these mountain chihuahuas to rare, endangered animals, the comic strip's choice of animal creates an absurdist tone. Chihuahuas are an incredibly common breed of dog, and they're practically a dime a dozen.

However, in The Far Side, they are instead a highlight and a sight to behold in the jungle. Being such a rarity that people are ready to snap pictures at the sight of them, these mountain chihuahuas offer a secret of the jungle that only the most die-hard animal lovers of The Far Side know about. It should be known that chihuahuas are not jungle animals either, which is just another aspect that adds to the absurdity of this comic.

3 "Relax, Worthington"

June 2nd, 1984

Two explorers get ready to go into a jungle cave, but one is hesitant, and for good reason. However, his worries are met with an explanation: the meeting of the moist and cool air of the cave results in the sound of heavy breathing from the cave, not any predators. Unfortunately, the explorer could not be more wrong, as evident by the piles of bones and explorers' hats in the garbage can by the cave, showing that there is actually some sort of human-eating creature in the cave.

This creature is going to be quite the surprise for the explorers, and not a good surprise either. The explorers would have been better off listening to the one who was scared to go inside the cave, as his intuition was much stronger, seeing as he had detected a hidden animal in the jungle.

2 "Just Nibble at First"

November 14th, 1980

A group of explorers goes through the waters of the jungle where they will soon be met by some crafty fish in the water. A school of piranhas makes its plan to just nibble a little bit at first and then, once they hear the humans yell "piranha," to really go at it and gobble up what they can. Piranhas are reported to be incredibly fearsome, carnivorous fish, creaturea of the jungle that no water-dweller wants to come close to.

However, the piranhas of this Far Side strip decide to surprise their prey, leaving them aware of their presence first before going all-in for their meal. Perhaps walking through the waters of the jungle was not the best idea, because these explorers are in for an unexpected surprise that will not be good for their expedition.

1 "The Secret Elephant Playground"

May 14th, 1982

Two zoologists who have long been searching for a jungle secret have finally found it: the secret elephant playground. Behind the jungle trees and bushes are elephants playing on slides and swinging on swings. Elephants are typically playful animals, but seeing them in a literal playground is a step into very surreal territory.

It is also an incredibly wholesome sight: the elephants playing with abandon is a welcome secret of the jungle, unlike some more deadly ones that have been captured in The Far Side. For some lucky individuals in the jungle, they find the secret elephant playground that has long eluded them. As adorable a sight as the elephant playground is, it is likely that this secret of The Far Side jungle may not remain secret for long.