Weird Animals – A List Of The World’s Strangest Species

Weird animals include the aye-aye, a mammal that finds food by tapping on trees; the glass frog, an amphibian with a see-through body; the dumbo octopus, a bizarre-looking mollusk found four miles below the surface of the ocean; and the platypus, a mammal that lays eggs, finds food using electrical fields, and has a venomous spine on its ankles.

On this page, you’ll meet these and many other weird animals from all around the world…

Have you seen any of these species? What's your favorite? Are there any weird animals we’ve missed out? Let us know in the comments section at the bottom of the page!

Scroll down to see all of the animals, or use the index below to find out about a particular species.

Weird Animals List

You can see more weird species on the following pages:

Weird Amphibians Pictures & Facts
Weird Birds Pictures & Facts
Weird Fish Pictures & Facts
Weird Insects Pictures & Facts
Weird Mammals Pictures & Facts
Weird Reptiles Pictures & Facts
Weird Sea Creatures Pictures & Facts
Weird Plants Pictures & Facts
Ugly Animals Pictures & Facts

Discover More About Animals

Animals – The Ultimate Guide


Free Worksheet

Weird Animals Worksheet
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Aardvark

Aardvark

Scientific name: Orycteropus afer

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Orycteropodidae

Where found: Africa

Conservation status: Least Concern

The aardvark is a nocturnal mammal found in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. This weird-looking animal has a long snout, large ears, and a thick tail; all of which are adaptations for a fossorial (burrowing) lifestyle.

The aardvark is a specialized digger. It uses its powerful claws to burrow into the ground in search of its favorite food: ants and termites. It will also burrow in order to escape predators, and can dig a 2 ft deep hole in under 30 seconds.

The species has a keen sense of smell, which it uses to locate its prey. It captures its insect food with a sticky tongue that can extend up to 30 cm / 12 in.

The aardvark is a solitary animal. It is surprisingly good at swimming and an extremely fast runner.

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You can find out more about this animal on this page: Aardvark Facts

You can see more African animals on this page: African Animals

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Atretochoana Eiselti

Atretochoana Eiselti
Image: Tobias von Anhalt, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Atretochoana Eiselti

Type of animal: Amphibian

Family: Typhlonectidae

Where found: South America

Conservation status: Unassessed

Caecilians are a group of amphibians with snake-like, limbless bodies. All caecilians are weird animals, but Atretochoana Eiselti, is one of the weirdest.

Found in the Amazon basin, Atretochoana Eiselti grows up to 75 cm / 30 in. long and resembles a huge earthworm with a flat head, small eyes, and ringed body.

This bizarre rainforest animal obtains oxygen through its skin, and is the world’s largest lungless vertebrate.

Little is known about Atretochoana Eiselti, but the species is believed to be a burrowing predator that feeds on small invertebrates.

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You can see more South American animals on this page: South American Animals

You can find out more about amphibians on this page: Amphibians - The Ultimate Guide

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Axolotl

Axolotl

Scientific name: Ambystoma mexicanum

Type of animal: Amphibian

Family: Ambystomatidae

Where found: North America (Mexico)

Conservation status: Critically Endangered

The axolotl is a species of salamander native to Mexico. It has a weird ability to regenerate lost body parts, such as limbs and even parts of the spinal cord. The axolotl is much-studied by scientists due to its regenerative capabilities.

The alien-looking axolotl has feather-like gills protruding from the sides of its head. Unlike many amphibians, it does not undergo metamorphosis, and remains fully aquatic even in adulthood.

Although the axolotl is a popular pet, it is extremely rare in the wild, and has the conservation status "Critically Endangered".

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You can find out more about this animal on this page: Axolotl Facts

You can find out more about amphibians on this page: Amphibians - The Ultimate Guide

You can see more critically endangered animals on this page: Critically Endangered Animals List

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Aye-Aye

Aye-aye

Scientific name: Daubentonia madagascariensis

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Daubentoniidae

Where found: Africa (Madagascar)

Conservation status: Endangered

Lemurs are a group of primates found only on the African island country of Madagascar. The aye-aye is without doubt one of the weirdest lemurs, due to its bizarre appearance and the way in which it finds food.

The aye-aye is nocturnal and primarily arboreal (tree-dwelling). It has a pointed face with large, orange eyes and large ears. It is around 60 cm / 2 ft. tall, with a tail longer than its body, and is the world's largest nocturnal primate.

Locals believe that bad luck will befall anyone caught in the aye-aye’s gaze!

The aye-aye finds food using echolocation. It taps on tree trunks with a specialized middle finger; from the sound of the taps, it can tell if there is an insect larva buried under the bark.

Once prey has been located, the aye-aye uses its sharp teeth to gnaw a hole in the wood and its long, thin fingers to extract the insect.

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You can find out more about this animal on this page: Aye-Aye Facts

You can see more nocturnal animals on this page: Nocturnal Animals List with Pictures & Facts

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Bat-Eared Fox

Bat Eared Fox

Scientific name: Otocyon megalotis

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Canidae

Where found: Africa

Conservation status: Least Concern

The bat-eared fox is a small, nocturnal canid (member of the dog family, Canidae) found in the savannas and grasslands of Africa. Its extraordinarily large ears, which can grow up to 13 cm / 5.12 inches in length, are used to locate insects – the weird-looking fox’s favorite food – in the ground.

The bat-eared fox is a social animal that lives in groups of up to 15 individuals led by a dominant breeding pair.

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Blue Sea Dragon

Blue Sea Dragon
Image: Poyt448, Peter Woodard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Glaucus atlanticus

Type of animal: Mollusk

Family: Glaucus atlanticus

Where found: Temperate and Tropical Waters Worldwide

Conservation status: Unassessed

The blue sea dragon, also known as the blue sea slug or Glaucus Atlanticus, belongs to a group of gastropod mollusks known as “sea slugs”. Found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, it has a distinctive blue and silver coloration, which acts as camouflage against the water's surface.

Blue sea dragons are predators that feed on venomous creatures such as jellyfish and Portuguese man o' war. They store the venom from their prey and use it as a defense mechanism against potential predators.

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Discover different types of mollusks on this page: Mollusks Examples

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Chinese Water Deer

Chinese Water Deer

Scientific name: Hydropotes inermis

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Cervidae

Where found: Asia

Conservation status: Vulnerable

The Chinese water deer is a small deer native to China and Korea. This weird mammal looks like a vampire, with a pair of long, sharp canine teeth protruding from its mouth. It is the only species of deer without antlers.

This Asian cervid (member of the deer family, Cervidae) is an excellent swimmer and well-adapted to aquatic habitats, being equipped with webbed feet and a waterproof coat. Males mark their territory with scent glands located near their eyes.

The Chinese water deer is a solitary animal and most active at dawn and dusk. Whether or not it likes garlic is unconfirmed.

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You can see more deer on this page: Animals With Antlers

You can see more Asian animals on this page: Asian Animals

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Christmas Tree Worm

Christmas Tree Worm

Scientific name: Spirobranchus giganteus

Phylum: Annelida

Family: Serpulidae

Where found: Tropical oceans worldwide

The Christmas tree worm is a type of marine worm found in tropical waters around the world.

This weird invertebrate has a distinctive appearance, with a tube-like body and two spirals of feathery branches.

The branches are used for feeding, filtering plankton from the water, and also for respiration.

Christmas tree worms quickly retract their branches into their tube-like bodies when threatened.

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Discover more invertebrates on this page: List Of Invertebrates

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Dumbo Octopus

dumbo octopus
Dumbo octopus, likely Opisthoteuthis californiana

Genus: Grimpoteuthis

Type of animal: Mollusk

Family: Opisthoteuthidae

Where found: deep sea habitats worldwide

Dumbo octopuses are a genus of deep-sea octopuses found at depths of between 1 and 7 km / 0.6 to 4.35 miles – deeper than any other octopuses. They have a unique appearance, with a large, rounded head and two ear-like fins that resemble the ears of the Disney character Dumbo.

Dumbo octopuses lack the ability either to squirt ink or to change color. They hunt by trapping prey (worms, small crustaceans, and other invertebrates) in the webbing between their eight legs.

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Echidna

Short Beaked Echidna
Short Beaked Echidna

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Tachyglossidae

Where found: Australia and New Guinea

An echidna, also known as a spiny anteater, is a type of monotreme mammal native to Australia and New Guinea.

Monotremes are among the weirdest of all mammals, as they lay eggs instead of giving birth to their young. There are only five monotremes: four echidnas and the platypus – another weird animal, which we’ll meet below.

Echidnas have a distinctive appearance, with long snouts, spiny coats, and clawed feet.

Of the four living species of echidna, one is of the “short-beaked” variety; the other three are “long-beaked”. Each of the four species is listed below with its respective conservation status and the region in which it is found.

Short Beaked Echidna

  • Short-Beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus - Australia and New Guinea - Least Concern

Long Beaked Echidnas

  • Western long-beaked echidna Zaglossus bruijni - New Guinea - Critically Endangered
  • Sir David's long-beaked echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi - New Guinea - Critically Endangered
  • Eastern long-beaked echidna Zaglossus bartoni - New Guinea - Vulnerable

The short-beaked echidna is primarily insectivorous, using its long, sticky tongue to catch ants and termites. The long-beaked echidnas feed mainly on earthworms.

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You can find out more about this animal on this page: Echidna Facts

You can see more Australian animals on this page: Australian Animals

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Giant Isopod

Giant Isopod
Eric Kilby from Somerville, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Bathynomus

Type of animal: Crustacean

Family: Cirolanidae

Where found: Deep-sea habitats worldwide

Giant isopods are large crustaceans found in deep-sea waters around the world. These large invertebrates have a distinctive appearance, with flat, oval-shaped bodies and seven pairs of legs. Additional appendages are used for respiration and swimming.

These weird sea animals look like overgrown woodlice, which is unsurprising, because that’s (kind of) what they are; both they, and the woodlice you might find in your backyard, belong to the invertebrate order Isopoda.

Giant isopods are scavengers, feeding on dead or decaying animals that sink to the ocean floor. They can survive for long periods without food; over five years in the case of one captive individual.

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You can find out more about crustaceans on this page: Crustaceans – The Ultimate Guide

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Glass Frog

Emerald Glass Frog
Emerald Glass Frog

Type of animal: Amphibian

Family: Centrolenidae

Where found: Central and South America

Glass frogs are a family (Centrolenidae) of small frogs found in Central and South America. Glass frogs have a unique appearance, with transparent skin that allows their internal organs to be visible from the outside.

Currently, 157 species of glass frogs are recognized. (source)

Glass frogs are primarily arboreal, living in trees and shrubs near streams and rivers. The frogs attach their eggs onto plants that overhang a body of water. When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles fall into the water, where they continue their development.

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You can find out more about amphibians on this page: Amphibians - The Ultimate Guide

You can see more South American animals on this page: South American Animals

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Goblin Shark

Goblin Shark

Scientific name: Mitsukurina owstoni

Type of animal: Fish

Family: Mitsukurinidae

Where found: Deep sea habitats worldwide

Conservation status: Least Concern

The goblin shark is one of the world’s weirdest sharks. The species’ name comes from its distinctive looks; its long, protruding snout and needle-like teeth gives it a goblin-like appearance.

The goblin shark is an opportunistic feeder, using its long snout to detect and capture prey in the dark waters of the deep sea.

This deep-sea species is the only member of the family Mitsukurinidae, and is found in deep-sea waters around the world.

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Hammer-Headed Bat

Hammer Headed Bat

Scientific name: Hypsignathus monstrosus

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Pteropodidae

Where found: Africa

Conservation status: Least Concern

Bats are quite a weird-looking group of animals. Due to their unique nocturnal, insect-catching behavior, many bats have unusual features, including extended noses or overlarge ears.

One of the weirdest bats is the hammer-headed bat, a species of fruit bat found in Africa. While the female of the species looks fairly normal, the male has a huge, box-like face and large lips. The male’s bulbous large head serves to amplify its mating calls.

Hammer-headed bats are mainly frugivorous (fruit-eating).

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You can find out more about bats on this page: Bats – The Ultimate Guide

You can see more African animals on this page: African Animals

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Hoatzin

Hoatzin

Scientific name: Opisthocomus hoazin

Type of animal: Bird

Family: Opisthocomidae

Where found: South America

Conservation status: Least Concern

The hoatzin, also known as the stinkbird, is a weird bird found in South America’s Amazon and Orinoco basins.

The stinkbird has a distinctive appearance, with a spiky crest on its head and a patch of blue skin surrounding its eyes – but that’s not the only reason it has been included in this list of weird animals.

The hoatzin’s unpleasant nickname comes from the odor produced as a by-product of its unusual digestive system, in which leaves are fermented in a special area of its throat. No other bird digests its food in such a manner.

As if that weren’t enough, unlike nearly all other birds, infant hoatzins have claws on their wings that help them to climb back into the nest if they fall out.

This unique species is the only member both of the family, Opisthocomidae, and the order, Opisthocomiformes.

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You can see more animals that live in the Amazon Rainforest on this page: Amazon Rainforest Animals

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Japanese Spider Crab

Japanese spider crab - the largest crustacean
Photo: Tsarli at English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0]

Scientific name: Macrocheira kaempferi

Type of animal: Crustacean

Family: Inachidae

Where found: Pacific Ocean

Conservation status: Unassessed

The Japanese spider crab is both the world’s largest crab and the second-heaviest arthropod. Its leg-span measures a huge 3.7 m (12.1 ft), and an individual can weigh from 16 to 20 kg. (The world's heaviest arthropod is the American lobster, Homarus americanus.)

This weird crustacean has long, spindly legs and a wide, flat body. It is primarily a scavenger, feeding on dead or decaying animals on the ocean floor. The species is known for its longevity, with some individuals living up to 100 years.

Japanese spider crabs are found in the seas around Japan.

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Maned Wolf

Maned Wolf

Scientific name: Chrysocyon brachyurus

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Canidae

Where found: South America

Conservation status: Near Threatened

The maned wolf is a type of canid (member of the dog family, Canidae) found in grasslands in South America. The species has long, slender legs, reddish-brown coat and shaggy mane, and is included in this list due to its weird, long-legged appearance.

Unlike its namesake the gray wolf, the maned wolf does not live in packs. It is an omnivore, hunting a variety of small to mid-sized animals and also eating plant matter, including a plant named the wolf apple Solanum lycocarpum – due to the maned wolf’s liking for its fruit.

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Mata Mata

Amazonian Mata Mata Turtle

Scientific name: Chelus fimbriata

Type of animal: Reptile

Family: Chelidae

Where found: South America

Conservation status: Least Concern

The mata mata is a species of freshwater turtle found in the Amazon and Orinoco Basins in South America.

This South American reptile has a bizarre appearance. Its shell is almost 1 meter in length, and both it, and the animal’s exposed skin, are heavily ridged. The species’ long neck and large head have a flattened appearance. In addition, the turtle has a long, spike-like nose.

With its ridged shell and bumpy skin, the mata mata resembles a piece of floating bark, camouflaging the reptile from both predators and prey. It can remain motionless for long periods.

The mata mata is primarily carnivorous, feeding on invertebrates and fish, and (occasionally) on other small vertebrates.

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You can see more rainforest animals on this page: Rainforest Animals List with Pictures & Facts

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Naked Mole Rat

Naked Mole Rat

Scientific name: Heterocephalus glaber

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Heterocephalidae

Where found: Africa

Conservation status: Least Concern

One of the world’s weirdest rodents is the naked mole rat, a species found in the grasslands of eastern Africa.

Famed for its bizarre appearance, the naked mole rat has wrinkled, hairless skin and large, protruding teeth.

Naked mole rats live underground in large colonies consisting of a queen and numerous worker rats. This type of social living, which resembles that seen in bee and ant colonies, is known as eusociality.

These strange rodents are known for their ability to live in low-oxygen habitats, and have been recorded as being able to survive 18 minutes in an atmosphere that lacks oxygen entirely.

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Narwhal

Narwhal

Scientific name: Monodon monoceros

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Monodontidae

Where found: Arctic Ocean

Conservation status: Least Concern

The narwhal is a type of toothed whale found in the Arctic Ocean. It has a distinctive appearance, with a long, spiral tusk that can grow up to 10 ft. / 3 meters in length. Only male narwhals have tusks, which are an extension of the upper left canine tooth.

Narwhals are primarily carnivorous, feeding on fish, squid, and other small aquatic animals. They are also known for their ability to navigate through thick sea ice, using their tusks to break through the ice to breathe.

The narwhal belongs to the family Monodontidae, which contains just one other living species: the beluga whale.

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Okapi

Okapi

Scientific name: Okapia johnstoni

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Giraffidae

Where found: Africa

Conservation status: Endangered

The okapi is a type of ungulate (hoofed mammal) found in forests in Central Africa. The species has a unique appearance, with zebra-like stripes on its legs and a long, prehensile tongue that can reach up to 18 in. / 46 cm in length.

The animal’s weird markings provide camouflage against predators in the forest habitat in which it is found. The species’ main predator is the leopard.

The okapi’s closest relative is the giraffe; the two animals are the only members of the giraffe family, Giraffidae.

The okapi is primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves, fruits, and other vegetation. A rare and endangered animal, the okapi is seldom seen in the wild.

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You can find out more about this animal on this page: Okapi Facts

You can see more forest animals on this page: Forest Animals

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Pangolin

Pangolin On Ground

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Manidae

Where found: Africa, Asia

Pangolins are a group of small to mid-sized mammals with unique, scaly skins. The scales are made of keratin – the same natural substance out of which our fingernails are made.

Pangolins are primarily insectivorous, feeding on ants, termites, and other small insects. Their tongues are sticky and extremely long – those of larger pangolin species can reach up to 16 inches / 40.6 cm in length.

The pangolins' scaly skin and insect-based diet give them the alternative name of scaly anteaters.

Pangolins are known for their ability to curl up into a tight ball when threatened, with their scaly exterior providing protection from predators.

There are eight different pangolin species. Together, they make up the family Manidae, the only family in the order Pholidota.

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Pink Fairy Armadillo

Pink Fairy Armadillo

Scientific name: Chlamyphorus truncatus

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Chlamyphoridae

Where found: South America (Argentina)

Conservation status: Data Deficient

The pink fairy armadillo is a type of armadillo found only Argentina. With a maximum length of around 11.5 cm / 4.5 in, is it the world’s smallest armadillo species. it has a pink, armored shell and a long, pointed snout. It lives in dry, grassy plains and dunes.

Pink fairy armadillos are primarily nocturnal, burrowing underground during the day to escape the heat.

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Platypus

Platypus

Scientific name: Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Ornithorhynchidae

Where found: Australia

Conservation status: Near Threatened

No list of weird animals would be complete without the platypus, an animal so strange that early scientists didn’t believe that it was real. (When presented with a preserved platypus sent to them from Australia, scientists at a British museum thought that the specimen was several different animals that had been sewn-together.)

The platypus is found only in eastern Australia. It has a bizarre appearance, with a bill like a duck, webbed feet like an otter, and a beaver-like tail.

Platypuses are primarily carnivorous, feeding on insects, crustaceans, and small fish. They are able to detect electrical fields produced by their prey, using electroreceptors in the bill.

As if that wasn’t enough, the platypus is a monotreme – an egg-laying mammal, one of only five such animals alive. (The four other monotremes are all echidnas, covered elsewhere in this list of weird animals.)

The male platypus has venomous spines on its rear ankles. A sting from a platypus is excruciatingly painful, but not fatal.

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Red-Lipped Batfish

Red-Lipped Batfish

Scientific name: Ogcocephalus darwini

Type of animal: Fish

Family: Ogcocephalidae

Where found: Pacific Ocean

Conservation status: Least Concern

The red-lipped batfish is a type of fish found in the Pacific Ocean surrounding the Galapagos Islands and off the coast of South America.

There are a lot of weird-looking fish, so it takes a lot for a species to stand out. The red-lipped batfish does so easily, with its bright red lips, eye stalks, and leg-like fins that allow it to walk along the ocean floor.

The red-lipped batfish is primarily carnivorous, feeding on small fish and crustaceans. It attracts its prey with the use of a glowing ball mounted at the tip of a fin that emerges from its head. Weird.

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Saiga Antelope

Saiga Antelope

Scientific name: Saiga tatarica

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Bovidae

Where found: Asia

Conservation status: Critically Endangered

One of the world’s weirdest-looking land mammals is the saiga antelope, a species found in the grasslands of Central Asia.

The saiga antelope is unmistakable with its long, bulbous nose. This unique feature is an adaption for living in dry grasslands; during the winter, air is heated up in the nose before entering the lungs. During the summer, the nose cools the animal and filters dust from the air.

Saiga antelopes are primarily herbivorous, feeding on grasses and other vegetation. They are also known for their migratory behavior, with herds traveling long distances each year to find food and water.

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Shoebill

Shoebill

Scientific name: Balaeniceps rex

Type of animal: Bird

Family: Balaenicipitidae

Where found: Africa

Conservation status: Vulnerable

The shoebill is a large wading bird found in freshwater swamps in East Africa. The species has a unique appearance, with a large, shoe-like bill and a tall, flat crest on its head.

Shoebills are primarily piscivorous, feeding on fish, eels, and other aquatic animals. They are known for their slow movements and patient hunting behavior, standing still for long periods before striking at their prey.

If you’re not quite sold on the whole birds-are-dinosaurs evolutionary theory, then take a look at the shoebill; this weird, prehistoric-looking species might just change your mind!

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Star-Nosed Mole

Star Nosed Mole

Scientific name: Condylura cristata

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Talpidae

Where found: North America

Conservation status: Least Concern

When you live in the pitch darkness of underground tunnels and are virtually blind, good looks aren’t high in your list of evolutionary priorities. Which explains the bizarre appearance of the star-nosed mole.

This strange burrowing mammal has a star-shaped nose made up of 22 fleshy, pink tentacles. This extremely sensitive organ helps the mole to navigate and find prey in its underground world.

The species is primarily insectivorous, feeding on earthworms, insects, and other small invertebrates.

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Tasmanian Devil

Tasmanian Devil

Scientific name: Sarcophilus harrisii

Type of animal: Mammal

Family: Dasyuridae

Where found: Australia

Conservation status: Endangered

The Tasmanian devil is an endangered species of carnivorous marsupial found in Australia. It inhabits the island state of Tasmania. Recently, a small number of devils was released into a sanctuary on mainland Australia.

The Tasmanian devil has a stocky build, powerful jaws, and sharp teeth, and is known for its aggressive behavior when threatened or feeding.

Tasmanian devils are primarily scavengers, feeding on carrion and small prey such as insects, reptiles, and small mammals. They are known for their distinctive vocalizations, including growling, screeching, and screaming.

The Tasmanian devil is an endangered species due to an illness that, over the last two decades, has swept through much of the population.

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Thorny Devil

Thorny Devil

Scientific name: Moloch horridus

Type of animal: Reptile

Family: Agamidae

Where found: Australia

Conservation status: Least Concern

The thorny devil is one of many weird animals found in Australia. This little lizard looks like a miniature dinosaur, with a horned face, spikes on its body, and a false head situated behind its real one. It grows to around 20.3 cm / 8 inches in length.

Thorny devils are primarily insectivorous, feeding on ants and other small insects. The reptile’s ridged skin is an adaption for living in a desert habitat. Using capillary action, dew that has condensed on the animal’s body is transported to its mouth.

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You can find out more about this animal on this page: Thorny Devil Facts

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