Weird and Questionable Animals

Aye-Aye. Fossa. Shoebill. Babirusa. New Zealand Velvet Worm. Mata Mata. These names sound like they came from an entirely different world, but guess what? These names are actual names for weird and bizarre creatures! You don’t believe me, you say? Then let’s have a closer look at some of the weirdest creatures around the world.

Alright, let’s start with a category that has a lot of weird-looking creatures: the Deep Sea. Oh sure, you’ve probably heard of weird things that hide in the deep, like the blobfish, the goblin shark, or even the colossal squid, but do you know ABOUT these creatures? For example, take the Barreleye Fish, a weird-looking fish that appears as if it’s wearing a space helmet. That's what makes it unique. This “space helmet” is actually a case for its eyeballs, which protect its eyes from the stinging jellyfish they consume. Some are misunderstood, like the blobfish, for example, which only appears pink and “ugly looking” since it experienced a sudden pressure change after being pulled out of the deep sea. Not to mention, it almost got crushed on the way out, making it look miserable, ugly, and iconic. Speaking of which, the reason a lot of deep-sea creatures look really weird is because they’re either brought up to the surface and placed under a drastic change in pressure, causing them to look deformed, or the picture taken of them was really just one of a dried or preserved specimen. But more often than not, the photos taken of them are in the wild. However, photos from the deep sea are rare, since it can get incredibly expensive.

Animals that are weird are often the primitive ones. Take the coleacanth and the frilled shark, for example. They are both ancient species of fish and survived the extinction of the dinosaurs. There are primitive animals that not only look primitive, but also act primitive, like the New Zealand Velvet Worm, which hunts its prey by spraying strands of glue – a method scientists call “The Silly String of Death.” Animals that are primitive, but don’t look like they existed before the dinosaurs, include sea stars, sea sponges, and sea jellies. Animals that look primitive, but actually aren’t, include the platypus – one of the only mammals that lay eggs – and the goblin shark – a shark with pale, flabby skin and a snout packed with sensors, which help it find its prey. 

Other animals that seem strange are often called so because of their behavior, not their looks. The Black Heron is a skilled fisher, using the fish’s love for hiding in shadows to its advantage by forming its wings into an umbrella shape, creating a shadow that attracts fish, making them easy pickings for the heron.  Chinstrap Penguins are another example of an animal that has an interesting behavior. To be able to incubate their eggs, they take thousands of micro naps, some as long as four seconds! Napping ensures that they are still able to get their sleep while watching their eggs. Bees often get drunk because the nectar of flowers ferments under immense heat, producing an alcohol-like substance. When the bees consume this alcohol-nectar, they enter a drunk state. And to top off this weird behavior, capuchin monkeys wash their food in water to get rid of grit and dirt.

In truth, all animals have something unique, and in some ways, something weird about them, including us. These unique and weird traits help animals survive in their environment. But we humans have classified many animals as unusual, and it’s usually for something that stands out compared to other animals, like lions or tigers. But in short, plenty of fascinating animals exist out there, and there may even be more unusual animals that we have yet to discover! But when will all these animals be discovered? Only time will tell.

Other Unusual Animals

• Arabian Sand Boa - This snake adapts to the desert by having eyes on the top of its head, allowing it to ambush prey from under the sand.

• Axolotl - They can regenerate their limbs, tails, gills and even parts of their hearts and brains!

• Aye- Aye - They have an extremely long finger used for listening for insects that live in bark by tapping the tree they live in, then listening for their food.

• Bigfin Squid - An elusive member of the cephalopod family, this squid is technically longer than the colossal squid

• Glass Frog - Being semi-transparent allows people to see their internal organs through their skin!

• Hoatzin - This smelly bird seems to use its scent to deter predators, but its real reason is unknown.

• Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa - This animal is a species of triggerfish, which can use its upper fin to lock itself into a rock, making it hard to pull from a crevice.

• Japanese Snow Fairy - This territorial bird dive bombs you if you get too close to its nest.

• Muntjac Deer - This deer can bark, just like a dog!

• Sea Pig - Like a real pig, these sea cucumbers eat almost anything available.

• Six-Eyed Sand Spider - This spider can bury itself in the sand, which lets it ambush prey from above, much like the Arabian Sand Boa.

• Pacu - A relative of the piranha, instead of having sharp razor teeth, they have molars used for chewing up nuts and berries.

• Quokka - Much like the Dolphin, the Quokka has a permanent smile.

• Thistledown Velvet Ant - This insect is NOT an ant at all! They are actually a type of wingless wasp.

• Trilobite Beetle - The female trilobite beetle maintains their larval appearance as an adult.

Written By: Mason Oh