We’ve all heard of cats, pigeons and flies, but there are some members of the animal kingdom,
that much fewer know of, so join us as we count 10 bizarre animals you’ve probably
never heard of.
10.
Frilled Shark The Frilled Shark could be a suitable explanation
to many of the supposed “serpent” sightings that are reported, but this is very unlikely
as they live and stay in the deepest parts of the sea, where few men have ever been.
Named for its six pairs of collar-like gills with frilly edges, the Frilled Shark combines
many unusual features.
Unique among sharks, the Frilled has its first gill slit continuous across the throat.
Its long jaws are terminal (at the end of the head, rather than underneath as in most
sharks) and armed with some 300 trident-shaped teeth arranged in about 25 rows.
9.
Babirusa The Babirusa is also known as the “pig-deer”
and is found only on a few Indonesian islands.
They are most notable for their incredibly long tusks, the tusks from their top jaws
actually grow vertically upwards and penetrate through their skin, and then curve backwards
over the face and towards the forehead.
The males of the species usually live alone while the females form groups with their young.
Groups of female Babirusa can contain up to 84 individuals, with none of them being males.
While Babirusas are protected in Indonesia and poaching is illegal, hunting remains a
significant issue for the species, and they are currently listed as vulnerable and endangered
by the IUCN. 8.
Pink Fairy Armadillo The pink fairy armadillo is approximately
3.5-4.5 inches long, excluding the tail, and is pale rose or pink in colour.
It is the smallest species in the armadillo family and can only be found in central Argentina,
inhabiting sandy plains, dunes and scrubby grasslands.
It has the ability to bury itself completely in a matter of seconds if frightened.
It is a nocturnal animal and it burrows small holes near ant colonies in dry soil, and feeds
mainly on ants and ant larvae near its burrow.
It uses large front claws to agitate the sand, allowing it to almost swim through the ground
like it is water.
It is torpedo-shaped, and has a shielded head and back.
7.
Gerenuk The Gerenuk is a species of antelope related
to the Gazelle.
The only differences between the gerenuk and the gazelle is that gerenuks have a more solid
skull and an elongated neck which is the gerenuks most outstanding characteristic.
The name ‘Gerenuk’ means ‘Giraffe Necked’ in the Somali language.
The gerenuk is also known as ‘Wallers Gazelle’.
Gerenuks live in small groups, some made up of females and their young and other exclusively
males.
Solitary males tend to hold specific territories whereas female groups may wander over a range
of 1 – 2 square miles, roaming through several male territories.
6.
Naked Mole Rat The forbidding environment of East Africa’s
deserts is home to one of the most bizarre rodents, the naked mole-rat.
These beauties wouldn’t win any pageants, but they are fascinating animals.
Yes, these odd little creatures with pink, wrinkly skin dig and live in underground burrows
the way moles do.
Yes, they have skinny, rat-like tails.
Yet naked mole-rats are more closely related to porcupines, chinchillas, and guinea pigs
than they are to moles or rats and are the only species of mole-rat that has practically
no hair.
5.
Irrawaddy Dolphin The Irrawaddy dolphin is similar to the beluga
in appearance, though most closely related to the killer whale.
It has a large melon and a blunt, rounded head.
Irrawady Dolphins live in both Saltwater and Freshwater in South and Southeast Asia, but
they now only survive in three specific rivers and a few other coastal areas such as around
Bangladesh.
Each river contains around 100 of the dolphins, and this number is sadly decreasing each year
due to accidental fishing incidents that result in the death of the dolphins.
It is estimated that around 1 dolphin per month was killed in the last 10 years, leading
to an unsustainable mortality rate, and because of this they are now listed as critically
endangered for populations outside India and Bangladesh.
4.
Snub Nosed Monkey The Snub Nosed Monkey is an endangered species
of primate that lives only in China.
Snub-nosed monkeys inhabit mountain forests up to a height of 4,000 m, in the winter moving
into the deeply secluded regions.
They spend the majority of their life in the trees.
They live together in very large groups of up to 600 members, splitting up into smaller
groups in times of food-scarcity, such as in the winter.
Groups consist of many more males than females.
They have territorial instincts, defending their territory mostly with shouts.
They have a large vocal repertoire, calling sometimes solo while at other times together
in choir-like fashion.
3.
Sunda Flying Lemur The Sunda Flying Lemur or Colugos as they’re
otherwise known, has a large gliding membrane attached to the neck and sides of the body.
This membrane, which extends along the limbs to the tips of the fingers, toes, and tail,
is more extensive than in other gliding mammals, whose gliding surface is only stretched between
the limbs, with fingers, toes, and tail left free.
Colugos are completely arboreal, being nearly helpless on the ground, and are able to travel
over 100 meters forward in a single glide, with relatively little loss in elevation.
They are generally nocturnal and feed on leaves, buds, flowers, and fruit.
2.
Lamprey Lampreys are a type of jawless fish that live
mostly in coastal and fresh waters whose adults are characterized by a toothed, funnel-like
sucking mouth.
They can grow up to a metre long, have large eyes and one nostril on the top of their heads.
They attach themselves to fish and suck their blood.
Lampreys have been around for nearly 300 million years and their body structure has remained
relatively unchanged.
1.
Star Nosed Mole Star nosed moles are one of the most distinctive
types of mammal.
Their noses are hairless and ringed by a unique 'star' of 22 pink, fleshy tentacles.
While they are as blind as bats, their snouts are lined with more than 25,000 minute sensory
receptors that help the mole feel its way through its underground lair.
They live on worms, insects and small fish.
The outer tentacles probe for a potential meal, after which the sensors detect if it
will be edible or not.
When it presses down its feelers, it can do so at incredible speeds.