With 1,367,555 identified non-insect animal species on the planet – how many can you name? 50? 100? Probably just a small fraction. What’s even crazier is that this number is just 1% of all animal species that have ever lived. Mind blown, right?
These 25 critters are some of the strangest, most unique, bizarre, and beautiful animals that you’ve probably never heard of.
Many scientists believe that there are hundreds of unidentified animals on the planet and are discovering new ones almost every year. Take a look at these gorgeous creatures, you’ll be left in total awe of what Mother Nature can create.
1. The Maned Wolf
Maned wolves can be found in the grasslands and swamps of South America. It is not a fox, it is not a wolf, it is the only species in the genus Chrysocyon.
2. Patagonian Mara
The adorable looking large rodent lives in Argentina, including parts of Patagonia. They are also known as the Patagonian cavy, hare, or dillaby.
3. Irrawaddy Dolphin
According to the WWF, “the Irrawaddy dolphin exists in small isolated populations around Southeast Asia. Some populations are close to extinction such as the those in the Mekong River and Malampaya Sound in the Philippines. The main threats are from fisheries bycatch and habitat loss.”
4. Dugong
These giant swimming mammals are similar to a manatee, although, dugongs have a fluked tail like a whale.They can be found in the warm waters of East Africa all the way to Australia.
5. A Fossa
Is it a cat? Is it a weasel? The Fossa is actually a relative of the mongoose and is unique to the island of Madagascar in eastern Africa. They can grow up to six feet long and weight up to 26 pounds.
6. Sunda Colugo
Also known as the Sunda flying lemur, this interesting looking animal can glide for up to 100 meters while only losing about 10 meters in elevation. They can be found in the forests of Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
7. Blobfish
This disgusting looking sea creature has recently become somewhat of an internet sensation due to its resemblance to a miserable looking man. A very slimy miserable looking man.
8. Japanese Spider Crab
I know what you’re thinking, and it’s probably “nope, nope, nope,” but this unique crab is actually quite fascinating. It has the largest leg span of any arthropod on Earth. They can be found in the waters of Japan at depths of around 200-300 meters.
9. Goblin Shark
No, that’s not a digitally-created photo – that’s a real animal and it’s called the Goblin Shark. This terrifying looking creature can be found at depths of around 330 feet, so, don’t worry – the chances of you running into one are slim to none.
10. Penis Snake
This *ahem* interesting looking snake has a scientific name of Atretochoana eiselti and is a large, eyeless snake with very little known about the species. It was discovered in the late 1800’s in Brazil and wasn’t seen again until 2011.
11. Lowland Streaked Tenrec
Madagascar is an island full of rare, unique, and wonderful creatures. Including this little guy! The Lowland Streaked Tenrec makes noise by using stridulation, this is strange because it’s usually associated with snakes or insects.
12. Glaucus Atlanticus
This mythical looking sea slug is also known as the Blue Dragon. They can be found floating on the surface of warm ocean waters. Be careful though, this person was lucky because they are known to give a painful sting.
13. Venezuelan Poodle Moth
Fuzzy with long fern-like antennae, the Venezuelan Poodle Moth was only discovered in 2009. Due to this, not much is known about the species quite yet.
14. Saiga Antelope
The Saiga calls the vast region of the Eurasian steppe zone their home. They are extremely endangered, however, conservation efforts are slowly growing their population.
15. Indian Purple Frog
With a big slimy body and a strange pointy nose, the Indian Purple Frog spends most of its time underground – only surfacing two times a year for mating.
16. Sea Pig
The Sea Pig, or Scotoplanes, live in very deep depths of the ocean – usually over 3,000 feet. Since there isn’t much food or sunlight at the bottom of the ocean, they feed off of organic particles in the deep-sea mud.
17. Aye-Aye
This spooky looking animal is actually part of the lemur family and resides on the wildlife-rich island of Madagascar. It’s the world’s largest nocturnal primate and have a very unusual style of eating by tapping on trees to find grubs, gnawing a hole, and digging them out with their thin middle finger.
18. Dumbo Octopus
The Dumbo Octopus is a somewhat sweet looking sea creature and are found at extreme depths of 9,800 to 13,000 feet. Unlike other Octopus, the Dumbo Octopus doesn’t have an ink sack.
19. The Gerenuk
Fittingly nicknamed the giraffe gazelle, the Gerenuk can be found in the Horn of Africa as well as dry areas of East Africa. They are known for their long, slender neck and limbs and flat, wedge-shaped head.
20. Star-Nosed Mole
This crazy looking mole can be found in wet lowlands in the northern areas of America. They like to eat insects, small fish, crustaceans, and worms. Plus, it’s only one of two animals in the world that can smell underwater.
21. Yeti Crab
The Yeti Crab, or Kiwa hirsuta, was first discovered in 2005 in the South Pacific Ocean. The creature is thought to be blind and the pincers are most likely used to detoxify poisonous minerals from the water that come from hydrothermal vents where it lives.
22. Gobi Jerboa
A species of the rodent family, this cute mouse-like critter with a long tail and legs lives in the deserts of China and Mongolia. These nocturnal rodents live alone and spend most of their time buried in their burrows.
23. Red-Lipped Batfish
Is that sea creature wearing lipstick? This funky looking animal can be found in the waters of the Galapagos Islands. For being a fish, it actually can’t swim well and have to use their ‘fins’ to walk on ocean floor.
24. Panda Ant
Despite the name, this insect is actually a species of wasp. The females are wingless and look like large, fuzzy ants. Found in Chile, these black and white wasps are known for their excruciatingly painful sting.
25. The Pacu Fish
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Yep – those are human-looking teeth inside a fish’s mouth. This South American fresh water fish is related to the piranha, and thankfully, they feed on plants – not flesh.
