These bizarre animals are actually REAL!
As you already know, the animal kingdom is a place full of unforeseen things in terms of both the appearance and behavior of creatures. However, if you pay more attention, you will notice that there are some interesting animals that you didn’t even know existed.
We have to admit that nature doesn’t always create the most successful specimens of animals, but we can say that even the bizarre and strange ones have their own charm and beauty. In fact, different is beautiful, right?
Even if you are an animal enthusiast, it’s not bad to learn more about lesser-known animals as well. From the bush viper to the Mexican alligator lizard, these animals are ready to conquer your soul with their uniqueness! So, are you ready for a full-blown educational experience? Let’s start!
Bush viper
This beautiful creature scientifically known as Atheris squamigera can be usually found in Nigeria and western Kenya. Of course, this is a venomous species that comes in various shades of red, orange, and green and loves dense vegetation because they can find a lot of small rodents and other prey animals here.
Usually, females are larger than males – they can reach an average length of 28 in, while the male record is 25 in. As you can see in this picture, their triangular head is larger than their body and their eyes are bigger than those of other ordinary snakes.
White stag
These beautiful white stags (or hind for females) are actually red deer or fallow deer who suffer from a condition known as leucism. This health condition affects their skin and hair and leads to loss of pigmentation. The white deer plays an important role in some cultures’ mythology.
Many people believe that white stags suffer from albinism. However, the difference between albino stags and those with leucism is that albinos have red eyes. Some cultures associate white stags with a symbol of purity and beauty.
Mexican alligator lizard
The Mexican alligator lizard is an endangered invertebrate that impresses everyone with its turquoise beauty. Although they usually tend to move really slowly, they can run faster when they are threatened. The Mexican alligator lizard is also known as the Green Arboreal Alligator Lizard and can be found in Mexico, especially in Puebla, Veracruz, and Oaxaca.
They have an arboreal lifestyle that involves a humid temperate climate with summer rains. As you probably know, the turquoise Mexican alligator lizard prefers a diet that contains a lot of insects.
Unfortunately, as we said before, this species of lizard is actually endangered due to the pet trade, forest fires, and agriculture.
Angora rabbit
The Angora rabbit is by far one of the oldest species of domestic rabbits and they are also known for their gorgeous coat. The Angora rabbit was the most popular pet of French royalty in the 18th century.
Many people adopt this species of rabbit because of their beautiful wool, which is similar to cashmere when you touch it. Their wool will grow around 1.2 in. per month, so you have to groom it frequently if you are ready to adopt one.
Unfortunately, these beautiful creatures are more likely to develop wool block which can be fatal to them because it can cause blockage of the digestive tract. To be more specific, they tend to eat their wool if you don’t groom them regularly.
Bony fish
Well, you’ve probably heard of this type of fish before, but it’s very important to know that there are several fish in the sea with the same name – however, we are talking about their king, namely Mola alexandrini also known as the southern sunfish or Ramsay’s sunfish.
They are closely related to their cousins called Mola mola, but recent studies have shown that they are different species. The Mola alexandrini has a small mouth and can reach up to 11 ft in length and 5070lb in mass. That’s why they are considered the biggest bony fish in the world.
They can be found in the Pacific and Atlantic, especially around Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa.
Harpy eagle
The harpy eagle, which is also known as the American harpy eagle, is the largest and strongest raptor in the rainforest and one of the largest extant eagles on Earth. Due to their natural crown and look, they are usually known as the royal hawk. In addition, they are commonly found in Brazil.
Their diet focus on sloths and monkeys, such as the brown-throated sloth, Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth, capuchin monkeys, saki monkeys, howler monkeys, titi monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and spider monkeys. They also eat birds, such as macaws, cracids, and seriemas, and reptiles, such as iguanas, tegus, and snakes.
They can grow up to 3.5 ft in length and their rear talons can reach 4 inches long (which is the same size as a bear’s).
Schmidt’s Guenon
Schmidt’s Guenon, also known as the red-tailed monkey, loves food and prefers to stay away from spectators (even though they live in large packs, they don’t like to be seen, can you believe it?).
This shy and cute species of monkey can be found in Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Zambia, and other African countries. Unfortunately, they are on the verge of extinction because of deforestation and hunting.
Their diet contains leaves, flowers, insects, and fruits. They can gather food in their cheeks just like squirrels, hiding them in a secret place where it’s safe to consume them without being interrupted.
Quokka
Did you know that quokkas are some of the happiest animals on Earth? Or at least they always look happy… However, these creatures, also known as the short-tailed scrub wallaby, are actually nocturnal marsupials and closely related to kangaroos and wallabies. In general, they can be found in Western Australia.
Their diet consists of leaves, grasses, and sedges. Quakkas are really friendly when it comes to visitors, but if you see one it’s important to avoid feeding them because human food can adversely affect their health. To be more specific, human food can cause dehydration and malnourishment and these conditions can be fatal to them.
Lady Amherst’s pheasants (the male)
As you can see in this picture, the female (left) and male (right) Lady Amherst’s pheasants are among the most gorgeous birds in the world. The Lady Amherst’s pheasant male has gorgeous plumage which makes them truly special in the world of birds.
They can usually be found in southwestern China and northern Myanmar. The Adult males can reach up to 48 in. in length and their tails around 31 in. of the total length.
Mexican soft salamander
Mexican soft salamander, also known as the axolotl, is an amphibian that can be found in Lake Xochimilco, Mexico. An adult can reach up to 18 in. in length.
Unfortunately, they are considered endangered due to urbanization, water pollution, predators, and experiments. Many researchers use these creatures for scientific purposes in various tests, and in some countries, they are also sold as food.
The Mexican soft salamander is carnivorous, which means that its diet contains worms, insects, and small fish.
Saiga antelope
The saiga antelope, scientifically known as the Saiga tatarica, is an endangered antelope that can be found in Russia and Kazakhstan. This interesting antelope weighs between 57 and 152 lb. and only males have horns. Unfortunately, their horns are used in Chinese alternative medicine, so this may be a factor that has caused the decline of this species.
I really hope you enjoyed this article, and if you did get ready because the good news is that we have plenty of others! This one is my favorite: 13 Animals Facts You Wish You Knew.
