Incredible Prehistoric Animals That Still Roam The Planet

Some of the animals on this list look like they are straight out of Jurassic Park, and that’s because they pretty much are! You’ll be surprised at some of the names on this list… It’s more common than you think.

Gharial

This creature looks like a messed up alligator, right? They are of the same family, but have been around for tens of millions of years. They definitely have that prehistoric look to them! Unfortunately, they are endangered…

Saving the Gharials

There are upwards of 200 Gharials left in the wild and in captivity. They are listed as “critically endangered,” and there are many currently breeding in captivity. Let’s hope we can keep these weird little guys around!

Komodo Dragon

Researchers found fossils of Komodo Dragons that dated back nearly four million years ago in Australia. These mini-dragons are mostly native to parts of Indonesia, and of course, zoo’s, around the world.

Komodo National Park

There is a Komodo National Park which is made up of a bunch of small Indonesian islands that can give patrons a real, genuine experience of Komodo Dragons in their natural habitats. These things can weigh more than a person and is known to attack people with their venomous tongue.

Shoebill Stork

According to researchers, the shoebill stork and other birds have little to no relation in their DNA. They’re a bit of a wildcard! One thing’s for sure: They look pretty weird.

Vulnerable To Extinction

Unfortunately, they are categorized as “vulnerable to extinction.” This is because of poaching and extreme habitat destruction. They are mainly found in the Mabamba Bay Wetland in Uganda.

Bactrian Camel

These camels are actually the predecessor of the common one-humped camels that we see now. They are much rarer to see, but can be found in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.

Evolution

These camels evolved in extreme temperatures, meaning that they evolved in ways that meant they would survive easier. Their two humps store fat, which breaks down into energy and water (just like the regular, one-humped camels.) They are critically endangered with less than 1,000 left in the wild.

Echidnas

Researchers estimate that echidnas have been living on Earth for around 17 million years. There are different types of echidnas as well, but all of them lay eggs! That’s a bit different from most other mammals…

Where to Find Them

These little guys are mostly found in the southern-eastern hemisphere in places like Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. They are found in zoos and in wildlife sanctuaries!

Musk Oxen

They look pretty adorable, but they’re actually pretty terrifying! During the fall season, they can be found fighting each other in order to get more power over the groups. Sometimes, their rutting can be felt miles away! They have been living on this Earth for a very long time…

Hundreds of Thousands of Years

They’ve been alive for an estimated 187,000 years, mainly in Alaska. The population has been declining, but they are not at risk for extinction quite yet. Their wool, called qiviut, is known as the warmest wool in the world.

Vicuña

This is the ancestor of modern alpaca. They look extremely similar to each other, but have different color patterns. They’re just as cute!

Mass Hunting

They are mainly located in Huascaran National Park in just north of Lima. Unfortunately, they fell victim to mass hunting and fell into the extinction realm.

Southern White Rhino

We’re all familiar with the Southern White Rhino. They are victims of poaching due to their rare horns. There are many laws protecting these creatures, but that doesn’t stop poachers from contributing to their extinction.

Protecting Them

Conservationists have taken drastic measures to protecting these creatures. There are many armed guards around the areas that these rhinos roam. Sometimes, they even destroy the horn at birth so that they don’t become a target.

Polar Bears

In 2010, scientists found a fossilized polar bear jawbone in Norway. They were able to date the bone back around 120,000 years ago.

Cute, But Dangerous

Oddly enough, they are most prominent in Manitoba, Canada, not Antarctica! They are well known violent predators, but many of the bears in Canada know that humans are not prey.

Cassowaries

These weird, colorful birds have actually killed people before with their sharp feet. They kind of look like a smaller, more deformed, more colorful ostrich.

Stay Back

Cassowaries have been around for nearly 60 million years and mainly inhabit northern Queensland and Papua New Guinea. If you see one in the wild, keep your distance! They are not a fan of humans.

Caribou

Caribou look ancient! They were very prominent during the Ice Age. Caribou are the only deer where females grow antlers as well. Then, they fall off in the springtime.

Where Are They Located?

They’re mostly in the deep Alaskan and Canadian wilderness. There are even a few in the Denali National Park, and there are guided tours.

Elephant Shrew

These tiny little fur-balls are actually close relatives to elephants! The first ancestors of the elephant shrew were dated back between 66-23 million years ago.

Chambered Nautilus

We’ve all seen this little guy before! They live in the deep ocean off the coasts of Australia and Indonesia. Scientists believe that they have been in our deep oceans for over 500 million years…

Declining Population

Even though they’ve been roaming the oceans for over 500 million years, we’re starting to notice a decline in their population. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is trying to research and breed the creature, but it’s very difficult.

Babirusas

Babirusas look just like a wild hog but with double the tusks! Around 35,000 years ago, they were very popular for cave paintings. Luckily, they are still thriving in Indonesia!

Stunning Profile

They kind of look like Orcs! Since they hang out in the wild, there are many tours in Indonesia that can take you to their natural habitats.

Wobbegong Shark

These guys are the best at camouflage! They swim around close to the floor of the ocean which makes it easy to hunt since no one can see them coming! The real question is: How dangerous are they?

They’re Extremely Old

These ugly sharks first showed up around 11 million years ago and have been lurking around ever since. They’re pretty docile and small, so they don’t really pose any threat to humans.

Horseshoe Crabs

You haven’t really been to the beach if you haven’t come across one of these guys. The oldest fossil found was 445 million years old. Back in this time, all of the continents were all together forming a major landmass that researchers call Gondwanaland.

Thriving

Back then, the crabs thrived. They were all over the shores. Even now, they’re pretty much everywhere! They also tend to lay eggs along the shores, so be careful.

Tapirs

Tapirs are like smaller, hairier pigs. They also kind of look like anteaters, which is fun. They like to hang out around bodies of water, usually lakes and ponds. Their close relatives are horses and rhino’s weirdly enough.

Major Evolutions

Tapirs experienced a lot of evolutions and eventually evolved into five other species. Even today, they can be found in Asia and Central and South America.

Tuatara

Tuatara’s are not lizards, but little dragons! They were around during the dinosaur era around 225 million years ago. Somehow, Tuatara survived the mass extinction of whatever happened back then. The coolest thing about them is that they have a three eyes!

They have a primitive third eye on the top of their head. It’s not visible since it’s hidden under the scales on its head. The eye works as an archaic light sensor which helps their bodily functions.

Chinese Giant Salamander

The giant salamnder is the largest known amphibian in the world… It can weigh up to 110 pounds and can grow up to six feet in length. That is super horrifying! Luckily, there is only one place that they’re native to…

The Chinese Mountains

They’re not really around in the wild anymore due to poaching, but they are up in the cold Chinese mountains. The largest giant salamander is living in the Prague Zoo named Karlo.

Chamois

There are carvings of these chamois’ from the last ice age in Western Europe. They’re kind of like a goat mixed with an antelope. It’s hard to find them these days…

High Altitudes

Most of Chamois’ can be found in the Alps and the Pyrenees along hiking trails. It’s pretty hard to find them, but definitely worth it to see their ancient faces!

Whale Shark

Whale sharks are actually the largest sharks in the world. They’ve been around 28 million years. Whale sharks are easiest to spot around the equator because they prefer warmer weather…

Get a Boat!

It’s hard to spot them in the wild, but it’s very well worth it if you do! The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta also houses a whale shark.

Lake Sturgeon

Sturgeons are super creepy and weird. They swam in the oceans as far as 150 million years ago. They’re only located in the U.S. This picture doesn’t even do it justice with his massive it is…

They Are Horrifying

These nasty little weirdos can grow up to seven feet in length and can weigh up to 300 pounds! These guys are in many aquariums but are also in local rivers.

Okapi

Some scientists believe that Okapi could be the oldest mammal on Earth, although it’s hard to tell. They look like a giraffe in the face, horse in the body, and zebra in the legs. What’s up with that?

Solitary Life

They prefer to live alone deep in the jungle. They don’t take kindly to any outsiders, especially humans.

Saiga Antelope

The saiga antelope used to be mainly in the northern hemisphere, but are now mainly located in central Asia. They’re a close relative to a pronghorn antelope.

Alligator Gar

Although this fish is called an alligator gar, it’s definitely no alligator! A gar is a type of fish and there are many different species of it.

Location of Gar

Can you imagine having this touch your foot in the river? Absolutely not. It’s about 100 million years old. They have one of these in the Tennessee Aquarium!

Siberian Musk Deer

These are also known as “vampire deer” because of their little teeth! They’re commonly poached for their odiferous musk glands.

Vampire Deer

These are literally just deer with giant teeth, that’s pretty much it! You can find them at Ranua Wildlife Park in the Finnish Lapland.

Sandhill Cranes

The oldest fossil from these huge sandhill cranes was over two million years old. They migrate all over the US and usually meet on a mass breeding ground in Nebraska. It’s a crazy sight!

The Biggest Show

Over half a million cranes gather around in a breeding ground in Nebraska, and it’s known as one of the best wildlife “shows” in the world! They are also known for being a natural “vacuum” for the sea floor. They eat up clams, crabs, and anything else of that nature.

Walrus

Walruses are actually 600,000 years old! They’re usually hanging out on ice bergs in cold climates.

They Are Aggressive

Between the months of May and August, they are known for being extremely aggressive. The males are usually fighting against each other for females to mate with, so it’s best to keep your distance!

Tadpole Shrimp

These look super prehistoric! They almost look like a horseshoe crab, right? These are one of the very few prehistoric animals that haven’t really changed their structure. The earliest ancestor of a tadpole shrimp was 220 million years old.

Martialis Heureka Ant

These creepy little ants are actually the oldest species of ants. They were roaming around more than 120 million years ago! They weren’t even discovered until 2000 in the Amazon forest!

Goblin Shark

It’s safe to say that goblin sharks are probably the ugliest species of shark to date. They first showed up in the ocean 125 million years ago. Luckily, they live in the deep sea, so hopefully, we won’t ever have to see it in real life.

Frilled Shark

The filled shark lives in the depths of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It belongs to the oldest family of sharks.

Alligator Snapping Turtle

This guy looks like he belongs with the dinosaurs! They’re mainly located in the southeastern United States. It can weigh up to 400 pounds, making it the heaviest freshwater turtle in the world.

Coelacanth

This big fish is mainly native in the Indian Ocean and Indonesia. It was declared extinct, but then they were rediscovered in 1938. They evolved into their present form over 400 million years ago.

Giant Freshwater Stingray

These are some giant sea-pancakes. They can grow up to six feet in height and can be over 1000 pounds. Unfortunately, they are also threatened for imminent extinction.

Platypus

Who doesn’t love a platypus?! These mammals can lay eggs, unlike most. The oldest fossil of a platypus are over 100,000 years old.

Pelican

Did you know that a pelican is technically a prehistoric animal? They haven’t really changed over the years, but are still classified as prehistoric. Their fossils have been dated back 30 million years.

Sponge

Yep, the sponge! These marine animals are about 760 million years old. They can be found all over the globe in every ocean. They don’t really have predators and need very little to survive.

Now Extinct: Deinotherium

Looks like an elephant, right? Not quite. Deinotherium belong to the family of the modern-day elephant, but have different DNA. They lived on the planet as early as 23 million years ago.

Major Differences

The biggest difference is that their tusks grow downwards, which is much different than the modern day elephant. They have no upper tusks, and are much shorter. In 1836, an entire skull was found in Africa!

Now Extinct: Dunkleosteus

Ten different species of this fish have been discovered. They lived around 358 million years ago. They can grow up to 30 feet! It almost looks like they’re wearing armor…

Skeletons Everywhere

They are extinct, but you can still see them in many museums. Their fossils have been found deep in the oceans.

Now Extinct: Liopleurodon

This looks like a mix of a lizard and a dolphin! They lived around 160 million years ago during the Middle Jurassic Period. They have very sharp teeth which means that they were carnivorous predators.

Giant Beings

Scientists believe that they could scan the ocean waters for prey using their nostrils. It could grow up to 12 feet in length and it has a massive skull.

Now Extinct: Opabinia

This looks like an alien! They mostly lived around the Atlantic shores of Canada. It also has fives eyes!

Lived On The Seafloor

They lived mainly on the sea flood and ate their food that way. It was only 1.6 inches long, so they were really tiny! Scientists aren’t sure if they had legs or not, but they could have just shuffled around.

Now Extinct: Titanoboa

This is the largest snake that ever lived on Earth… Let’s be glad that it’s extinct! It measured 42 feet long and weight around 2,500 pounds. It lived on Earth around 60 million years ago.

Climate Answers

Weirdly enough, these snakes were able to help scientists figure out what the climate was like back then. The fact that this giant snake thrived 60 million years ago proved that our climate was much warmer. It was only able to grow bigger because of that.

Now Extinct: Quetzalcoatlus

Well that’s a mouthful of a name! These bird… Things… Lived in North America. It’s wingspan reached around 36 feet. A lot of the fossils have been found in Texas!

Vicious Predator

They preyed on small animals, usually in rivers. Their long necks suggests that they skimmed surfaces of water, like a pelican!

Now Extinct: Anthropleura

Personally, I hate this one. It’s a giant centipede. It has so many gigantic legs… No thanks. They could grow up to 8 feet long and 2-3 feet wide. They were the largest known invertebrate on the planet. Horrifying.

Can You Imagine…

They lived in North America and Scotland. They were usually herbivores, but were able to move swiftly and quickly away from predators. Imagine having this on your wall instead of those tiny centipedes!

Now Extinct: Daeodon

This looks like a mis of a hog and a wolf! They lived in North America around 29 million years ago.

Powerful

It’s skull was three feet long and their neck was extremely powerful. Unfortunately, they weren’t very equipped to survive the changing climate of the Earth.

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