You Won't Believe These Bizarre Wild Animals Really Exist

White Deer

The Seneca white deer are a rare breed oof deer that live on the protected confines of the former Seneca Army Depot in Seneca County, New York. They cannot roam further than the 10,600 acres of space—which seems like plenty! Although these deer are considered critically endangered, their numbers are slowly increasing.

Bearded Pig

At just eighteen months of age, the Bornean bearded pig is able to reproduce by just 18 months of age. They can be recognized by their prominent beards and tail tassels. It's like if Seth Rogen was a boar.

Yellow-Eyed Penguin

This adorable little guy is also referred to as a "hoiho" or a "tarakaka." The yellow-eyed penguin is a flightless bird endemic to New Zealnd; they prefer to live in remote areas surrounded by trees, logs, and riverbanks.

Superb Bird-of-Paradise

It turns out the bird of paradise isn't just a plant. The Superb Bird-of-Paradise really is all that—scattered throughout the rainforests of New Guinea, these birds are best known for their dramatic feathers and theatrical mating dance. 

Mola Alexandri Ocean Sunfish

The Mola alexandri, more widely known as the Mola mola, is found in the Southern Hemisphere. The Mola mola is the world's heaviest fish, clocking in at a whopping average of 5,070 pounds. Good luck trying to catch one of these.

Angola Colobus

The Angola colobus is an Old World species of primate. These monkeys eat mostly fruits and seeds,  sometimes snacking on full-grown leaves if they're in the mood for a quick refreshment.

Lady Amherst's Pheasant

The Lady Amherst's pheasant is a fairly heavy bird, weighing around two pounds. These birds usually feast on seeds, berries, and roots. The genus name is from Ancient Greece, translating to "with golden crest."

African Albino Giraffe

These extremely rare giraffes only reside in Kenya. They are afflicted by a genetic condition called leucism, which inhibits pigmentation in skin cells. An African albino giraffe has not been seen in the wild since 2017.

Hooded Grebe

The hooded grebe can be found in the southern region of Argentina. This bird can grow up to 32 centimeters in length. It is a critically endangered species; the hooded grebe population has been consistently declining for several decades.

Mouse-Deer

Chevrotains, also known as mouse-deer, are a rare species that only weigh a few pounds. Is he a mouse? Is he a deer? Make up your mind, buddy!

Aye-Aye

The aye-aye is a long-fingered lemur native to Madagascar. It is the world's largest nocturnal primate, with rodent-like teeth and a very thin middle finger. Cute, but a little creepy, to be honest...

 Mexican Soft Salamander

The rumors are true—this tiny amphibian can really regenerate appendages. Salamanders can live both on the ground or in the water.

Fossa

This cat-like, carnivorous mammal is native to Madagascar. In fact, you might recognize it from the Madagascar movies. The fossa is closely relate to the mongoose family; they are able to travel up to 15 miles per day.

Dik-Dik

Get a load of this little cutie. Dik-diks are a small species of antelope that live in the shrubby bushlands of eastern and southern Africa.

California Leaf-Nosed Bat

Located in the hot deserts of Mexico and the U.S., the California leaf-nosed bat isn't necessarily endangered, but the species is still threatened by habitat loss. It can be identified by a triangular flap on the nose.

Mexican Dragon Lizard

Have you seen this guy on Game of Thrones? These gorgeous little lizards have been endangered since 1864, but somehow, their species has stood the test of time. Mexican dragon lizards can be found in Veracruz and Puebla, Mexico.

Dugong

Dugongs are essentially the vacuum cleaners of the sea. Closely related to the now-extinct Steller seacow, these marine mammals have awful eyesight, but their hearing is excellent.

Dumbo Octopus

This strange little sea creature was indeed named after the titular elephant from the 1941 Disney movie. The largest dumbo octopus was 5.9 feet long, and the genus includes 13 recognized species. Overall, our friend Dumbo is pretty harmless.

Lamprey

Ah! What is this?! Lampreys are (terrifying) jawless fish that date all the way back to ancient times. The adult lamprey has a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth. No thanks.

Baby Flowerhorn Fish

Flowerhorn fish are named for their vivid colors and oddly-shaped heads. These fish are man-made hybrids that only exist in the wild due to their deliberate releases.

Hairy Frog

The hairy frog, also called the "horror frog" and the "Wolverine frog", is a species of frog endemic to Central Africa. Its name refers to the hair-like follicles on the body and thighs of breeding males. Do you think he's soft?

Genet

Genets feast on very small animals, like rodents and vermin, because they are also tiny—genets only weigh about four pounds on average. Genets are known to help with pest control since they often live near human communities.

Giant African Land Snail

The giant African land snail is slow and steady, meaning he will definitely win the race. These snails carry the rat parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis, so it might be in your best interest to stay away. Instead of teeth, they have a ridged tongue that helps them to "rasp" their food.

Goblin Shark

Goblin sharks are one of the rarest (and freakiest) breeds. Sometimes referred to as a "living fossil", the goblin shark is the last remaining extant of a lineage that's been around for over 125 million years.

Schmidt's Spot-Nosed Guenon

This fuzzy guy goes by a number of names, but he's most often referred to as either Schmidt's spot-nosed guenon or the lesser spot-nosed monkey. Fortunately, he's not under any threat at the moment, as the conservation status for this breed of monkey has been assessed as being of "least concern."

Squeaking Silkmoth

It's all in the name. When this brightly-colored moth encounters danger, the squeaking silkmoth) which is actually a caterpillar) emits a high-pitched squeak.

Blue Parrotfish

This electric blue fish can only be found in the oral reefs or shallow waters of the tropical Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean. Many blue parrotfish are born with a yellow spot on their head that fades as they get older.

Angora Rabbit

The Angora rabbit, also called the Mini Lop, is one of the oldest breeds of domestic rabbit ever. Because their fur is a great alternative or people with wool allergies, Angora rabbits are bred for their beautiful, fluffy coats.

Irrawaddy Dolphin

The Irrawaddy dolphin can be found near coastal areas in the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asial. These dolphins are big guys, weighing about 420 pounds as an adult. They primarily eat fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans.

Jaguarundi

These wild cats are fairly petite. You usually can only find them in North and South Arica, but there's a chance you might stumble across a Jaguarundi if you live in Texas.

Japanese Spider Crab

These creepy-looking crabs live in total, pitch-black darkness. They can only be found at 150 to 300 meters below sea level. The Japanese spider crab has the longest leg span of all spiders, insects, and crustaceans. You can leave this one on the ocean floor.

Blobfish

Located in the deep waters of Australia and Tasmania, this bizarre fish looks more like a person than a sea creature. Maybe they're shy, because chances are slim that you'll ever see a blobfish in the wild.

Manned Wolf

The manned wolf is the largest canine in South America. Its markings resemble those of foxes, and it may techincally be named named after a wolf, but actually, the manned wolf is related to neither.

Giant Isopod

This ginormous roly-poly can be found deep in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Similar to its cousin the pill bug, giant isopods have a hard shell which protects their backs. Their complex mouths are made to cut and tear prey.

Saiga Antelope

Even though the saiga antelope looks like it's straight out of a science fiction movie, this big-nosed antelope is the real deal. It can run up to 80 miles per hour—and it can go ever faster if it's being chased by predators.

Gobi Jeroba

The Gobi jeroba is a rodent native to China and Mongolia. Discovered in 1925, this adorable animal prefers temperate deserts and grasslands.

Panda Ant

The panda ant isn't even really an ant. Deceive us, why don't you? It's actually a wasp, considered part of the velvet ant amily. The panda ant can be found on dry coasts like Chile. Its sting is lethal, unsurprisingly.

Thorny Dragon

You definitely don't want to pick this guy up without some serious protection. The thorny dragon, also known as the thorny devil or mountain devil, is easy to miss in the mornings and evenings—they turn olive brown in cool air.

Indian Gharial

This crocodile basically only snacks on fish, but his little tiny razor-sharp teeth look pretty dangerous. If you'd rather not encounter him, stay away from the sandy freshwater banks of India. Sadly, the Indian gharial is critically endangered due to egg-collecting and trophy-hunting.

Garden Eels

Garden eels plant themselves into the seabed of Indo-Pacific oceans. When their bodies poke out from the sand, they look like they're part of a garden. Well, a garden in your nightmares, maybe.

Red-Lipped Batfish

Don't be shy, pucker up! This lovely lady is going out on the town tonight. Just kidding. The red-lipped batfish is a crab-like creature that can be found off the coast of Costa Rica. Their rodlike pelvic fins allow them to scurry around on the sea floor.

Star-Nosed Mole

Horrible. Awful. Why does this exist. Like something straight out of a nightmare, the star-nosed mole's touch organ has over 25,000 minute sensory receptors, allowing this hamster-sized animal to feel its way around the moist, low areas of northern North America.

Indian Purple Frog

You may not have guessed it, but this frog resides in... India! It's also known as the pig-nose frog. This amphibian lives underground for the majority of the year, only emerging for a few days to breed.

Narwhal

If you don't remember the Narwhal song from the early aughts, you might recall narwhals from the movie Elf. This species of whale possesses a large tusk that protrudes from a caine tooth. They can be found in Greenland and Russia and are known to be quite slow creatures—unless they're being chased by a predator.

Mantis Shrimp

Remember that creepy singing crustacean in Moana? That might have been a mantis shrimp. These marine crustacean is known for its vivid coloring and powerful clubs, which it uses to strike and capture prey. The species is roughly 410 million years old.

Hammerhead Bat

A truly hellish-looking gargoyle creature. Hammerhead bats dwell in swamps, forests, and mangroves of equatorial Africa. Hopefully, they stay there forever.

Pacu Fish

Now that's a set of chompers! The pacu fish is known for having humanoid teeth. Typically, this fish is found in South America, but a pacu was found off the coast of New Jersey once!

Patagonian Mara

This herbivorous, tiny animal may look like a cross between a rabbit and a deer, but Patagonian Maras are actually part of the rodent family.

Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle

Also known as the Asian giant softshell turtle and the frog-faced softshell turtle, this species is native to Southeast Asia. It is considered to be one of the largest remaining freshwater turtles.

Pink Fairy Armadillo

The pink fairy armadillo is just as cute as its name. These armadillos only grow to be 3 too 4 inches long, making them the smallest species of armadillo. They're rarely spotted in the wild, but yoou might find them in the plains of Argentina if you're lucky.

Harpy Eagle

The harpy eagle is the biggest, most powerful bird of prey found in the rainforest. It may look like a Hippogriff from the Harry Potter universe, but it's actually referenced in Greek mythology as a spirit that carries Hades.

African Wild Dog

Native to sub-Saharan Arica, African wild dogs are part of the same canine family as jackals and foxes. This guy may look pretty cute, but African wild dogs are actually highly carnivorous. Do not pet.

Proboscis Monkey

You might not be much older or younger than the proboscis monkey, who can live up to 25 years. These monkeys only reside in Borneo, which is likely part of why their lifespans are so long.

Quokka

Look at that cute little faaaaaace! Quokkas are about the same size as a domestic housecat. Similar to other marsupials, the quokka is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal.

Regent Honeyeater

This beautiful bird is a critically endangered species. It is located in Southeast Australia. The regent honeyeater was once the most popular bird in that region; it is in desperate need of protection.

Rufous Elephant Shrew

This tiny guy prefers to live in the hot, dry savanna or shrublands. They are active throughout the day, with peak activity occuring at dawn and dusk. They usually take a midday nap. How adorable!

Gerenuk

Sometimes referred to as the "giraffe gazelle," these long-necked antelopes are on the precipice of endangerment. The gerenuk is identified by its long, slender neck and limbs.

Sea Pig

Sea pigs, otherwise known as scotoplanes, live on the abyssal plains of the very bottom of the ocean, usually between 1,200 and 5,000 meters below sea level. In some areas, sea pigs make up 95% of the weight of creatures on the ocean floor.

Shoebill Stork

This enormous stork-like bird is known as the shoebill stork, whalehead, or whale-headed stork. Its name comes from its enormous bill. The shoebill stork was discovered in 1853 and mostly eats fish, lizards, snakes, rats, and baby crocodiles. Yikes.

Okapi

Also known as the forest giraffe or zebra giraffe, the okapi is native to the northeast region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. Okapis are currently an endangered species.

Baird's Tapir

Baird's tapir is a species of tapir native to Mexico, Central America, and northwestern South America. This long-nosed... pig? elephant? Both? Well, either way, it's the national animal of Belize, meaning it's protected under law, so no hunting allowed.

Philippine Tarsier

The Phiilippine tarsier is locally known as mawumag. It is a species of tarsier native to the Philippines, known for its large bug-eyes and small stature. Only the size of a rat, these animals can leap up to six feet in the air.

Sunda Colugo

This particular species of flying lemur can be found in Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Few of them remain, which means it's unlikely that you'll spot one in the wild—if you do, consider yourself lucky.

Tufted Deer

It's like a deer, but upgraded for nightmares. The tufted deer is a small species of deer characterizedd by a tuft of black hair on its forehead and, for males, fang-like canine teeth. This animal is often confused with the muntjac deer due to its appearance.

Trapezia Crabs

Trapezia crabs thrive through their symbiotic relatinoship with tropical coral. They eat the coral tissue to survive and, in turn, defend it from predators like starfish. Aw, friends!

Yeti Crab

What even. What. Who is she. Put her on RuPaul's drag race. This crab is covered in silky blond setae, which are "hairs" that act as a garden for bacteria on which the crab can feast. It was dubbed both the "yeti lobster" and "yeti crab" by its founders.

White-Headed Vulture

This Old World vulture is native to Africa, but populations habe been reapidly declining due to habitat degredation and poisoning of the carcasses, which the vultures eat. In this species, the females are larger than the males.

Bush Viper

This snake is so beautiful, it would be hard to stay mad if it bit you. Bush vipers live exclusively in Subsaharan Africa, where many of the species have isolated and fragmented in distribution as a result of their confinement to rainforests.

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