From see-through frogs to fish that can walk, look at these unbelievable photos of the world's most supremely weird animals.
Some glide through the dark abyss of the ocean depths while others hang from trees in dark jungle canopies. Some sport enormous eyes while others have horned flesh or bubble gum pink skin. Some skirt the line between gorgeous and terrifying, and all are absolutely fascinating.
These are twenty-nine of the most incredibly and real weird animals on Earth:
Axolotl
Native to Mexico, this aquatic salamander retains its frilled gills and fins into adulthood; it’s considered rare to see one fully mature and emerge onto dry land.Wikimedia Commons
Glass Frog
This bizarre frog’s eerily transparent skin allows it to blend seamlessly with its leafy surroundings.Wikimedia Commons
Thorny Dragon
Thorny dragons have a false head on the back of their neck to throw off predators.Wikimedia Commons
Aye-Aye
These bizarre primates are most easily recognized by their enormous eyes and long, spindly fingers, both of which allow this animal to easily inhabit treetops at night.Wikimedia Commons
Cape Rain Frog
This animal's rotund shape allows it to inflate itself with air and puff up when danger comes near.Wikimedia Commons
Cassowary
Don’t let the feathery exterior fool you. This giant bird is known to be notoriously aggressive, eviscerating any creature that comes too close with its dagger-like talons.Wikimedia Commons
Tree Kangaroo
Not all animals from Australia are killers; case in point, the tree kangaroo, which looks more like a stuffed animal than a living. breathing creature.Wikimedia Commons
Tufted Deer
This deer’s striking tusks may raise some eyebrows, especially considering that it’s an herbivorous animal; male tufted deer actually use their fangs to resolve territorial disputes with their own kind in lieu of antlers.Wikimedia Commons
Star-Nosed Mole
This strange creature, found in North America, is distinguished by its bizarre, fleshy nose. Used as feelers, the mole’s nose has twenty-two mobile, pink tentacles at the end of its snout that are extremely sensitive.
Image Sources: Flickr (left), Flickr (right).
Image Sources: Flickr (left), Flickr (right).
Angora Rabbit
One of the oldest types of rabbit, Angoras appear as veritable clouds with ears, marked by their intense amounts of fur. They were once popular pets of 18th century French royalty.Wikimedia Commons
Chinese White Dolphin
Despite being referred to as a “white” dolphin, these ocean dwellers are actually well known for sporting a curious shade of pink.Flickr
Proboscis (Long-Nosed) Monkey
As the name suggests, these exotic creatures have extremely long noses that are believed to be the result of sexual selection.Wikimedia Commons
Fossa
While feline-like in appearance, this carnivorous Madagascar native is close relative of the mongoose family.Wikimedia Commons
Tarsier
This tiny, bizarre primate may have once inhabited mainland Asia, Europe, and North America, but can now only be found on a handful of Malaysian islands.Wikimedia Commons
Florida Softshelled Turtle
Instead of a turtle's typically hard, dome-like shell, this bizarre animal sports a shell that resembles a flat slab of leather.Wikimedia Commons
Hummingbird Moth
With a confusing name and an equally as confusing appearance, this moth is able to hover over flowers to drink nectar, much like its equally tiny avian counterpart.Wikimedia Commons
Mantis Shrimp
The mantis shrimp is one of nature’s most talented pugilists; cocking its club-like hand back as if it were a spring-loaded weapon, this shrimp is able to shatter shells and even aquarium glass with the force of a .22 caliber bullet.Wikimedia Commons
Maribou Stork
Due to its ominous appearance and the fact that it's a scavenger, this bizarre stork is often referred to as “the undertaker bird.”Flickr
Mouse-Deer
Despite its names, this tiny animal isn’t actually a deer and in fact shares a closer relation to donkeys and pigs.Wikimedia Commons
Sloane's Viperfish
As the species holds the world record for largest teeth relative to head size in a fish, the nightmarish viperfish is obviously distinguished by its menacing fangs. Even with its mouth closed, the Sloane viperfish’s teeth overlap and are able to impale prey.
Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons (left), Flickr (right).
Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons (left), Flickr (right).
Lowland Streaked Tenrec
If a bumblebee and a hedgehog mated, the lowland streaked tenrec would be its rather bizarre spawn. Found in Madagascar, these bristly creatures are covered in yellow and brown striped quills, which they use to attack their enemies.Wikimedia Commons
Blobfish
Native to Australia and parts of Tasmania, the blobfish is a gelatinous mass with a density slightly less than water. Now facing extinction due to deep sea fishing, it will eat any organic matter that passes in front of it and only expends a small amount of energy when swimming.Flickr
Shoebill
This enormous African bird with a shoe-shaped bill can grow up to five feet tall with a wingspan of over eight feet.Wikimedia Commons
Silkie Chicken
While some seek out these chickens as a unique pet, others are more interested in the jet black meat that lies beneath its fluffy exterior.Wikimedia Commons
Red Handfish
Finding swimming a bit too common, the red handfish uses its fins to walk along the ocean floor rather than swimming like everyone else. Its even more rare pink cousin, discovered in Tasmania, Australia, has had only four specimens ever identified.Wikimedia Commons
Giraffe Weevil
This curious insect mimics its mammalian namesake, using its long neck to fight other males for the honor of mating with a female.Wikimedia Commons
Ocean Sunfish
The heaviest of all bony fish, the ocean sunfish dwarfs any divers who swim nearby, as they can grow to an astonishing 14 feet in length.Wikimedia Commons
Spiny Orb-Weaver Spider
Known by some as the crab spider, the spiny orb-weaver spider can be found in various places across the globe but is known particularly for appearing in the humid gardens of Florida. It has a distinctive, colorful "shell" with "spines" running down it to ward off predators.Wikimedia Commons
Leafy Sea Dragon
Delicate leaf-like appendages help the sea dragon to camouflage itself among kelp and seaweed.Wikimedia Commons
See Some Of These Stunningly Weird Animals In Action Below:
Leafy Seadragon
Giraffe Weevil
Aye-Aye
Proboscis Monkey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5bt-i4QFoo
Star-Nosed Mole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m0PMcXK6XA
For more strange animals, check out six weird pets that you can actually own and then discover the rarest animals on the planet.
