Weirdest Animals on Earth

Everyone of us are intrigued by the weirdest creatures on earth. Be it the carnivorous flowers that exclusively feed on insects or the scary deep ocean fish, they exhibit certain characteristic features different from other species. But how do you define the weirdest animals on earth? Is a sea dragon that resembles a seaweed sounds weird to you or is it the small Philippine tarsier, which have extraordinarily large and bright eyes. Here, we will take a look at some of the strangest animals on earth, which you will find interesting.

Top 10 Weirdest Animals on Earth

Mention some of the most weird animal species and you can find lots of them, each falling in different groups of birds, fish, reptiles, primates and mammals. As we all know, organisms are gifted with certain features, either external or internal, which have something to do with their adaptation in the prevailing environment. Likewise, the weird characters increase the animal's survival rate. Mentioned below are some of the most weird animals along with their distinctive features.

Komondor Dog
Komondor dog is a large dog breed, originated in Hungary. Excellent as a working dog, it is characterized by a long coat that covers the whole body. Seeing from a far distance, it looks like a sheep with a heavy fur. It is independent and dominating in nature. Hence, for keeping as a house pet, a Komondor dog should be trained properly under the guidance of a qualified trainer.

Leafy Seadragon
Classified under Syngnathidae family, the leafy sea dragon is encountered only in Australia's southern waters. As the name signifies, the camouflaging appendages of this sea creature are adapted in such a way that they look virtually like floating seaweed or plant leaves. At maturity, leafy sea dragon is yellowish green in color and grows to about 45 cm in length.

Star-nosed Mole
Identified as one of the ugliest and weirdest animals on earth, the star nosed mole is a mammal with fresh tendrils surrounding the snout area. Virtually a blind mammal, it uses its 22 nasal appendages for hunting food. Once it touches an insect larva or other prospective prey on the ground, it takes milliseconds to check and eat it up. As per scientists, this is the fastest known reaction in the animal kingdom.

Hagfish
The hagfish is another weird creature of the marine environment, that remains embedded in the mud for most of the time. The characteristic attribute of this fish is the skeletal system, which is entirely made up of cartilage. More than 65 species of eel-like hagfish are identified from the warm seawater of both hemispheres. As a defense mechanism, it secretes excess amount of mucus from side glands.

Tapir
With an elongated trunk, tapir looks like pigs, but it is found to be closely related to rhinoceros and horses. The upper lip and extended nose together make up the prehensile trunk. Four species of tapir are identified, all of which are herbivores feeding on plant leaves and fruits. Though it has a long lifespan (about 30 years), this weird mammal is included in the endangered species list.

Pink Fairy Armadillo
Similar to other armadillo types, the pink fairy armadillo has a bony armor like shell covering the head and body. The smallest of all armadillo species, it has a poor developed eyesight. However, long claws and sensitive sense of smell increase the efficiency of food hunting. When frightened or threatened, it covers itself in the sand within a fraction of minutes.

Axolotl
Axolotl is one of the odd looking animals, which many hobbyists rear as an exotic pet. Unlike other salamanders, it does not metamorphose on a regular basis, hence termed as neotenic. The most amazing fact of this mole salamander is the ability to regenerate its body parts, which is absent in most of the animal species. Considering this, scientists use it as a model organism in research studies.

Blobfish
Called it one of the weirdest animals or ugliest looking animals, the blobfish is a unique fish that inhabits the deepest ocean. Consequently, the pressure of the inhabiting area is extremely high. As an adaptation, the flesh of blobfish is gelatinous, with a density slightly lower than water. It floats on surface and swallows food directly. Hardly encountered by marine biologists, there is less information about this weird fish.

Aye-aye
One of the aye-aye facts worth mentioning is the bushy tail bigger than its body size. Although it looks different from other primates, aye-aye is closely related to apes and chimpanzees. Other characteristic attributes of this small primate is large eyes, magnificent ears and slender fingers. The long pointed claws enable it to dangle from one tree branch to another without falling down.

Narwhal
Narwhal is a type of whale, inhabiting the Arctic ocean. The male species differs from the female by a very long tooth (measuring about 8.8 feet) that outgrows from upper left jaw. Its primary food comprises flatfish and other benthic fish. Previously, it was hunted extensively for meat and ivory. Though hunting is greatly reduced in recent times, the population is not increased up to the expected number.

Aren't these weirdest animals on earth interesting to study? In addition to the above names, you can find a long weird animals list, including sucker-footed bat, proboscis monkey, alpaca, frill-necked lizard, yeti crab, red panda, etc. As you see most weird animals are identified from the least hospitable habitats of the oceans. Thus, with the advancement in marine biology, more strange looking animals will be identified in near future.