When we watch movies such as Avatar and Star Wars, we are amazed by how bizarre and interesting the creatures in these films are, because we often cannot come up with them on our own. Amazingly, there are an incredible amount of creatures on this planet that seem to come from a sci-fi movie; they just aren’t well known to the public. This list is definitely not another one of those “Weird Animal” lists you've seen before. These are, in my opinion, the top 10 strangest animals on earth.
1.Pangolin
The absolutely adorable Pangolin (also known as the spiny anteater), found in Africa and Asia, is an ant-eating mammal covered in scales made of keratin. It defends itself by rolling up into a ball, hence it’s name, which derives from the Malay word pengguling which means “something that rolls up”. Sadly, this species is on the IUCN red list as critically endangered, as it’s poached for its scales, which are used in traditional asian medicine.
2. Curl Crested Manucode
The Curl Crested Manucode is found in Papua New Guinea, and is a species of bird-of-paradise. I’ve noted it here for its unusual sound, made by males due to their elongated windpipe, which works like a woodwind instrument.
3. Pyura Chilenisis
This animal looks like (very literally) a bleeding rock. From the outside it looks like just an average sea stone but alas, when you cut it open, it looks like a weird sea-tomato. While it has clear blood, it is very much alive. It’s found in Chile, and is considered a local delicacy.
4.Solenodon
Unchanged for 76 million years, this rodent-like creature is often called a “living fossil”. It is one of the only few venomous mammals on earth, with venomous saliva that comes from it’s teeth. Another strange feature is that its snout is connected to its head using a ball-and-socket joint, like a human shoulder.
5.Axolotl
Pronounced axe-oh-lot-el, this cutie is only found in two lakes in Mexico- Lake Chalco and Lake Xochimilco. Those little frillies around its head are actually external gills!
6.Kakapo
This bird is actually a flightless parrot found in New Zealand. The Kakapo is the oldest-living bird and the heaviest species of parrot! It is also the world's most endangered parrot, with only less than 150 left on earth.
7.Sea Angel
Related to the snail, the Sea Angel lacks a shell and free-swims through the water using wing-like appendages called "parapodia". They do not have a particular aquatic habitat as they live in all seas, ranging from tropical to polar.
8.Sumatran Rhino
The Sumatran Rhino is the smallest living rhino species, being only 3.5-5 feet tall. It is also the closest relative of the now-extinct wooly rhinoceros, which is why it is covered in long hair. This beautiful animal is critically endangered, with less than 100 alive today.
9. Tree Kangaroo
10. Goblin Shark
(Skip to 0:30) The Goblin Shark is a terrifying species of shark that has the ability to fully extend its jaws from it's body. In its idle form, it looks like any other shark, but when it comes across food, (or in this case, a diver's arm), it completely extends its mouth.
