5 Ugly Endangered Animals That Need Love Too | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

5 Ugly Endangered Animals That Need Love Too

No pandas or white tigers here!

595
5 Ugly Endangered Animals That Need Love Too
Pixabay

When you think of endangered animals what do you think? Probably something along the lines of a great panda, all fluffy and cute, just lounging around and harmlessly eating bamboo. No predation here! Or perhaps the bald eagle, a symbol of our country soaring through the air, landing by its nest in a tall pine tree carefully caring for its eggs so that the species may live on.

But what if I told you not all endangered animals are as cute as a panda or as regal as a bald eagle? In fact, quite a few of them are ugly as hell. Just awful. Absolutely hideous. And they need love too. Since "pretty" and "cute" endangered animals usually get the most attention and funding.

These animals weren't designed by God to be pleasant for humans to look at, their hideous features are the product of years and years of evolution and serve very specific purposes. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you'll gain a new appreciation for these animals. I also will be roasting them a little in the process.

1. California Condor

If you live in the United States and have ever seen a vulture (either at the side of the road picking at road kill or maybe even flying overhead) it was probably a turkey vulture. For some perspective, the turkey vulture can have a wingspan of up to six feet. The Condor? Ten feet.

Besides that, the condor can be distinguished by the fancy Disney villain-esque feather boa looking ring around its neck and a head that's more fleshy/peach colored than the head of the turkey vulture.

The saddest thing of all is that condors aren't dying out because of drought or habitat destruction or anything like that, they're getting poisoned by lead bullets. Not shot, but they eat the bullets left by hunters and die.

Vultures are actually really important. They're like the garbage men of nature. By consuming decaying meat, they get rid of the bacteria and germs those carcasses would otherwise spread to other animals or the nearby environment.

[Source]

2. Amazon River Dolphin


Give a four-year-old a couple pieces of strawberry Laffy Taffy. The four-year-old drops them on the dusty floor and picks them back up again. Now ask that four-year-old to try and sculpt a dolphin. That is what the Amazon river dolphin looks like.

One of the main threats to the Amazon river dolphin is the installation of hydroelectric dams. It's really unfortunate because the use of hydroelectric dams cuts down on a number of fossil fuels used for power. These fossil fuels emit carbon dioxide into the air which leads to ocean acidification, a process that greatly contributes to the massive death of coral reefs around the ocean which can also harm other species. You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't.

[Source]

3. Humphead Wrasse


This reef fish looks like it got hit with an ACME anvil in a roadrunner episode. Humphead wrasses can grow up to six feet in length, and their main downfall is poaching.

Similar to shark finning, its endangerment is due to its culinary appeal.

Sources [1] [2]

4. Maclaud's Horseshoe Bat

There are actually quite a few species of bat that are endangered, but for people who don't like bats, they're gonna think all of them are ugly (like the flying fox bat, who I personally think is adorable, it has a puppy dog face, but the size sketches people out.) But I decided to pick the ugliest, one that even I, someone who appreciates bats, will find ugly.

And WOW this guy looks like he came straight out of your nightmares.

These dudes are from Guinea. Their main threat is habitat loss, as well as bushmeat hunting. So imagine someone breaking into your house, burning it down, and then running after you trying to eat you. That's what the Maclauds horseshoe bat has to deal with.

[Source]

5. Proboscis Monkey

Hey, its Gonzo from the muppets!

The proboscis monkey is only found in Borneo, a large island that's part of Indonesia. Only the males have the shockingly enormous noses. The noses serve no purpose other than to help find mates, its a form of sexual selection. Their main threat is habitat destruction.

[Source]


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

197140
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

19006
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460996
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28369
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments