6 Weird Animals You Never Knew Existed | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

6 Weird Animals You Never Knew Existed

These animals will blow your mind.

905
6 Weird Animals You Never Knew Existed
Wikimedia Commons

I promise this is not merely click bait. What you are about to read is a list of real, non-mythical, living creatures that are so strange, you’ll doubt their existence. Believe me, every word is true.

1. Bearded Vulture

No, this is not Dumbledore’s Phoenix. This spectacular avian is arguably the most beautiful vulture I have ever seen. Its name originates from the tufts of hair protruding from its beak, although it is also called a lammergeier. Armed with a 10-foot wingspan, this vulture is accurately adapted to its home range among the Eurasian mountains. Their feathers are a mix of pearl white dusted with umber and gray, but they like to stylize. These raptors dye their feathers blood red by rolling in the iron-oxide abundant soil to turn their plumage a vibrant vermilion. The most stunning, albeit, terrifying feature is its diet of bones. Yes, bones! Unlike most carrion birds, the bearded vulture waits for others – ravens, crows, eagles – to pick off the meat. Lammergeiers lift their choice femur into the air then drop it onto a rock or cliff. They then swoop down and gobble up the shards. Yum!

2. Saiga Antelope

I’ll give you another moment to just appreciate such a nose. Believe it or not, that gigantic schnoz has a purpose: to warm the freezing air during winter and keep out the dust in summer. Saiga antelope inhabit grasslands and steppes in Kazakhstan and parts of Mongolia. Their tawny pelts turn snow white in winter. Unfortunately, they are critically endangered due to over-hunting and habitat loss.

3. Maned Wolf

Although it looks like a cross between a fox and a wolf, this is an entirely different animal altogether. The maned wolf uses its stilt-like legs to peer above the tall grass of South America’s plains. Surprisingly, this canine is an omnivore. Maned wolves have been known to favor a particular fruit called lobeira which can sometimes compose 50 percent of their diet.

4. Musk Deer

What happens when a vampire bites a deer? Edward, you have some explaining to do. Despite their horrifying teeth, musk deer are not carnivorous; they are herbivores. Instead of antlers, males fight tooth and nail, literally, for mates. They are often poached for their musk gland, a scent sometimes used in colognes, which has caused a decline in recent years.

5. Binturong

Does anyone smell popcorn? These Bearcats have a unique scent that humans identify as buttered popcorn, exactly like the kind you get from a movie theater. Binturongs live in canopies across Asia and roam the trees for rodents and bird’s nests. These mammals also eat many fruits and flowers. They are the only carnivore, besides a kinkajou, with a prehensile tail. That’s not all, binturongs can even twist their hind ankles completely backward when descending a tree!

6. Philippine Colugo

What even is this? Most refer to it as a flying lemur. Before you get excited, this is not Momo from “Avatar: The Last Airbender”. By ‘flying’, I really mean gliding. Colugos can be somewhat compared to a sugar glider; they use their patagium, skin flaps between their limbs, like wings. They have been known to coast in the air for over 320 feet, soaring through the rainforest in search of leaves, flowers, and fruit. Did I mention they are nocturnal? That’s what they use those huge, adorable eyes for!


To think you’ve been living your whole life without ever knowing these animals exist alongside you!

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.

196920
 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

18868
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...

460901
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.

28322
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