The World’s Most Peculiar Animals

 
 

Written by Annastatia Brooks

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by David Clode on Unsplash



When you think of an animal, perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is a farm animal, or a pet, or maybe an everyday animal like a forest critter. Well, I’m here to tell you that there are so many more amazing animals out there that don’t quite fit the status quo, but are equally as endearing. This article is a list of some of the most peculiar creatures on Earth. I will discuss why they’re so unique, where they’re from, what they’re known for, and their endangerment level, as many of our strange little animals are fighting for survival while also fighting to be socially accepted despite their weird appearances. 

The Colugo

Photo by David Yeo on Moment Open/Getty Images, courtesy of Britannica 

Starting off strong with one of my favorite animals, we have the colugo. They live in tropical Southeast Asia and are known for their amazing ability to soar between tree branches (much like a flying squirrel). Unlike a flying squirrel, though, their patagium (a flap of skin extending from an animal’s front legs to back legs) is connected from their necks to their paws to their tails, all the way around. This allows them to glide like pros from tree to tree. Though they’re not endangered, they are dealing with destructive habitat loss caused by humans. 



The Wobbegong

Photo by John Sear on iNaturalist.org 

Wobbegongs, also known as carpet sharks, are an unusual species of shark that closely resembles a polka-dotted old man. The wobbegong is not a carpet you’d like to step on, though, as they will become aggressive if provoked. The mustache-like row of dermal lobes is not just for appearances; they are actually lures for passing fish carelessly swimming through the reef. They aren’t endangered, but they do face turmoil as their skin is harvested to be used as leather, and they will often get stuck in lobster pots.



The Naked Mole Rat

Not to be confused with the Damaraland mole rat (a relative of the naked mole rat which has hair and is not naked), these adorable fellows are also curious dirt-dwelling creatures. Naked mole rats are native to eastern Africa, and can live absurdly long for a rodent – up to thirty years! Instead of using sight or sound to navigate, they use scent and feel, sensing vibrations and air currents with their body vibrissae (sensitive body hairs). They never travel above ground and get all their nutrients through underground plant roots. Since they’re naked, they do need to huddle together in their burrows to keep warm. Fun fact: naked mole rat bodies are resistant to cancer, and they are being studied for their amazing cancer-fighting abilities! Bonus fun fact: certain naked mole rats in every colony dedicate their lives to getting fat. Then, in the rainy season, they plug the upper entrances with their entire body. 


The Saiga Antelope

 
 

Not your typical antelope, the saiga antelope lives primarily in the barren steppes of Eurasia. Their strange noses are brilliant examples of adaptation, as they allow the saigas to breathe in the cold, dry air of their habitat and filter out dust during the summer months. Plus, it gives them an excellent sense of smell. Sadly, saigas are endangered. Their populations are affected by the overhunting of their meat, poaching for the males’ horns, habitat destruction, migration obstructions such as fences, and a bacterial disease called Pasteurella multocida that became lethal for the saiga antelope due to climate change. 



The Garden Eel

     Photo by Nolla on Unsplash      

  I was very excited to meet garden eels at the Aquarium du Québec

 Photo by Annastatia Brooks

They’re not noodles, or snakes, or worms – these sand-dwelling creatures are eels! Garden eels live most of their lives partially buried in sand, swaying in the currents, catching passing zooplankton. They stay in the sand so well because their tails make a mucus that hardens like cement, keeping the walls of their hole intact. If you’d like to spot one in the wild, you’ll be able to see them in sandy shallows across the Pacific Ocean, anywhere from Oceania to Africa. 




The Amazon River Dolphin

The Amazon river dolphin, or the pink river dolphin, is a creature of great importance in South African folklore. As their nickname implies, they are a beautiful, bright pink, and can be found in the fresh waters of the Amazon. Their most impressive quality is their diet for carnivorous piranhas. Yet, they are completely unaggressive towards humans and have been seen playing with children. Despite the fact that they are treated with respect as mythical creatures, they are still endangered due to pollution, bycatch, and hunting. 





The Golden Mole

Instead of digging through dirt like regular moles, golden moles have made their home in the Saharan sand dunes of Africa. If you think they look eyeless, you would be right! All species of golden moles have no external eyes, ears, or tails. Their cute little noses are actually quite tough and are used as wedges for digging through sand. The different species of golden moles range from near threatened to critically endangered (like De Winton’s golden mole, which was finally found again in 2023 after having gone missing since 1936) due to habitat destruction from mining, urbanization, and agriculture.



The Irrawaddy Dolphin

Photo by Roland Seitre on naturepl.com, courtesy of WWF 

These gorgeous little guys are very talented. Irrawaddy dolphins are not just saltwater dolphins, but freshwater dolphins too, living in both the rivers and off the coast of Southeast Asia. They are playful and are the only dolphin species known to partake in water-spitting. They can pucker their lips and shoot jets of water, which is thought to be used as a fishing tactic. Irrawaddy Dolphins are critically endangered due to water pollution, habitat destruction, climate change, and, most importantly, bycatch. Bycatch is when fisheries accidentally capture larger marine animals in fishing nets, harming or killing them in the process. 




I hope these peculiar creatures have brought a smile to your face and taught you that nature’s beauty is often hidden behind an outlandish appearance. Not all endangered animals are soft and snuggly pandas or adorable sea turtles. Nevertheless, every critter deserves love and protection. If you’re interested in conservation and sustainability, here are some great resources to help the Earth’s amazing animals:

Jacob Butler