Unusual Animals

Aye-aye

(Daubentonia madagascariensis)

Home: Madagascar

Size: 3 kg (6.6 lb). Head and body length about 30 - 37 cm (12 - 15"). Tail is about 44 - 53 cm (17 - 21") long

Discovered: The aye-aye was discovered by Pierre Sonnerat in 1780, it was brought to Paris by that traveller being the only one known until 1860.

The Aye-aye is a freaky combo of rodent-like teeth with a long, thin middle finger to fill the same niche as a woodpecker. Well to me it looks a whole lot like some mutated little monkey/goat mix... but that is just me. I also think it reminds me of something right out of "Lord of The Rings"... those things called orcs. Except this has big ears and fur. It is the world's largest nocturnal primate.

It has a oddly elongated middle finger that it uses to pull grubs out of trees after having tapped on them and gnawed holes.

Axolotl

(Ambystoma mexicanum)

Home: Mexico

Size: 15-45 centimetres (5.9-18 in)

Discovered: Unclear

The Axolotl is the best-known of the Mexican neotenic mole salamanders belonging to the Tiger Salamander complex. Larvae of this species fail to undergo metamorphosis, so the adults remain aquatic and gilled. They are science's aquatic lab rats due to the fact they can regenerate most body parts with ease, among other things. They are commonly kept as pets in the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Japan (when sold they are known as Wooper Rooper).

Baiji

(Lipotes vexillifer)

Home: China (Yangtze River)

Size: Weight: 135 - 230 kg (300 - 510 lb). Length: up to 2.5 m (8.2').

Discovered: A fisherman discovered it in Dongting Lake not clear when.

The Baiji is better known as the river dolphin. They are usually found outside of china. The reason that has caused these mammals to become so rare is the fact that they were competing for their food with us. People hunt the fish that these rare dolphins just happen to eat. There have been reports that this species is now extinct and they are in search of them as we speak.

Blobfish

(Psychrolutes marcidus)

Home: deep waters off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania.

Size: 30.0 cm

Discovered: Discovered by McCulloch in 1926 .

Blobfish are found at depths where the pressure is several dozens of times higher than at sea level. They adapted to this immense pressure by being primarily a gelatinous mass that is less dense than water. This keeps them buoyant floating just above the sea floor to eat or slurp up what gooey nutrition it can find without really needing to swim. If there was an award for world's ugliest creature this poor fellow just got nominated!

Cantor's Giant Soft Shelled Turtle

(Pelochelys cantorii)

Home: India, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Sumatra, Borneo, and western Java.

Size: Length: Up to 6 feet (about 2 meters). Weight: Over 100 lb (about 50 kg).

Discovered: Unclear

The Cantor's Giant Soft Shelled Turtle is one of the most unusual looking animals on earth and certainly one of the most oddest turtles in existense. Yet few people have seen it or know about it. It's not a sea turtle - the Cantor prefers to inhabit inland, close to streams and wetlands. They are native to Cambodia but are very rare.

Emperor Tamarin

(Saguinus imperator)

Home: Southwest Amazon Basin, in east Peru, north Bolivia and in the west Brazilian states of Acre and Amazonas. Tropical rain forests.

Size: length of 24 to 26 cm, plus a 35 cm long tail. It weighs approximately 300 to 400 g.

Discovered: Unclear

The Emperor Tamarin allegedly named for its similarity with the German emperor Wilhelm II. At first it was a joke but has actually become the official scientific name. Getting a monkey named after you as a jab and it being recorded for all of the world to know of? Now THAT would have been a killer April Fool's prank... that sticks!

Its long white mustache is what distinguishes it. The mustache extends to both sides beyond the shoulders.

Goliath Bird Eating Spider

(Theraphosa blondi)

Home: Native to the rain forest regions of northern South America

Size: Up to a 10 inch (25.4 cm) leg span and can weigh over 120 grams (4.2 ounces).

Discovered: Unclear

This is the biggest spider on earth! Despite its misleading name it doesn't mainly chomp on birds. It prefers annoying children... no just kidding! Actually it enjoys dining on smaller things like bats, and bugs.

Regardless of its dashing soft looks that make you want to hug it (sarcastic!) it is rather harmless to humans.

Kagu

(Rhynochetos jubatus)

Home: New Zealand Grand Terre, the largest island of the New Caledonia island group, in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

Size: Approx. 22 inches (55 centimeters), weight of 1.5 to 2.5 pounds (24 to 40 ounces)

Discovered: Unclear

Despite its large wingspan this is a flightless rare New Zealand bird. It is a forest-dweller, though its markings are oddly light in color. Very few remain and scientists know little about its preferences and habits. We do know that it possesses "nasal corns" unlike any other bird. For reasons unknown, the kagu also has one-third the red blood count of other birds. Scientists have had a difficult time classifying this rare and unusual bird.

Kiwi

Home: New Zealand

Size: about 40 cm (16 in) high and weigh about 2.8 kg (6.2 lb), the males about 2.2 kg (4.9 lb).

Discovered: The first kiwi specimen to be studied by Europeans was a kiwi skin brought to George Shaw by Captain Andrew Barclay, who was reported to have been given it by a sealer in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbor) around 1811.

No not the fruit, rather the small flightless bird. Don't be fooled by its fluffy small appearance it is a violent temperamental ball of feathers. It has whiskers that help it sniff out food and threats. Kiwis are also the only bird to have nostrils. Despite what we think we know the Kiwi does have wings, very small ones, but we barely see them since they are somwhat hidden under all that fluffed up hair-like feathers it has. Kiwi pairs mate for life - as long as 30 years - but tend to have feisty relationships. In fact, daddy kiwis incubate the young while mom hunts - for an unheard-of 80 days, no less.

Komodo Dragon

(varanus Komodoensis)

Home: Some of Indonesia's islands, including Komodo

Size: 10 feet and 330 pounds

Discovered: Discovered by Western scientists in 1910

Threatened by both volcanoes and humans. This is probably one fascinating creature that dates back prehistoric times and is endangered. It is the largest lizard in existence. They can't run fast for a very long time. What they lack in poor hearing they make up with sharp eyesight and stealth to hunt. It possesses serrated teeth and has nasty attack habits, preferring to jab at the feet or drag its prey along for a bit before sending their victim to the great beyond. Talk about playing with your food! If a animal somehow manages to get away either way it is a goner. Why? Thanks to the Komodo's specialized bacteria the poor thing will die due to some major infection. Komodos will eat anything, dead or alive. Including their own young.

Leafy seadragon

(Phycodurus eques)

Home: Southern coast of Australia.

Size: 14 inches (35 centimeters) long.

Discovered: Unclear

Leafy seadragons resemble a piece of drifting seaweed as they float in the seaweed-filled water. The Leafy seadragon, with green, orange and gold hues along its body, is covered with leaf-like appendages, making it remarkably camouflaged. Only the fluttering of tiny fins or the moving of an independently swiveling eye, reveals its presence.

Like the seahorse, the male seadragon carries as many as 150-200 eggs for approximately eight weeks. Seadragons have no teeth or stomach and feed exclusively on mysidopsis shrimp. Known as "Australian seahorses" in Australia, they are found in calm, cold water that is approximately 50-54° F (10-12° C). Leafy seadragons have been protected by the South Australian government since 1982.

Narwhal

(Monodon monoceros)

Home:Canadian Arctic, Greenland waters, Norway (Svalbard), the United States (Alaska), and Russia.

Size: 3.8-5m (12.5-16.4 ft; excluding the tusk), Weight up to 1,600kg (3,528 lbs.).

Discovered: Unclear

Dubbed as the "Ice Unicorn" it's horn or tusk if you will... can reach up to an amazing length of 9 feet. The Narwhal is an Arctic species of cetacean. It is a creature rarely found south of latitude 70°N. It is one of two species of white whale in the Monodontidae family (the other is the beluga whale).

The English name narwhal is derived from the Dutch name narwal which in turn comes from the Danish narhval which is based on the Old Norse word nar, meaning "corpse." This is a reference to the animal's colour. The narwhal is also commonly known as the Moon Whale.

Proboscis Monkey

Nasalis larvatus

Home: Unclear

Size:72 cm (28 inches) in length, with an up to 75 cm tail, and weighing up to 24 kg (53 pounds). Females are up to 60 cm long, weighing up to 12 kg (26 lb).

Discovered: Unclear

Also known as Long-nosed Monkey is a reddish-brown arboreal Old World monkey. It is the only species in monotypic genus Nasalis. As you can see from the photo the strange thing in this animal is the large nose.

The Proboscis Monkey also has a large belly, as a result of its diet. Its digestive system is divided into several parts, with distinctive gut flora, which help in digesting leaves. This digestive process releases a lot of gas, resulting in the monkey's "bloated" bellies. A side-effect of this unique digestive system is that it is unable to digest ripe fruit, unlike most other simians. The diet consists mainly of fruits, seeds and leaves.

Pygmy Marmoset

(Callithrix (Cebuella) pygmaea)

Home: Western Amazonia, south of the rivers Caquetá and Solimões and west of the Rio Madeira. Tropical rainforest, prefers seasonally inundated and riverine forest.

Size: 3.9 oz (110 g), female weight: 4.3 oz (122 g); head and body length: 5.4-6 in (13.6-15.2 cm); tail length: 6.8-9 in (17.2-22.9 cm).

Discovered: Unclear - around 1993 by scientists

It is one of the smallest primates, it has a tawny coat, and a ringed tail that can be as long as its body. Their claws are specially adapted for climbing trees, a trait unique to the species. They feed on fruit, leaves, insects, and sometimes even small reptiles. Much of their diet, however, comes from tapping trees for sap. Since its small size, and its swift movements, it is very hard to observe in the wild.

TIn captivity, the Pygmy Marmoset can live up to 11 years.

Red Panda

Ailurus fulgens

Home: China

Size: 55 cm long

Discovered: European scientists - Thomas Hardwicke introduced the red panda to Europeans in 1821

The Red Panda is a mostly herbivorous mammal, slightly larger than a domestic cat. The Red Panda has semi-retractile claws and, like the Giant Panda, has a "false thumb" which is really an extension of the wrist bone. Thick fur on the soles of the feet offers protection from cold and hides scent glands. The Red Panda is native to the Himalayas in Nepal and southern China. The word panda is derived from Nepalese word "ponya" which means bamboo and plants eating animals in Nepal.

Star-nosed Mole

(Condylura cristata)

Home: Eastern Canada and the north-eastern United States. Wet lowland areas. Diet: Small invertebrates, aquatic insects, worms and molluscs.

Size: 15 to 20 cm in length, weight about 55 g.

Discovered: Unclear

It is a good swimmer and can forage along the bottoms of streams and ponds. Like other moles, this animal digs shallow surface tunnels for foraging; often, these tunnels exit underwater. It is active day and night and remains active in winter, when it has been observed tunneling through the snow and swimming in ice-covered streams.

The Star-nosed Mole is covered in thick blackish brown water-repellent fur and has large scaled feet and a long thick tail. The mole's most distinctive feature is a circle of 22 mobile, pink, fleshy tentacles at the end of the snout. These are used to identify food by touch, such as worms, insects and crustaceans.

Shoebill

Balaenicipitidae

Home: Tropical east Africa, in large swamps from Sudan to Zambia.

Length: Avg. 1.2 m (4 ft) tall, 5.6 kg (12.3 lbs) and 2.33 m (7.7 ft) wingspan

Discovered: 19th century

The Shoebill, also known as Whalehead is a very large bird related to the storks.
The bird was known to both ancient Egyptians and Arabs however. There exist Egyptian images depicting the Shoebill.

Spring Hare

Home: Semi-arid steppes and dry savannas of Kenya and Tanzania

Size: 7 inches long. Weight: About 7 or 8 pounds

Discovered: Unclear

The bizarre spring hare had taxonomists scratching their heads for years. It's been classified with jerboas (jumping rodents), squirrels and even porcupines. It's now classified on its own, and it resembles both a kangaroo and hare. It has specialized short limbs with claws for digging as well as flexible ear flaps that can be used to seal off the ear canal to protect against the elements and debris. It's also got a funny resting position that looks a lot like the yoga Dolphin post: it stretches its long hind legs forward and then rests its head and arms directly on the ground

Tarsiers

Tarsius tarsier

Home: Indonesia (Sulawesi) in secondary and mangrove forests,and forest gardens.

Size: Head and body range from 10 to 15 cm,hind limbs are about twice as long (with the feet), tail from 20 to 25 cm long.

Discovered: Unclear - first seen around 1920

Tarsiers are small animals with enormous eyes; each eyeball is approximately 16 mm in diameter and is as large as their entire brain. Tarsiers also have very long hind limbs. In fact, their feet have extremely elongated tarsus bones, from which the animals get their name. Their fingers are also elongated, with the third finger being about the same length as the upper arm. Most of the digits have nails, but the second and third toes of the hind feet bear claws instead, which are used for grooming.

The Pinta Island Tortoise

Geochelone nigra abingdoni

Home: Galapagos Islands

Size: Approx. 90 kilograms

Discovered: December 1, 1971 by American snail biologist Joseph Vagvolgyi.

This tortoise is the rarest animal since there is only one still alive. They were thought to be extinct 30 years ago until a ranger happen to find one. There has been a search for a female tortoise so they can get the Pinta Island Tortoise back from the brink of extinction. There are several subspecies however of the same there seem to be no more. They were hunted for their meat and had their habitat nearly destroyed by goats that were introduced from the mainland.

Yeti Crab

Kiwa hirsuta

Home: South Pacific Ocean at a depth of 2,200 m (7,200 feet). Lives on hydrothermal vents.

Discovered: March 2005

Size: approximately 15 cm (6 inches)

It is so special it got it's own genus and class called Kiwaidae.

The animal has reduced eyes that lack pigment, and seems to be blind. The pincers contain filamentous bacteria, which might be used detoxify poisonous minerals from the water emitted by the hydrothermal vents where it lives. Its diet also consists of green algae and small shrimp.

Glass Frog

Centrolenidae

Home: North (only in southern Mexico), Central, and South America (as far as southern Brazil and northern Argentina.

Size: 20 - 30 millimeters

Discovered: Unclear

The glass frog is endangered, as well. And absolutely stunning, so it would be a shame if we let it die out. Note the visible organs in this beautiful specimen. Unfortunately, with tropical rainforests in Central and South America threatened (in some places, the problem is actually worse than it was in previous decades), the glass frog may go extinct.

Dugong

The dugong is a cousin of the manatee and is closely related to the elephant. The dugong is unique in that it has a split (whale-like) tail and will "perch" underwater on its tail in order to keep its head above water. The dugong is thought to have inspired ancient myths about mermaids. The dugong is threatened by poachers who hunt the animal for its meat, oil, skin and bones. It is extremely endangered.

Giant Coconut Crab

(Birgus latro)

Size: 3 feet from head to tail, weighs up to 40 pounds.

It is sometimes called the robber crab because some coconut crabs are rumored to steal shiny items such as pots and silverware from houses and tents.

The coconut crab is a large land crab related to the hermit crab, and are found in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. They eat coconuts for a living! It is armed with a pair of large pincers strong enough to open coconuts and can climb trees. However they tend to eat the coconuts that already have fallen down.