4/4/ 2023 by Active Wild Admin
activewild.com
Aardvark
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Orycteropodidae
Where found: Africa
Conservation status: Least Concern
The aardvark is a nocturnal mammal found in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. This weird-looking animal has a long snout, large ears, & a thick tail; all of which are adaptations for a fossorial (burrowing) lifestyle.
The aardvark is a specialized digger. It uses its powerful claws to burrow into the ground in search of its favorite food: ants & termites. It will also burrow in order to escape predators, & can dig a 2 ft deep hole in under 30 seconds.
The species has a keen sense of smell, which it uses to locate its prey. It captures its insect food with a sticky tongue that can extend up to 30 cm / 12 in.
The aardvark is a solitary animal. It is surprisingly good at swimming & an extremely fast runner.
Atretochoana Eiselti
Type of animal: Amphibian
Family: Typhlonectidae
Where found: South America
Conservation status: Unassessed
Caecilians are a group of amphibians with snake-like, limbless bodies. All caecilians are weird animals, but Atretochoana Eiselti, is one of the weirdest.
Found in the Amazon basin, Atretochoana Eiselti grows up to 75 cm / 30 in. long & resembles a huge earthworm with a flat head, small eyes, & ringed body.
This bizarre rainforest animal obtains oxygen through its skin, & is the world’s largest lungless vertebrate.
Little is known about Atretochoana Eiselti, but the species is believed to be a burrowing predator that feeds on small invertebrates.
Axolotl
Type of animal: Amphibian
Family: Ambystomatidae
Where found: North America (Mexico)
Conservation status: Critically Endangered
The axolotl is a species of salamander native to Mexico. It has a weird ability to regenerate lost body parts, such as limbs & even parts of the spinal cord. The axolotl is much-studied by scientists due to its regenerative capabilities.
The alien-looking axolotl has feather-like gills protruding from the sides of its head. Unlike many amphibians, it does not undergo metamorphosis, & remains fully aquatic even in adulthood.
Although the axolotl is a popular pet, it is extremely rare in the wild, & has the conservation status “Critically Endangered”.
Aye-Aye
Where found: Africa (Madagascar)
Conservation status: Endangered
Lemurs are a group of primates found only on the African island country of Madagascar. The aye-aye is without doubt one of the weirdest lemurs, due to its bizarre appearance & the way in which it finds food.
The aye-aye is nocturnal & primarily arboreal (tree-dwelling). It has a pointed face with large, orange eyes & large ears. It is around 60 cm / 2 ft. tall, with a tail longer than its body, & is the world’s largest nocturnal primate.
Locals believe that bad luck will befall anyone caught in the aye-aye’s gaze!
The aye-aye finds food using echolocation. It taps on tree trunks with a specialized middle finger; from the sound of the taps, it can tell if there is an insect larva buried under the bark.
Once prey has been located, the aye-aye uses its sharp teeth to gnaw a hole in the wood & its long, thin fingers to extract the insect.
Bat-Eared Fox
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Canidae
Where found: Africa
Conservation status: Least Concern
The bat-eared fox is a small, nocturnal canid (member of the dog family, Canidae) found in the savannas & grasslands of Africa. Its extraordinarily large ears, which can grow up to 13 cm / 5.12 inches in length, are used to locate insects – the weird-looking fox’s favorite food – in the ground.
The bat-eared fox is a social animal that lives in groups of up to 15 individuals led by a dominant breeding pair.
Blue Sea Dragon
Type of animal: Mollusk
Family: Glaucus atlanticus
Where found: Temperate & Tropical Waters Worldwide
Conservation status: Unassessed
The blue sea dragon, also known as the blue sea slug or Glaucus Atlanticus, belongs to a group of gastropod mollusks known as “sea slugs”. Found in the Atlantic & Pacific oceans, it has a distinctive blue & silver coloration, which acts as camouflage against the water’s surface.
Blue sea dragons are predators that feed on venomous creatures such as jellyfish & Portuguese man o’ war. They store the venom from their prey & use it as a defense mechanism against potential predators.
Chinese Water Deer
Scientific name: Hydropotes inermis
Type of animal: Mammal
Family: Cervidae
Where found: Asia
Conservation status: Vulnerable
The Chinese water deer is a small deer native to China & Korea. This weird mammal looks like a vampire, with a pair of long, sharp canine teeth protruding from its mouth. It is the only species of deer without antlers.
This Asian cervid (member of the deer family, Cervidae) is an excellent swimmer & well-adapted to aquatic habitats, being equipped with webbed feet & a waterproof coat. Males mark their territory with scent glands located near their eyes.
The Chinese water deer is a solitary animal & most active at dawn & dusk. Whether or not it likes garlic is unconfirmed.
Christmas Tree Worm
Scientific name: Spirobranchus giganteus
Phylum: Annelida
Family: Serpulidae
Where found: Tropical oceans worldwide
The Christmas tree worm is a type of marine worm found in tropical waters around the world.
This weird invertebrate has a distinctive appearance, with a tube-like body & 2 spirals of feathery branches.
The branches are used for feeding, filtering plankton from the water, & also for respiration.
Christmas tree worms quickly retract their branches into their tube-like bodies when threatened.
Dumbo Octopus
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