Nature It is as diverse as it is curious. Crustaceans with hair, little primates with bulging eyes that only come out at night, octopuses with faces of Walt Disney characters ... amazing shapes that we do not quite believe. Biodiversity sometimes uses its chisel to sculpt creatures as fascinating as they are unique that you will love to know.
Did you know that according to a census created in 2011, led by the Colombian biologist Camilo Mora, it is considered that there are at least 8.7 million species on the planet ? Of these species, almost 86% of terrestrial species and a little more than 90% of marine species are still unknown to us. Imagine how many curious new animals we could get to know in the coming years! For now, we present some of the already discovered that will amaze you. Ready to enjoy some of the animals more curious of the planet?
10 Curious animals, considered the most curious animals on Earth
1. The ghost tarsier
The first of our most curious animals from the earth. The ghost tarsiers are simply adorable. Who can not like those huge eyes and their expression of sudden amazement? They live in the forests of Indonesia, Borneo or the Philippines. They are very small, although the size of their eyes is striking, almost 16 millimeters in diameter , an exact measurement to their own brains. They are elusive and live habitually inside the trees, where they seek protection and shelter until the moment when it gets dark. Moment in which they leave to feed on small insects and plants.
They are so lonely that they are usually known as spirits of the woods. In freedom they live about 10 years, but in captivity there have been cases of individuals who have reached the age of 17.
2. The paradoxical almiquí or agouta
Another amazing being. Your sympathetic appearance will surely make you want to approach him. But do not do it. Never. The reason? His bite is terribly poisonous. It reminds us of a small mouse with a huge nose, another nocturnal animal as fascinating as it is delicate. Its habitat is in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, but unfortunately there are very few despite the continued efforts of biologists to maintain the species.
The most striking of this small creature with a body of 30 centimeters may be its elongated snout, which somehow resembles a small trunk. Unfortunately, his nocturnal habits make it very difficult for one to see it live.
3. The Yeti Crab
But does this animal really exist? You will ask yourself. So is. It is a crab with hairy legs and albino. The truly amazing thing is that nobody knew of its existence until three years ago , when the California Aquatic Research Institute discovered him near Easter Island. Vice to 2,300 meters deep and feeds on compounds that are usually harmful to other animals.
And beware! If you find it, avoid touching its fantastic hairy tweezers no matter how much they catch your attention. They are toxic and it is believed that they serve in turn to counteract the poison of certain minerals on which they feed. Simply fantastic.
4. Star or starry nose mole
Is it perhaps an animal that came from another planet? Or a specimen created in a laboratory by a mad scientist? Absolutely. This original American mammal is characterized by this singular snout similar to a small octopus of 22 pink tentacles .
The most impressive thing is undoubtedly seeing how they move, how they inspect their environment and everything around them. Seen up close he looks like a real alien, a strange creature endowed with a certain charm. It feeds on earthworms, insects and small crustaceans ... and is an excellent diver. Of course, in winter it only does one thing: sleep.
5. The dumbo octopus
Another animal that you would not believe existed and had to be among the most curious animals of the world. At first glance it does not seem real ... it has something magical, something peculiar and endearing that makes us remember those characters from the Disney factory.
The scientists who discovered it must have thought the same thing, because they did not hesitate when it came to giving it a name: Dumbo. Why not? it's about (in case you have not yet been able to identify the type of animal) an octopus. But yes, an octopus with protuberances that reminds us of two real ears. The pity is that we can not see them very often, since the Dumbo octopus lives in the deep abysses and in total darkness. And what is it doing in this underground aquatic world, cold and without light? What does this unique animal feed on? It is a mystery for scientists.
Watch it immediately in action:
Is it true that it seems to fly?
6. The Foliaceous Sea Dragon
The scientific name that this formidable creature receives is Phycodurus eques and belongs to the seahorse family, as you probably suspected.
his natural camouflage It is considered one of the most spectacular in the animal world, as its entire body seems part of an algae, so it is almost impossible to distinguish them, because it is among the forests of these marine plants where the sea dragons inhabit. They are usually brown even yellow, with some greenish touches. Like real seaweed!
If you have a very good view, you could find them on the southern and eastern coasts of Australia. Are they threatened? Although it is not entirely clear which predators hunt them, it is known that the human being has sought them and has descended their population only to decorate their aquariums with their curious forms. Regrettable…
7. The Blur Fish
About this strange creature, who deserves a place in this list of most curious animals in the world , we have spoken to you in detail in: The ugliest animal in the world: The fish blot "And we have given you more information as strange as its appearance in:" What do you know about the blubber? 9 Data that you may not have known " Perhaps the essential thing about it is that, although on the surface it seems a little aesthetic gelatinous mass, in its natural habitat in the depths of the ocean looks quite different. As in the image below:
Did you know that his appearance has made him one of the most famous curious animals in the world? They even make stuffed animals for him like you will see now!
If you like it, find it on Amazon -> Plush Fish Teddy
8. The Saiga
This funny looking creature is a saiga. It is an antelope the size of a goat approximately, whose most striking feature -which makes it appear straight out of a science fiction film- is its nose .
We can find them in the steppes of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which shows that they are great survivors, because these areas are really arid and their weather conditions are very harsh.
Although they are an endangered species that suffered a great decline, nowadays it is increasingly aware of the importance of these curious animals in the good health of the steppes and little by little their population is recovering.
9. The Aye-Aye
This creature that is active at night already appeared in Supercurioso on our list of 7 of the most ugly animals in the world . It is believed that, in addition to being one of the most curious animals in the world, is responsible for the origin of the word "lemur" that gave its name to the lemurs and that means in Latin, "night spirit".
It is a rather mysterious animal, since it is not related to any other creature of our day, although it is related to one that became extinct less than a millennium ago, which was called "aye-aye gigante".
You could find it in Madagascar, in the rainforest, at the top of the trees.
10. The Aquatic Stag
It is a type of deer that lives in China and Korea, having two subspecies: the Chinese Aquatic Stag and the Korean Aquatic Stag. Why aquatic? By its scientific name that comes from Latin Hydropotes inermis, which in fact is believed to refer to the fact that they are usually found near areas with water, such as rivers, lakes ...
What makes it one of the curious animals from this list are your fangs and that it has an almost unique genetics. The first characteristic has made it commonly known as "vampire deer", although it's not the only type of deer that has it .
What do you think about meeting these creatures that are in the TOP 10 of curious animals of our planet? Did you know of its existence? Which one would be your favorite? It is curious that, in addition to having a strange appearance, their habits and their habitat are so difficult to see. Anyway, his appearance does not leave anyone indifferent and we love that. Hopefully all these amazing species have a long existence on Earth!
If you have been fascinated by these curious animals and you want to discover more about the animal world, do not miss:
- Rare animals of the World | Curious and fascinating
- 25 curiosities of animals that will surely amaze you
Image: Ian Armstrong , NOAA Ocean Explorer .