20 Fascinating Animals That Will Blow Your Mind

You can argue about why all animals are unique and interesting in their own way. Still, there’s no denying how some have developed fascinating characteristics that make them one-of-a-kind. Mountain goats are interesting because they can climb extremely steep cliffs, but a wombat blows it out of the water because it… poops cubes. Yep, poop cubes are a thing in the wombat world. But there’s more where that came from because some animals do similarly unusual things as well. 

Platypus

The platypus is a rare mammal native to Australia. It lays eggs, has a duck-like bill, and has webbed feet. Males have poisonous spurs on their hind legs. They are also excellent swimmers, using their bill to detect prey through electroreception. So it’s basically like a Pokemon (Psyduck, to be precise) in real life. 

Hydra

The hydra has superpowers in the form of regeneration, even better than Deadpool! If it’s cut into pieces, each piece can grow into a new hydra. Also, hydras don’t age, which means they can live indefinitely under the right conditions. These tiny, freshwater creatures lack a brain but still use their tentacles for hunting.

Nine-Banded Armadillo

As if armadillos weren’t interesting enough on their own, the nine-banded armadillo has to be the most interesting one. They have the ability to cross rivers by holding their breaths and walking underwater. Additionally, females can delay implantation, giving birth to genetically identical quadruplets. The nine-banded armadillo birthing four nine-banded armadillos. Try saying that 3 times in a row! 

Sperm Whale

The sperm whale’s brain is the largest of any animal, weighing up to 20 pounds. These giant nerds can dive over 3,280 feet deep and hold their breath for up to 90 minutes. Their unique clicks, used for echolocation, are among the loudest sounds made by any animal (~230 dB). Sadly, some divers have had their eardrums ruptured due to their closeness to sperm whales. 

Sloth

If you’re a fan of watching paint dry, you’ll enjoy watching sloths live their lazy lives to the fullest. It can take them up to a month to digest a single leaf. Sloths spend most of their time hanging upside down on trees, thanks to their specially adapted muscles and claws. Oh, and they need to climb down once a week to poop at their favorite poop spot.

Hyrax

The hyrax, or tree dassie, is a small, furry creature that looks like a rodent but is actually more closely related to elephants and manatees. They have special pads on their feet that make climbing rocky terrain easy. Hyraxes live in large colonies and use vocalizations to communicate.

Axolotl

The axolotl is another creature with regenerative properties (which animal regenerated first, the axolotl or the hydra?). These animals can regrow entire limbs, spinal cords, and portions of their heart and brain. They remain in their larval stage throughout their lives, which helps them stay cute and pink forever. 

Assassin Bug

The assassin bug earned its name fairly and squarely, and no one should tell it otherwise! These bugs use a sharp rostrum to inject toxic saliva into their prey, dissolving the insides that they consume. Some species even use their victims’ exoskeletons as camouflage. Are we sure this isn’t a Mortal Kombat character?

Okapi

From afar, the okapi looks like a strange zebra, but it only has zebra stripes on its legs. However, its face says, “I’m a small giraffe,” which is surprisingly accurate. It’s a distant cousin of the giraffe, so it has a long tongue with which it reaches leaves and cleans its eyes and ears.

Blue Glaucus

The blue glaucus is a tiny sea slug that’s visually captivating with its blue and silver hues. It floats on the ocean’s surface and preys on poisonous creatures like the Portuguese man o’ war. The blue glaucus can store the stinging cells from its prey in its own body. It’s so fascinating that people have picked it up and held it in their hands without knowing the danger they put themselves in. 

Fossa

Closely related to the mongoose, the fossa is unique to Madagascar. It’s an agile climber with retractable claws, often compared to a small cougar because it looks like a funny version of one, being elongated and all. But no, it’s a mongoose relative that hunts lemurs regularly, and they make up 50% of its diet. Now that’s an acquired taste. 

Blobfish

The blobfish looks like melted ice cream in the sun. It even earned the title of the world’s ugliest animal. But this poor sod doesn’t deserve such name-calling because it bloats when brought to the surface. Blobfish live in extreme depths, between 1,970 and 3,940 feet deep, and their bodies are very soft but stable down there.

Narwhal

When they say unicorns don’t exist, point your gaze to the ocean, and you’ll see them under the waves. Narwhals have a long, spiral tusk, which is actually a tooth, that can grow up to 10 feet long. They use these tusks for social interactions and, possibly, for breaking ice. Narwhals can dive over a mile deep, so it may be difficult to see them. 

Mata Mata

No kidding, the Mata Mata turtle is one of the dumbest and funniest-looking animals in the world. When they retract into their shells, they completely disguise themselves, resembling a pile of leaves. The Mata Mata are also skilled hunters, preferring to catch prey by laying in wait and quickly snapping their heads forward, chomping down on whatever comes their way. 

Dumbo Octopus

The dumbo octopus tries its best to impersonate Disney’s Dumbo, and it does it so well. But instead of flying high, these animals live at a depth of 13,000 feet. Unlike most octopuses, dumbo octopuses swim using their fins and move about in a calm and amusing way. 

Tarsier

The tarsier is a small primate with enormous eyes that help it see in the dark. These nocturnal creatures can rotate their heads almost 180 degrees, like something from a horror flick. They move around by jumping from tree to tree. The most badass fact about these little guys is that they hunt snakes. Snakes!

Peacock Spider

The peacock spider is an excellent dancer, but it also has a hidden purpose. They communicate through vibrations and, by tapping their legs on the ground, send out rhythmic signals to potential mates. This makes the spiders’ courtship display a multi-sensory experience, combining vivid visuals with precise sound waves. 

Hoatzin

The hoatzin is a bird with an unusual digestive system that ferments leaves in a specialized stomach, similar to a cow. But cows can’t fly, so this bird is automatically more interesting (sorry, cows, you’re beautiful). When young, this bird also has claws on its wings, which helps it grab onto trees for easier climbing.

Markhor

I bet you’ve never seen a goat like this before, with impressive, spiraling horns that can reach up to five feet long. Markhors are regal animals since they are Pakistan’s national animal. Unfortunately, they are threatened by illegal hunting and habitat loss, making conservation efforts important for their survival.

Glass Frog

If you’ve ever wanted to see what a frog looks like from the inside, the glass frog is the way to go. This transparency helps it blend into its surroundings, providing excellent camouflage against predators. You can see most of their organs, including the heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. When they sleep, most of their blood is hidden in the liver, and then they’re virtually unnoticeable.

12 Scary Creatures of the Planet

12 Scary Creatures of the Planet