10 Wildly Weird Animals & Their Abnormal Attributes

Check out some of the world's weirdest-looking animals and their amazingly odd traits! Some animals are so mind-boggling, it's hard to believe they exist.

Published February 14, 2024
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Weird animals are likely the most fascinating creatures in the animal kingdom! What you may not realize is that there are some really wonky critters out there, some so odd that you may have to see them to believe that they exist. With that being said, we've compiled a list of the world's most wonderfully weird animals for you to enjoy.

Potoo

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Believe it or not, these dumbfounded-looking birds have been dubbed the masters of camouflage. How you may ask? When their eyes are closed, they look like dead tree branches. I wood believe that. They're highly nocturnal, so this seems like a tree-mendous way to hide in plain sight during the day. 

Another fun characteristic of this weird animal that you'll likely miss unless they're eating is their huge mouths! This matches their googly eyes, making them exceptionally odd-looking creatures. If you want to spot one of these spectacularly silly birds, you won't have to fly far. They are native to South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.  

Blobfish

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Men in Black fans will immediately recognize this alien face. That giant blob that was in the Chinese restaurant scene was, in fact, a blobfish! These gelatinous creatures live well below the ocean surface — between 1,970 and 3,940 feet deep.

This means that they don't have bones or teeth and likely feel just like they look. The best part of this weird creature, though, is that if you were to take a submarine down to the depths where they live, they would look perfectly normal thanks to the water pressure! In other words, they're only weird when they make their way to the surface!

Leaf Sheep

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No, we have not wrangled the cutest cow on Earth! Costasiella kuroshimae, affectionately known as "leaf sheep," are an absolutely adorable species of sea slug. Typically found in the waters near Japan, this weird animal would likely be missed if you were snorkeling nearby. You see, they only get to be about 5mm in length!

When it comes to their cute characteristics, those long, little ears are actually taste and scent receptors that help them to find food, and interestingly enough, they are one of the few sea creatures that can photosynthesize. This means that this enchanting little guy glows in the dark!

Red-Lipped Batfish

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We know it's hard to believe that this puckered little guy with the Pinocchio nose doesn't want to flaunt his large facial features, but this is another sea creature that tends to dwell close to the sea floor.

This is actually for a very good reason — this eccentric-looking angler fish of the Galapagos ironical-ly sucks at swimming. Thankfully, his modified pectoral fins allow him to walk on the ocean floor with ease!

Toad-Headed Agama Lizard

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It has a face like a flower, or maybe like an alien? Depends how you want to look at it! The toad-headed agama lizard not only has a flashy set of fuchsia face flaps to scare away predators, but this weird animal is also believed to be viviparous, which means that it gives birth to live young!

Fast Fact

Most reptiles lay eggs that hatch. Only 20% of lizards and snakes can give birth to live young.

Chinese Soft-Shell Turtle

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Continuing with the ridiculous reptile theme, the Chinese soft-shell turtle may not look too peculiar, minus his pig-like snout, but this weird animal has a very bizarre trait — he urinates through his mouth. Disgusting as it may be, this appalling adaptation allows them to live in brackish water. 

Fast Fact

Did you also know that turtles that hibernate can also breathe through their butts? This process is called "cloacal respiration" and it allows the turtle to absorb oxygen from the water. It requires extremely vascularized skin, which for most ectotherms, is the buttocks!

Related: More Mind-Boggling Facts Perfect to Share

Shoebill

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Can you imagine this big creature staring you down at the lake? Talk about a frightening sight! Standing at an impressive five feet tall with an eight-foot wingspan, these African storks are intimidating creatures that look like they should be in a Jurassic Park film. Unsurprisingly, they're known for their "death stares" and they rarely blink.

This weird-looking animal is not one to mess with either — they use their bills to decapitate their prey and their food sources consist of large fish, water snakes, eels, and even small crocodiles. 

Blue Sea Dragons

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Dragons do exist! However, the blue sea dragon is a bit on the miniature side and it is actually a type of sea slug. Don't let that fool you though! These little creatures, who measure a mere 1.2 inches in length, have jagged teeth and they prey on the Portuguese Man O' War, to steal their venom.

Yes, you read that right — they store the stinging cells of these gigantic siphonophores to use them on their own victims. So if you get bit by this teeny tiny creature, be prepared for a world of pain. These weird animals can be found in warm waters all across the globe, even washing up on Texas beaches in recent years. 

Aye Aye

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Aye Aye Aye — I guess if a sloth and a koala had a baby, this would be the terrifying result. Okay, okay, all jokes aside, this unique-looking creature is actually a lemur! Native to Madagascar, the Aye Aye is the world's largest nocturnal primate, hence those gigantic eyes.

And it turns out that he is not just a frightening sight because of his looks, he is also said to "bring bad luck and death and must be killed on sight. This has led to the death of so many that they are now protected by law."

Dik-Dik

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The dik-dik is an oddly angelic-like creature that only measures 12 to 16 inches in height and weighs about 15 pounds. That's the size of a hare!

These tiny African antelopes have strange little noses that can grasp onto objects and whistle when they're alarmed. However, the oddest attribute of this weird-looking animal is that it doesn't drink water!

Weird-Looking Animals Help Us to Learn More About the World

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These are just some of the weird animals that exist on Earth that you may not have heard about in science class! If you are looking to learn about more wildly weird animal abilities, make sure to check out our extensive list of weird animal facts!

Fast Fact

This little fish pictured above is called a Rockskipper or Blenny fish. They're a type of amphibious fish that can walk on land and breathe through their skin. 

10 Wildly Weird Animals & Their Abnormal Attributes