FREAKY LOOKING ANIMALS

SAIGA ANTELOPE

Starting off our list of the strangest looking animals in the world

is the critically endangered saiga antelope. Making its home in the

Eurasian steppes, the saiga antelope has an extremely strange,

over-sized nose called a proboscis. Its strange nose serves two

valuable purposes: in winter, it heats up freezing air before it

reaches the animal’s lungs; in summer, it filters dust and helps

cool the saiga’s blood. That’s one strange looking animal!

GHARIAL

The gharial used to dominate rivers of the Indian subcontinent but

has been reduced to only 235 creatures left in the wild due to

human impact. A crocodilian, the gharial has a unique, narrow

snout with 110 sharp teeth which it uses to easily catch fish: its main

prey. Unfortunately, this once-powerful and strange creature

is rapidly nearing extinction.

HAIRY FROGFISH

Formally known as the striated frogfish, the hairy frogfish is one

unusual creature. The strands along its body aren’t actual hairs but

spinules (a small thorn or spine). Like the angler fish, the hairy

frogfish has an ilium which it uses as a fishing rod to attract prey.

MONKFISH

Also known as “frog fish” and “sea devils”, the monkfish is a

seriously strange looking creature. With a head making up

most of its body, the monkfish also has a mouth which extends

most of the way across its head. Within its mouth are teeth which

it can depress if it wants to swallow prey whole. Despite its

strange appearance, you’re likely to see monkfish at your

local fishmonger as it is a commonly fished animal.

PYURA CHILENSIS

Pyura chilensis is a relatively common food item in Chile. A filter

feeder, pyura chilensis looks like a rock and is often mistaken for one.

Its meat has been described as having a “slightly bitter,

soapy taste”. Yum.

PELAGOTHURIIDAE

If sea cucumbers weren’t strange enough, the family pelagothuriidae

is an especially strange one. Pelagothuriidae uses its tentacles

(top right of the picture) to scoop up mud from the seafloor

which it then digests. These deep-sea inhabitants have webbed

apparatus in their front and back which allows them to travel

rather quickly.

SCOTOPLANES

A sea cucumber commonly known as the sea pig is the

Scotoplanes. Large tubes on the Scotoplanes look like feet and can

be inflated and deflated. Living on the ocean floor, this strange animal

can occasionally serve as shelter for other animals such as

the king crab in the photo.

SURINAME TOAD

The picture above may be a bit unclear, but it’s the Surinam toad’s

babies hatching from patches on its back. Almost completely flat,

the Surinam toad is one of the strangest creatures on the planet.

To protect its offspring, it shelters their eggs in its back under a flap

of skin and incubates them for four months. After the gestation

period, the toad lets poke out through her back and swim off.

She sheds the layer of skin soon after.

WATER DEER

The water deer is native to China and Korea, living especially

well in the demilitarized zone between the Koreas in protected

habitat. This strange beast has massive upper canines, up to

3.2 inches (8cm), which are used in territorial disputes and

defence rather than eating. Because of these teeth, the

water deer has earned the nickname “vampire deer”.