Our planet is home to thousands of creatures of all different shapes and sizes and, while some animals are too cute for words (just try googling ‘Red Panda’ for example), there are an unfortunate few that are not quite so lucky when it comes to the looks department. Whether it’s a fish that looks like an extra from an Alien film or a monkey that has a rather unfortunate shaped nose, the following are 10 of the strangest looking creatures on the planet. Just remember, it’s personality that counts.
Blobfish
You have to feel for the poor blobfish. Found in the waters of Australasia, the bizarre looking fish is, without doubt, one of the ugliest looking creatures on the planet, but there is a reason for the blobfish’s design. The creatures live at underwater depths of 600 – 1,200m and their jelly-like mass allows them to float above the sea floor without expending excess energy.
Lamprey
Lamprey may look like fictional monsters out of a horror film but the jawless fish are very much real. The flat-toothed mouth of the lamprey is used to ‘bore into the flesh of other fish and suck their blood.’ So if you ever happen to come across one of the bizarre looking creatures: run!
The Proboscis Monkey
One look at its nose and it’s hard not to feel a little sorry for the proboscis monkey but the unfortunate snouts actually work in the animal’s favour. Experts believe that the over-sized nose of the male proboscis actually acts as an ‘echo chamber’, enhancing the sound of their mating calls and helping to attract a female.
Sunda Colugo
The sunda colugo looks like a cross between a bat and a squirrel with some bulging eyes thrown in for good measure. The incredible creature is found throughout Southeast Asia and uses the skin flaps under its arms to glide from tree to tree.
The Yeti Lobster
The Kiwa hirsuta or ‘yeti lobster’ was only discovered in 2005 but this bizarre looking crustacean has made it straight into our strangest creatures list. The lobster was discovered along the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge and its furry legs and claws resulted in it being christened the ‘yeti lobster’ or ‘yeti crab’.
The Aye-aye
The aye-aye can be found in Madagascar and is a member of the lemur family. The strange looking creature, that has a strong resemblance to an electrocuted rat, is famous for its long middle finger, which it uses to pull grubs out of holes in trees.
The Hairy Frogfish
This incredible fish can be found in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Ocean and got the name ‘hairy frogfish’ thanks to the dermal spinules on its body that make it look like it’s had a fight with a ball of wool!
The Guineafowl Puffer
One look at the photo above makes it obvious why the guineafowl puffer is considered to be one of the strangest creatures on earth. The puffer fish is able to inflate its body into a large ball in order to make itself bigger and warn off prey (it also looks pretty funny too!).
Naked Mole Rat
The naked mole rat certainly won’t win any prizes for beauty but the strange looking rodent, found in East Africa, is actually an incredibly resilient creature. The mole rat has no pain sensitivity in its skin, so can withstand just about anything the African desert can throw at it. it also has incredibly powerful teeth for digging underground and is able to move backwards as fast as it can move forwards.
The Pygmy Marmoset
The pygmy marmoset looks like a cross between an owl, a cat and a monkey and can be found in the Amazon Basin in South America. This bizarre looking creature is actually the smallest monkey in the world, weighing just 100g and measuring in at a tiny 4 – 6 inches in length!
