Unbelievable Animals You Probably Didn’t Know Existed

Most people don’t realize the planet is full of the most interesting and weird animals. Everyone always thinks about the more popular ones. For centuries, people have kept certain animals as pets, such as dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. Then there are farm animals, including horses, cows, pigs, and chickens. Many of them live with hundreds of other fascinating creatures at the zoo. However, these aren’t the only animals roaming the planet. There are hundreds of strange and intriguing animals you didn’t know existed. 

Scientists know very little about these rare and exotic animals. Some creatures remain a mystery because they can avoid human contact by burrowing deep into the earth or living in mountain forests. On the other hand, many are endangered species, with only a handful still alive. These unique creatures thrive and survive in harsh conditions in different parts of the world. With a distinctive appearance, many animals are one of a kind. However, they’re closely related to some of the more mainstream animals. It might even be a surprise that many of these creatures are real-life animals, not cartoon characters. Here’s a look at 16 animals you didn’t know existed. 

1. Dumbo Octopus

Deep in the ocean lives one of the most mind-bending creatures to exist. With its ear-like fin, the Dumbo octopus looks similar to the main character of the 1941 Disney classic Dumbo, hence the name. They enjoy living in the deepest, coldest parts of the ocean near New Zealand, Australia, California, and New Guinea.

Unlike other octopuses, the Dumbo octopus doesn’t have an ink sac, nor can it change color. It’s one of the rarest forms of octopus in the world. 

2. Snub-Nosed Monkey

It’s hard to miss the snub-nosed monkey with their distinctive stumpy noses and round faces. Additionally, they boast long fur in various colors. Snub-nosed monkeys often live in large groups and spend most of their time in trees. They’ll split up into smaller groups when food, such as bamboo buds, leaves, and fruits, becomes scarce.

Found in China, Vietnam, and Myanmar, they live in mountain forests at high elevations. During the winter seasons, they move into even more isolated areas. Therefore, it’s nearly impossible for researchers and scientists to study their way of life. 

3. Goblin Shark

The aptly named goblin shark is one of the rarest and scariest creatures in the sea. The horrifying predator is easily recognizable with its razor-sharp teeth, long snout, and pale skin. The elongated stout helps it detect other animals from a far distance. Despite its rarity, the goblin shark is found all over the globe in Oceania, Indo-Pacific, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Also called a living fossil, its family roots go back roughly 125 million years. The goblin shark is a slow-swimming shark that stays close to the sea floor. Due to its slow speed, it often lays in wait to ambush its prey. 

4. The Pink Fairy Armadillo

The pink fairy armadillo is easy to spot with its flexible pink shell, velvety yellowish-white fur, tiny eyes, and small tail. Also known as pichiciego, it’s the smallest armadillo at 5 inches long. Found in Argentina, the pink fairy armadillo keeps to itself, living in the desert.

The nocturnal creature survives off of tiny insects, worms, and plants. Very little information is available about the pink fairy armadillo due to its population decreasing significantly in the last few decades.

5. Maned Wolf

Despite resembling a wolf or fox, the maned wolf is neither. The unique nocturnal hunter is a species all its own. Found in South America, the maned wolf is famous for its thick reddish fur and long, thin legs. Also known as Lobo Guará, they can adapt to any environment and enjoy eating meat, plants, fruits, and vegetables.

They live in parts of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina but are nearly extinct in Uruguay. Considered a vulnerable species, the maned wolf is now on the near-threatened list. 

6. Mantis Shrimp 

Mantis shrimp are the most vital yet mysterious creatures of the sea. Also known as thumb splitters, mantis shrimp are powerful carnivores with lethal raptorial for spearing and dismembering. The vicious predators are crucial to shallow tropical or subtropical habitats. With a thick hard shell covering their back, some mantis shrimp have a club that knocks out their target.

There are roughly 450 species ranging from shades of brown to bright colors. Regardless, there’s very little information about the mantis shrimp because they spend most of their lives hiding in holes. 

7. Amazonian Royal Flycatcher

Unlike most birds, the Amazonian royal flycatcher is a quiet bird that sings a slow song. The small red and yellow bird boasts a long bill perfect for grabbing small insects. It mainly lives in the Amazon and is often found in Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, and parts of Brazil.

The female bird has a yellow-shaped crest on its chest, while the male has a red-shaped crest. It’s one of the most unique and rare birds in the world. 

8. Naked Mole Rat

Living underground in the Horn of Africa is the unique naked mole rat. They have thin and short legs that are perfect for living underground. Furthermore, they can run backward as fast as they can forward. Also known as sand puppies, they can maintain their body temperature regardless of the conditions.

The small rodent can survive in tough situations partly because of its lack of pain. It’s also one of the rare rodents that live in eusociality, which is more common among bees. In addition to their lack of pain, the naked mole rat is also resistant to cancer. 

9. Blue Parrotfish

With its distinctive blue appearance and bird-like beak, the blue parrotfish is one of the most remarkable fish in the ocean. Additionally, they have a yellow spot on their forehead that disappears with age. Also known as scarus coeruleus, they often live on coral reefs in the Caribbean sea and Western Atlantic Ocean.

They spend more than half their day searching for food, often using their beak to scrape algae off rocks. Due to their ecosystem being in danger, their population is slowly decreasing.

10. Elephant Shrew

The elephant shrew or sengis resides primarily in southern Africa in the Namib desert, although a few live in Northern Africa and Somalia. They have a distinctive elephant trunk-like nose and the body of a shrew. However, they’re closer to the elephant family than the shrews.

Also known as jumping shrews, they’re the fastest small mammal and have large brains for their species. Known to be anti-social, they usually live in pairs but only for reproductive purposes. For the most part, they despise their mate. 

11. Chinese Water Deer

The Chinese water deer is a unique animal that looks similar to a musk deer. With their golden brown coat, they have large downward-pointing teeth and big tusks. The water deer is a fast hopper on land and a good swimmer in the water. They also have long, powerful legs allowing them to jump like rabbits.

Often found in China around the Yangtze River, the Chinese water deer is nearly extinct. Despite being endangered, the Korean water deer is flourishing due to the extinction of leopards and Korean tigers. 

12. Racoon Dog

Found in East Asia, the raccoon dog is a rare animal with a distinctive appearance. Despite looking like a raccoon, they’re close relatives of the fox. But unlike foxes, raccoon dogs hibernate in the winter and can climb trees. They usually have thick brown fur with spots of black.

Furthermore, raccoon dogs with white fur and yellow fur live in China. The exotic animal enjoys eating insects, fish, rodents, and more. They’re one of the rarest animals on the planet,

13. Atretochoana

The atretochoana eiselti is possibly the earth’s most mysterious creature. The limbless amphibian has a snake-like body and is the largest tetrapod without lungs. In the late 1800s, Sir Graham Hales and Sir Brian Doll discovered the only two preserved samples during an expedition in the Brazilian rainforest.

For decades that was all scientists had to study this fascinating creature. However, in 2011, engineers rediscovered the atretochoana while working on a dam in the Brazilian rainforest. 

14. Bush Viper

In Subsaharan Africa lives the deadly and venomous bush viper. Also known as Atheris, it has a distinctive appearance: large sharp eyes, smooth scales, and a unique triangular-shaped head. The bush viper’s venom causes excruciating pain and even death in one case.

Scientists can’t create an anti-venom since bush vipers live far from humans and are declining in population. They prefer living isolated in rainforests, mainly in Africa. Bush vipers are one of the deadliest snakes on the planet. 

15. Zebra Duiker

A Zebra duiker is a small antelope that has a similar appearance to zebras. They boast reddish brown or gold fur, dark markings on their legs, and unique zebra-like stripes. Furthermore, Zebra duikers have distinct horns and strong nasal bones ideal for breaking open shells and self-defense. Plus, their distinctive stripes make it easy for them to avoid predators.

They’re fond of lowland rainforests in West Africa, such as Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone. With a reputation for being anti-social, they often stay in pairs forming a tight bond with their mate. 

16. Irrawaddy Dolphin

The ocean is full of intriguing sharks, whales, and other creatures. However, none compare with the Irrawaddy dolphin. They’re easy to spot with their high forehead, short stout, and round flippers. With a similar appearance to killer whales, they have a unique dark blue or gray color.

Most Irrawaddy dolphins live in Southeast Asia, mainly in the Bay of Bengal. Families of Irrawaddy dolphins also live in Songkhla Lake in Thailand and the Chilika Lake in India.