The issue of counting the number of animals concerns more than one generation of scientists. According to the latest data, 6.6 million species live on land, and 2.2 million live under water. Although a large percentage of the fauna is not only not studied, but not even open and not described. Taking into account environmental problems throughout the Earth, it is impossible to speak with confidence about the reliability of these data. The population of all living and plant organisms is rapidly declining, and scientists sometimes do not even have time to study the species of a vertebrate or marine animal, as it has already disappeared. Nevertheless, our planet is inhabited by many unusual, amazing creatures, about which scientists can tell a lot. With photos and names of the most unusual animals in the world, we will introduce you further.
Palm thief
This is one of the most unusual animals on the entire planet, it is also called coconut crab. And although he is not such, he is very similar to his arthropod namesake. The land hermit crab from the species of decapod crayfish spends half of its life on land and half in the deep sea. Small crustaceans appear in the water, hide in empty shells, and once on land, shells of land animals are used to shelter. Over time, the palm thief is covered with a shell, and he no longer needs any additional shelter.
This creature has lungs and gills. The last respiratory organ loses its functions over time, and the animal ceases to be immersed in water.
You can meet this "unique" on the tropical islands of the Indian Ocean. Animals are nocturnal , have terrifying sizes for arthropods, and have great power. Front cancer claws can easily crack coconut nuts. Body length can reach 40 centimeters, and body weight - 4 kilograms.
The palm thief got his name because of his great passion to steal absolutely everything that is bad, even if this item cannot be eaten. Crab meat is considered not only a delicacy, but also an aphrodisiac, so animals require protection from uncontrolled hunting.
Hungarian Shepherd Komondor
This is one of the most unusual animals on the planet. The dog has a unique coat, which can grow up to 1 meter in length, and the animal looks very much like a huge mop. It is impossible to comb such a creature, since it does not have hair, as we understand it, but laces, which form on their own as the hair grows. The color of the shepherd dogs is white or cream, survive on average up to 10 years.
By nature, the shepherd is very active and companionable. The animal loves to run, it needs physical activity, it has good health. But first of all, the Komondor is a guard breed. The dog will zealously protect his master and his property.
Pacu fish
The amazing, scary paku fish has common roots with piranhas. But unlike the latter, it is omnivorous and prefers plant foods, mainly fruits that fall into the water. The uniqueness of the pack is that it has teeth that are very similar to human.
This type of fish is sold in stores in America and other countries, so they can be purchased for breeding at home. But you should know that these creatures can grow up to 1 meter in length. Therefore, it is not necessary to be surprised that in recent years these fish have appeared in reservoirs in which pacus have never been seen before. After the pets reach large sizes, the owners simply throw them into natural reservoirs.
Angora rabbit
The top 10 most unusual animals almost always mention the Angora rabbit. This is really an amazing animal with a very spectacular appearance. In some individuals, the length of the coat, which is very much appreciated, can reach 80 centimeters. Socks and scarves are woven from it, knit sweaters and linen. The Angora rabbit is considered the most furry animal on the entire planet.
This is one of the oldest breeds of rabbits, they began to breed it in Turkey. And the name was given to her in honor of the city of Ankara (formerly Angora). In the branch of Angora rabbits are several species: atlas, German, giant and others.
The weight of these animals can be truly impressive, some individuals reach 6 kilograms. By the way, this rabbit lives in captivity longer.
Drop fish
This fish is also included in the top of the most unusual animals. She lives at a depth of 800 meters. There is no swimming bladder in her body, since she does not need it: at such a depth, he simply will not work. The body length is about 70 centimeters, there are no scales on the skin, and there are also no fins. In weight, an individual can reach 10 kilograms.
It seems that the fish has a very "dull" look, so it has become a kind of meme. There are no enemies in the natural environment. The question of how it came about remains a mystery. A drop fish has no musculature, it just floats with the flow. It feeds on plankton, small crustaceans and all that comes into its mouth along the way. Recognized as the ugliest creature on the planet.
These fish live in the waters of Australia and Tasmania. To date, scientists are sounding the alarm: a drop of fish often began to fall into the networks of fishermen and is already on the verge of extinction.
Satanic gecko
One of the most unusual animals on the planet is also called the fantastic leaf-tailed gecko. It lives in Madagascar, in the thicket of the forest, where it is almost impossible to notice the animal. The gecko's body shape resembles dry foliage. The prefix "fantastic" the animal received for the red color of the eyes, which many individuals possess.
The length of the body of the gecko can reach 14 centimeters, most of it falls on the tail. Body color ranges from gray and yellow to brown. All representatives of this species prefer a nocturnal lifestyle, they have excellent vision, about 350 times better than human.
The gecko can be kept in captivity, at home, but offspring in this case can not wait. Today, the animal is on the verge of extinction.
Stargazer
They call him still a star-snout, and he belongs to the genus of moles. However, when you look at the photo of the most unusual animal world, it becomes clear that this is an unusual mole. A distinctive feature of a mammal is the presence of a “star” on its nose, on which there are 22 growths. During digging, they actively move, as if probing all come across objects for edibility. In the middle of the "star" is a small stigma.
Mole lives in North America. The animal is adapted to life on land and in water, swims well. In winter, it does not hibernate, but searches for food in the thickness of snow. It feeds on mollusks, worms, small crustaceans and larvae. In the natural environment it has enemies - these are martens, birds of prey and skunks.
Rag Seahorse
This is a representative of the needle family. The body of one of the most unusual animals in length can reach 35 centimeters. The main difference between the rag and the representatives of the genus is the presence of translucent processes that are very similar to algae. Nature "gave" these processes to the fish to disguise themselves from enemies.
The ridge has small transparent fins on the chest and back, with which it floats. The fins make about 10 movements in one second, and it seems that this is not a fish swimming, but algae. Lives in the Indian Ocean.
Madagascar Hilt
One of the most unusual animals in the world has another, and quite interesting, name - ah-ah. The animal has very long and thin fingers and “squirrel” teeth, thanks to which it extracts food from tree trunks.
This primate lives in Madagascar. The arms are breeding very slowly, the female brings one cub at 2, or even 3 years. The image of this animal is found in the animated films "Madagascar" and "Penguins of Madagascar."
Cassowary
This is the only large bird in the cassowary family in the world that cannot fly. With the description of this feathered one can complete the list of 10 most unusual animals of the world.
Birds can reach 1.8 meters in height and weigh up to 60 kilograms. Therefore, they are second in the list of the largest birds in the world after the ostrich. All individuals have a so-called “helmet” of horny substance, spongy structure. Presumably, this "helmet" is the second sexual characteristic. Females and males have very strong legs. Females are usually larger than males.
The most unusual animals of Russia
On the territory of our state, there are about 1300 species of animals. The richest fauna of the country is from north to south. Naturally, the forests that Russia is so rich in play a crucial role in the conservation of species and population growth. The following representatives of the fauna can be attributed to one of the most unusual animals living on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Black stork
Most often found in the Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions. This is a relatively small bird, weighing no more than 3 kilograms. Wingspan up to 2 meters. It feeds on insects, snakes, frogs and lizards.
Himalayan bear
Although this is not the most unusual animal in Russia, it is unique and interesting in its own way. Representatives of the species can be found in the Khabarovsk Territory, in the Amur Region. The bear eats not only protein foods (insects and birds), but also the fruits of trees, leaves, and even honey. insects and birds. In a natural environment, it is quite difficult to follow them, as they are very cautious. Females can give birth several times throughout the year. However, even such fertility does not allow to increase the population, and the number of animals in the wild is constantly reduced.
Alkina
A beautiful butterfly living near the water bodies of the Primorsky Territory. Alkina flies very slowly, males mainly live in trees, and females are almost always in the grass, rarely rising up.
Fish owl
You can see this unique bird in the Far East. It lives on old trees, where there is a hollow. These owls are known for making a unique sound when they call a female to mate. Birds create pairs for the rest of their lives.
Sky barbel
This beetle lives in the south of Primorsky Krai. He has an unusually beautiful blue color. It feeds on nectar, pollen and tree sap, mainly maple. Due to the massive felling of this tree, the number of barbel is declining.
Giant evening party
The bat lives in the territories of the Nizhny Novgorod, Moscow and Orenburg regions. The evening party is a very large bat. An interesting feature: females are collected in groups to raise offspring.
Bison
Today, one of the most unusual animals of the planet lives only in the Caucasus and Belovezhskaya Pushcha. An adult reaches a height of 2 meters with a weight of 1 ton. Animals gather in small herds of up to 10 individuals. To date, a whole program has been developed to increase the bison population worldwide.
Japanese green pigeon
This is a beautiful bird, often appearing in the southeast of Asia and in the Sakhalin region. The bird has a compact size, not more than 30 centimeters in length, with an average weight of 250 grams. It feeds on fruits and fruits of trees, nests in tree crowns.
Amur Leopard
A small wild cat lives in the Primorsky Territory and in the Chinese provinces. It has great power, it can drag its victim onto a tree, even if it exceeds the body weight of the leopard itself. To date, the biggest threat to animals is a decrease in the amount of food due to the constant deforestation and, as a result, a decrease in habitat. There are no more than 40 animals left in both countries.
Musk deer
When looking at a photo of this most unusual animal, it seems that it is an ordinary, but hornless deer, only with very long upper fangs. Their length reaches 7 centimeters. In females, the fangs are somewhat shorter. They need animals for fighting with their own kind. Musk deer eat the same as deer: moss and lichens. But the most interesting thing is that in the tail of the animal there is iron, which secretes a liquid with a pungent smell of musk, which is used in the perfume industry and for medical purposes. For this reason, the animal is uncontrollably destroyed.
Australia
Australia is the largest island in Oceania, so large that it even received the status of a continent. Due to the cut off from the lands of other countries, the fauna of this island is truly unique. There are about 200 thousand diverse species of animals, many of which are endemic. Listed below are the most unusual animals in the world, living only in Australia.
Kangaroo
This animal can be called the most Australian, it is even depicted on the arms of the country. Kangaroo is the only large mammal in the world that jumps. Young individuals are very aggressive, often fighting among themselves. There are 55 species on the continent. They live not only in the territories of national parks, but also on coastlines, in deserts, savannahs and on beaches. Therefore, anyone can see this miracle of nature without even entering the reserve.
Kookaburra
Bird from the kingfisher family. It lives not only in Australia, but also in New Guinea, tropical forests. The bird is famous for its singing, which is very reminiscent of a human tantrum. Such singing in the night sounds especially terrifying. The bird is a predator, lives mainly in the countryside.
Koala
This is the most unusual animal in Australia, which is not found anywhere else. The mammal is also called a bear, because of the huge similarity with a large namesake. Koalas are very lazy animals, awake for only 2 hours a day. They feed on eucalyptus leaves, which are very difficult to digest.
Platypus
This mammal is also a symbol of Australia, its image is present on the country's 20-cent coin. The uniqueness of the animal is that it lays eggs, feeds the young with milk, has a developed electroreception and is poisonous. The appearance of the endemic is also unusual. His nose is very similar to duck, for which the animal received the appropriate name. However, it is very mobile and flexible, unlike the duck's beak. The platypus swims and dives perfectly, can immerse itself in water and hold its breath for up to 15 minutes.
Dingo
This wild dog lives not only in Australia. It has compact dimensions and a fluffy tail. The color is mainly yellow or red. Dogs are distinguished by a large degree of sociality; they always gather in packs, whose members are constantly in it.
Wallaby
Animals are related to the kangaroo, but it is smaller. This mammal can be found throughout the country, including Sydney County. The smallest individuals are known as philanders and live in forests. Wallabies were brought to New Zealand and the British Isles, where they were even able to take root.
Lyrebird
A bird with a chic and magnificent tail. Males open their tail during the mating season. But the most interesting is not this - she knows how to imitate any sounds, from the siren of a fire engine to the sobbing of a child.
Possum
These are inhabitants of Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. Possum is a small marsupial primate with a gray or brown color. In Australia, there are 69 species of this animal. The smallest are winged, they are no larger than a finger. Lead a nocturnal lifestyle. Native continents use Possum nests when playing in Marne Grook. And the natives use the skin of an animal to sew raincoats and other things.
Emu
This is a fairly large bird, which also can not fly. It grows up to 2 meters in height, has strong and long legs. It runs perfectly and can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. The bird is depicted on a 50-cent coin of Australia.
Tasmanian devil
The description of this animal can complete the Top 10 most unusual animals living in Australia. Although today they do not live on the mainland, only in Tasmania. The animal has black fur, a wide head and a thick tail. Outwardly very much like a dog. It makes almost demonic sounds, upon hearing which, the first European settlers were very scared. Hence the name came - the devil. Endemics are believed to have disappeared from the mainland more than 600 years ago. Today, there is another problem: an unknown disease affects animals. The muzzle is covered with tumors, and after some time the sick individual dies.
Our world is beautiful. Biodiversity of flora and fauna is of great importance for the normal functioning of the entire ecosystem. But the animal and plant world of the planet needs protection, because most of its representatives are already on the verge of extinction. This must be remembered.