Weird Looking Animals
Not all animals are cute and cuddlesome as giant pandas or as beautiful and magnificent as peacocks. At least on the surface, certain animals are regarded as “ugly.” Such animals tend to look so weird and strange that no one would give them a second look. However, beauty is just skin deep, and regardless of their looks, all animals are equally important and have a natural role that they fulfill.
Thus, below are some of the most unsightly, “ugly creatures” that have their own unique characteristics and traits that set them apart.
Goblin Shark
This reminds me to not go deep sea diving, where these rare but real sharks do exist at up to 1300 metres. This may or may not be the ugliest creature on the planet, but it surely is one of the scariest looking we have come across. If its not for the bizarre red lipstick and pink skin, then its the razor sharp teeth and the popping eyeball. It’s rarity is something that makes it more mysterious, sometimes found off the U.S coast in the Gulf of Mexico, and also by Taiwanese fisherman when out on deep sea fishing runs, this is surely one of the ugliest creatures.
California condor
The California condor is the largest North American flying land bird that is among the rarest birds in the world. This bird looks graceful when gliding high in the West Coast above the canyons and deserts. However, this bird does not look very photogenic up close. Since it is a scavenger, so it has a bald head, since feathers on their head would easily get clotted and stained with blood whenever they fed on large carrion.
Blobfish
Judging a fish out of water is probably not fair, but the appearance of a blobfish is more like that of a ball of slime or snot rather than that of a living creature. Blobfishes happen to be deepsea fishes that live at depths where pressures are extremely high. Thus, their gelatinous, gooey and slime-like flesh actually helps them survive by keeping them buoyant at those depths where gaseous bladders are not able to function.
Naked mole rat
Considering the fact that they happen to be bald rodents, it should not be surprising that it is not easy for naked mole rats to maintain a vibrant self-image. These rodents live in insect-like colonies under the ground, and they do not really require good eyesight. Their hairless bodies also help them survive in the underground environment. Despite their appearance, it is interesting and remarkable that naked mole rats live the longest out of all rodents of this size, almost 30 years, and happen to be resistant to cancer.
Proboscis monkey
If humans had such big noses, they would probably go and hide themselves, never to be seen again. However, bigger noses are actually a good thing for proboscis monkeys. The bigger and more bulbous their noses, the more successful male proboscis monkeys are in turning on female proboscis monkeys and mating with them. Proboscis moneys also use their big noses to make loud and resonating warning calls as well.
Star-nosed mole
Out of all the living creatures in the animal kingdom, these moles have the most peculiar and strange noses. Their odd-looking noses have 22 protruding appendages that form a star-like ring and serve ultra-sensitive fingers. There happen to be over 25,000 minute receptors that line these appendages, making it possible for these moles to feel their way through their underground lair.
Aye-aye
The aye-aye is a primate, native to Madagascar, but it looks more like a gremlin. There are quite a few unusual traits that make aye-ayes look weird. For instance, they have bony and long fingers, like those of a witch, used for prying grubs and insects from tree trunks. In this regard, they are somewhat like woodpeckers. Also, they happen to be nocturnal, so it is only possible to spot them at night.
Monkfish
No matter how freaky-looking and unappetizing these fishes seem to be, they actually happen to be a treasured delicacy that is commonly eaten. Nonetheless, monkfish appear to be so repulsive that they have often been confused with the sea monk, a legendary sea monster.
Marabou stork
No doubt, these storks look quite sickly. These African birds stand more than 5 feet tall and have a wingspan of over 10 feet. Much like the California condor, these storks also have bald heads because they are scavengers and they feed on large carrion. What is even more scary and weird is that they even eat other birds, including flamingos.
Horseshoe bat
Horseshoe bats happen to be insect-eating bats so they catch their prey using echolocation. However, their face has quite a warped appearance, which makes it look more like a human ear. However, the shape of their face actually enhances the reception of these bats to sounds waves, as a result of which they are able to promptly navigate through the air.
Conclusion
Despite their unsightly appearance, the above ugly creatures are unique in their own ways.
