Interesting Animals

The animal kingdom is an important part of our ecosystem. Animals maintain the ecological balance on the planet. Animals can be classified on the basis of their body structure, reproductive characteristics, their locomotion, their habitat, the food that they consume, and many other aspects. We know of many animal species, that are commonly found around us. We also domesticate many of them, for different purposes like food, hyde, milk, transport, and other uses on farms and otherwise. However, there are some interesting animals, that you've probably never heard about.

Interesting Animals of the World

You might not know about them, but there are quite a few weird animals walking the planet. They could be rare, and may be on the verge of extinction. Some may be abundantly found, but in areas that are far to reach by us. Nevertheless, the truth is that, some of the most interesting animals, are least known about. So, in this article, we will make an effort to give you some amazing facts about animals that you've probably never seen, heard or read about.

Sloth
Sloths belong to the mammal family, and look somewhat like a cross between a monkey and a bear at first glance. The body structure resembles that of a monkey, and the excess hair on the body makes it look like a bear. They thrive on leaves, in the forests of South America. Since the leaves that they eat do not supply them with enough nutrition, they have adapted, by having an extremely slow metabolic rate, digestion sometimes taking an entire month! They also sustain a low body temperature.

Red Panda
The red panda can be found in the Himalayas, and some parts of Nepal and China. Not many know that the name 'panda' is a derivative of the Chinese word 'ponya', which means an animal, that eats bamboo plants. These herbivores look more like overgrown cats, but retain the face of a panda, true to the name. They have dense fur on the soles of their feet. This defends them against the snow. Also, it protects them from predators, by masking the scent glands.

Star Nosed Mole
Star nosed moles are one of the most unusual looking creatures. It looks like an average mole, except for a number of appendages jutting out from its nose, shaped like a star! Yes, that's right. It has about 22 extensions from its nose, which help it to locate prey, and also to discover any sign of electric activity around. This is because, like most moles, the star nosed mole is also blind.

Tarsier
Anyone who's watched the Harry Potter movies will conclude that a tarsier is nothing but a house-elf. Well, it does bear a striking resemblance to it. To give you a clearer picture, imagine a small animal, with super large eyes, and elongated feet. Tarsiers are mostly night creatures, and feed on insects. However, they are also known to be able to jump from one tree to another, and catch small birds, snakes, etc., while in motion.

Alpaca
What would you get if you cross a sheep and a giraffe? An alpaca! Okay, bad joke, I accept it. But you'll think likewise if you do come across an alpaca. It resembles a sheep, with its coat of fiber (not wool), and has a long neck like that of a giraffe. You can find alpacas in Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru. The fiber from alpacas, which comes in various colors (over 52 natural ones), is used to make different garments like scarves, gloves, sweaters, etc.

Pronghorns
Pronghorns are very similar to antelopes, but do not belong to the antelope family. They get this name, because of the peculiar shape that their horns have. The horns form the shape of a set of prongs. They are very quick and agile on their feet, as is characteristic of other antelope-like animals. Their gestation period is somewhere around 10 months.

Blue Ringed Octopus
This is probably, one of the most dangerous sea creatures. The average size of a blue ringed octopus, is about that of a golf ball. It has two glands which contain an extremely perilous venom in them. The octopus attacks its prey with the poison from one sac, making it nonmotile, and then eats it. The other sac has poison which is lethal enough to kill a fully grown human. If you think that is scary, get this: there is NO antidote to this poison. All you can do is, massage the heart for a long time, and receive artificial respiration, until the poison leaves the system.

Other Interesting Animals

The animals mentioned above are not the only interesting ones that we have. Here are names of some other ones, that you'll find interesting too!

• Leafy Seadragon
• Komodo Dragon
• Narwhal
• Aye-Aye
• Solenodon
• Tasmanian Devil
• Kakapo
• Goliath Frog
• Toucan
• Mexican Walking Fish
• Chinese Giant Salamander
• Frill Necked Lizard
• Axolotl
• Hagfish
• Honduran Ghost Bat

With information on those interesting animals, you can share the weirdness with all your friends and family, and enjoy their surprised expressions.