The Weirdest Looking Animals

Humans can’t help but be fascinated with all of Earth’s creatures from large to small. Yes, we’ve all see some pretty strange looking pets, but how about those animals that you can’t find in your neighbor’s house or own backyard? Luckily, we’ve collected a list of the weirdest looking animals from creepy crawlers to larger ones maybe in need of liposuction!

Hispaniolan Solenodon

Beware, this odd looking mammal is one of the few mammals able to produce toxic saliva! Found on the island of Hispaniola, this animal definitely makes people look twice.

Red-lipped Batfish

Another potential candidate for Kylie Jenner’s new lip kit! Also known as the Galapagos batfish, this sea-dweller is found, you guessed it, around the Galapagos Islands and also off Peru.

Pink Fairy Armadillo

Who knew there was a cuddly-looking armadillo? Actually, adding to its cuddly factor, the pink fairy armadillo or pichiciego is the smallest of armadillos. Aw, precious….sorta? You can find these weird but cute creatures in Argentina.

Blobfish

The deep sea blobfish lives off the coasts of Tasmania, New Zealand and Australia. I can’t help wondering what this odd animal would look like post liposuction. Regardless, it would still win Earth’s most hideous creature. Sorry, not sorry.

Proboscis Monkey

Ahem, get your mind out of the gutter! The bekantan, long-nosed monkey or proboscis monkey can be found in Indonesia on the island of Borneo. Okay, yes we cannot ignore that grotesque nose! There’s no question why we named this as one of the weirdest looking animals.

Aye-Aye

A lemur from Madagascar? You don’t say! Well, it’s no mystery why the animated film with the country’s name chose a different lemur species for their movie. With rodent-like teeth and its long middle finger, this lemur is very creepy.

Spiny Orb Weaver Spider

Sorry, to all our arachnophobic readers! Somehow, the spiny orb-weaver or Gasteracantha is even scarier than your average black creepy crawler. Oh, they’re also called spiny-backed orb-weavers, but that’s sort of obvious to anyone unfortunate enough to see one up close.

Dugong

Actually, the dugong is classified as a medium-sized marine mammal. Again, I think maybe medium would make sense after liposuction, but I’m no scientist. At least we know the sea floor gets vacuumed every now and then.

Star-Nosed Mole

Turns out there is a weirder looking animal than your average mole and that’s the tiny star-nosed mole found in America. Maybe if it just kept its mouth shut? No, nope. Still weird looking.

Yeti Crab

If Paris Hilton owned any crab, it would totally be this one; something exotic and fluffy. Found in the South Pacific Ocean, this crustacean can’t fool us with all that silky hair. Something just is not right!

Naked Mole Rat

For some reason, the cartoon version on Kim Possible was a lot cuter. Also called the sand puppy or desert mole rat, you can find these gross mole rats in parts of East Africa.

Axolotl

I think the creator of Pokemon based MEW on the axolotl. Actually, the Mexican salamander or Mexican walking fish is not a fish at all but rather, an amphibian. Fine, but I’m still classifying it as a Pokemon.

Cantor’s Giant Softshell Turtle

Next, we have a freshwater turtle from Southeast Asia. As the largest living freshwater turtle, I guess it can’t also be the cutest. But it’s probably the strangest-looking turtle!

Sea Pig

Sea pigs or scotoplanes are a type of sea cucumber. Often, they’re found in large groups numbering in the hundreds. Not sure which is creepier, the strange look of this transparent sea cucumber or the fact that they feed on decaying corpses of dead whales and various other sunken corpses. Gross!

Gerenuk

No, this is not a magnificent Photoshop job. Perhaps, the gerenuk is so odd looking because it seems to be a hybrid of a giraffe and gazelle. Anyhow, the long-necked antelope lives in parts of East Africa and the Horn of Africa.

Lowland Streaked Tenrec

Found in Madagascar, the lowland streaked tenrec is famous for its long snout. Clearly, the snout helps them poke in the dirt to find food. Besides worms, these creatures enjoy fruit as well. Well, I sure wouldn’t want to share my fruit with this freaky looking animal!

Blue Parrotfish

You can find the blue parrotfish in shallow waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, in addition to the Caribbean Sea. Okay, it’s definitely the beak-like jaw and accompanying teeth that make this fish unique. Their teeth help them scrape algae from coral and grind any ingested rock into sand. Creepy or endearing, we’ll let you decide.

Venezuelan Poodle Moth

Only discovered in 2009, the Venezuelan poodle moth has the oddest combination of frightening features! We’re not sure what truly classifies this as weird looking. Perhaps, it’s their large black eyes, or is it their furry but winged body? Anyway, the combination makes for one odd moth!

Glaucus Atlanticus

This small sea slug uses camouflage to blend with both the water and the silvery sea surface. Carried by the currents, you can find these creatures floating upside down. Watch out parents! It looks like a kid might end up mistaking one for a ninja star toy!

Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

This strong flier does not fair well in northern regions during the winter. However, it can be found from Portugal to Japan in warm climates. Well, this weird hybrid animal seems to have taken the strangest parts from other animals to create one super weird looking moth! Surely, it revivals the Venezuelen poodle moth for weirdest looks!

Angora Rabbit

This overly fluffy rabbit can be found in Turkey. Unsurprisingly, they are bred for their soft wool. Honestly, they look like great cuddle buddies!

Japanese Spider Crab

After looking at those legs, it’s no wonder how this creature set the record of longest leg span out of all arthropods. This marine crab can be found around Japan, hence its name. In fact, it’s a Japanese delicacy. No thanks, we’ll pass.

Goblin Shark

This shark is probably the strangest and most terrifying shark to ever exist. Sorry Jaws, the goblin beats you. Don’t stress too much about this odd looking sea creature. It dwells in the deep sea, thus humans don’t come in contact with them.

Chevrotain

Perhaps, this critter is so weird looking because it appears to be a combination of deer and mouse. You can find them in Asia and parts of Africa. We haven’t yet decided if it’s extremely adorable to see a deer in tiny form, or just really confusing to look at this mouse hybrid.

Leafy Seadragon

Look closely, because this is not just floating debris. So if you’re along the coasts of Australia, make sure that you check twice when something resembling algae or seaweed brushes your leg! Actually, the seadragon is indeed a type of fish. They utilize their tiny mouth to suck in their prey. Creepy!

Tarsier

These creatures look perpetually terrified. Perhaps, it’s their eyes or the way they tightly cling onto branches. If you want a closer look at this strange primate, take a visit to islands of the Philippines, Indonesia or Malaysia.

Hairy Frogfish

Okay so it’s quite obvious why the striated frogfish became known as the hairy frogfish. Though, it is not just their odd looking hair that makes them unique. Apparently, it takes them only a few weeks to change coloring completely in order to camoflauge with a new enviornment. Also, as you can see, they have the ability to walk on the sea floor, adding to their strange appearance.

Narwhal

This odd but magical looking sea dweller is often referred to as the unicorn of the sea. Clearly, the tusk gives the narwhal its unique appearance. You can find them in waters close to Canada, Russia and Greenland. Unfortunately, this weird looking whale is on the Near Threatened list.

Dumbo Octopus

Grimpoteuthis, aka the Dumbo octopus, was named for its large ears. These strange creatures only live three to five years. In our humble opinion, they seem to do a disservice to our favorite Disney elephant. Anyway, we obviously still think Dumbo is much cuter!

Umbonia Spinosa

These South American creatures are part of the species known as Treehoppers. The combination of bright colors and thorny back make this critter look extra creepy. Also, the red eyes aren’t really helping.

Lamprey

After seing this fish, we would almost rather be staring into the jaw of a great white! Somehow, this jawless fish is weird and creepy mostly due to its lack of teeth. The funnel mouth reminds us of some sort of horror movie. They use that funnel-like mouth to suck blood from fish. Eek!

Mantis Shrimp

To be fair, not all mantis shrimp as weird looking. With over 450, colors vary from browns to vivid and bright colors. Some refer to them as ‘thumb splitters’ because they inflict gashes with their claws if the person is not cautious. Actually, some of the larger ones have broken through the glass of an aquarium!

Jerboa

I’m sorry, but there is nothing cute about this rodent! The jerboa lives in the deserts of Northern Africa and Asia. When chased, they can run up to 15 mph! With ears like those, it’s quite obvious that they use their incredible hearing to avoid predators.

Thorny Dragon

This Australian lizard is also called the mountain devil or thorny devil. One odd fact about the lizard is that it has a false head on its neck. When threatened, it tucks its head and presents the false one, made from softer tissue. A spiny devil lizard with a fake head, doesn’t get much weirder than that!

Indian Purple Frog

Confusing right? Who would think that this fat, blobby creature was actually a frog? Well, maybe that’s why some refer to it as the pignose frog. Of course, you can find it in India, as its name indicates. Unlike most frogs, this species forages underground.

Panda Ant

Again, nature took a much adored animal and combined it with an unlikely choice. Panda plus ant equals this odd creature. Not only is this panda ant kind of gross looking, but it has a quite painful sting. It’s not actually an ant, but rather a wasp. Ew and ouch! Not a fan.