Nature Had Fun Creating These 12 Rare Animals

Nature has created the most amazing and unusual animals. Some are majestic, others adorable, while others are downright terrifying. But nature also has a sense of humor, which we’ll showcase here.

 

Takahē bird

macropicks

This colorful bird was thought to be extinct, but scientists rediscovered it in New Zealand in 1948. Without wings, this land-bound bird resembles a feathered Christmas ornament with a beak.

 

African frog

markscherz / tumblr 

The African short-mouth frog is known for its grumpy appearance, no doubt because it has a tiny mouth that makes eating difficult.

 

Funny hairstyle

National Geographic 

A bristly shock of hair makes this insect look like a miniature troll. While this species was only discovered in 2012, they’ve already become the favorite of many biologists.

 

Bizarre kingfisher

Prateik Kulkarni / wikimedia 

This colorful species of kingfisher is quite rare as it’s an accomplished predator that waits until its prey is quite close to ambush it.

 

Golden turtle bug

monomotive / reddit 

The jewel-like Golden Turtle bug bears a striking resemblance to a turtle. They change color when threatened, when mating, and when they get old.

 

Grey peacock-pheasant

trashzy / tumblr 

The grey peacock pheasant presents the most magnificent display of feathers. Interestingly, it’s also considered the world’s most silent bird.

 

Satyr tragopan

Matěj Baťha / wikimedia 

This stunning bird is called by its species name rather than a common name. The blue neck on a satyr tragopan identifies it as male.

 

See-through caterpillar

macropicks

This transparent caterpillar is sometimes known as the marmalade caterpillar or crystal caterpillar. Whatever you choose to call it, it’s absolutely beautiful.

 

Looks like President

animalplanet

This striking bird has an almost human-like expression. For this rare species, breeding is quite a challenge. They can lay only one egg at a time and the chicks usually don’t survive.

 

Unique monkey

joelsartore

The yellow-tail monkey is found only in Peru. Apart from strongly resembling a stuffed animal, it’s also very intelligent and can quickly adapt to new situations.

 

Indian spider

Wikimedia Commons 

This spider looks more like an alien spacecraft than an insect. Found in India and Bangladesh, it’s toxic to humans and hides quite effectively in forests.

 

North American river otter

sandiegozoo

This unusual otter is distantly related to elephants, which explains fangs that resemble tusks. Considered aggressive, they’re at risk of extinction.

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