10 Strange Animals You Didn’t Know Existed

 

10. Silkie

The Silkie is a breed of chicken named for its atypically fluffy plumage, which is said to feel like silk. The breed has several other unusual qualities, such as black skin, flesh, and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot, whereas most chickens only have four. They are often exhibited in poultry shows, and appear in various colors.

9. Sunda Flying Lemur

It’s not actually a lemur and does not fly. Instead, it glides as it leaps among trees. It is strictly arboreal, is active at night, and feeds on soft plant parts such as young leaves, shoots, flowers, and fruits. The Sunda flying lemur is a skillful climber, but is helpless when on the ground. It is found throughout Southeast Asia in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

8. Dhole

The dhole, also called the Asiatic wild dog or Indian wild dog, is a species of canid native to South and Southeast Asia. The dhole is a highly social animal, living in large clans which occasionally split up into small packs to hunt. It primarily preys on medium-sized ungulates, which it hunts by tiring them out in long chases, and kills by disemboweling them. Though fearful of humans, dhole packs are bold enough to attack large and dangerous animals such as wild boar, water buffalo, and even tigers.

7. Markhor

Markhor is a large species of wild goat that is found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The species is classed by the IUCN as Endangered, as there are fewer than 2,500 mature individuals. The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan. According to folklore, the markhor has the ability to kill a snake and eat it.

6. Snub-nosed Monkey

Amongst the amazing monkeys, Snub-nosed monkeys are a group of Old World monkeys, live in various parts of Asia. They get their name from the short stump of a nose on their round face, with nostrils arranged forward. They have relatively multicolored and long fur, particularly at the shoulders and backs. They grow to a length of 51 to 83 cm with a tail of 55 to 97 cm.

5. Raccoon Dog

The Raccoon Dog, or Tanuki, is a canid indigenous to East Asia. One of the unique dogs, it’s the only extant species in the genus Nyctereutes. It is named for its resemblance to the raccoon (Procyon lotor), to which it is not closely related. They are very good climbers and regularly climb trees.

4. Maned Wolf

Maned Wolf is the largest canid of South America. Looks like it’s a red fox that mated with a deer to create a furry, lovable face with long, slender legs, but is actually its own type of mammal. This mammal is found in open and semi-open habitats, especially grasslands with scattered bushes and trees throughout South America. The maned wolf is the tallest of the wild canids and it’s long legs are most likely an adaptation to the tall grasslands of its native habitat.

3. Gerenuk

The gerenuk, also known as the Waller’s gazelle, is a long-necked species of antelope, found in habitats with woody vegetation, especially dry, flat thornbush and thickets. It avoids very dense woodlands and very open habitats. Founded in Eastern Africa, Gerenuks have a relatively small head for their body, but their eyes and ears are proportionately large. Only the males have horns and they also have a more muscular neck than females. Both sexes have ruddy brown coats with a paler underbelly . They have short, black tipped tails.

2. Amazonian Royal Flycatcher

The Amazonian Royal Flycatcher is a passerine bird of the tyrant flycatcher family. They are found in forest and woodland throughout most of the Amazon basin. Considered to be of Least Concern by BirdLife International, they are typically found in low densities, but overall remains widespread and common. They are about 6 1/2 inches in length and like to dart out from branches to catch flying insects or pluck them from leaves.

1. Zebra Duiker

The zebra duiker is a small antelope found in the Ivory Coast and other parts of Africa. They have gold or red-brown coats with distinctive zebra-like stripes, dark markings on their upper legs, and russet faces. They grow to 90 cm in length, 45 cm in height, and 20 kg in weight. Their prong-like horns are about 4.5 cm long in males, and half that in females. They live in lowland rainforests and mostly eat leaves and fruit.