The world is full of funny looking animals – some you might recognize and others that seem straight out of a sci-fi movie. From bizarre appearances to unusual behaviors, nature never fails to surprise us with its most eccentric creations.
In this post, we’ve rounded up 21 of the weirdest and funniest looking animals on the planet. Some of them have such peculiar features that they could easily be mistaken for creatures from another galaxy. Beyond their strange looks, many of these animals also have fascinating habits that make them even more extraordinary.
You’ll find some of these oddball creatures in the depths of the ocean, others in dense forests, high up in the treetops, or even burrowed deep underground. While a few of them are undeniably cute – despite their alien-like appearance – others might give you a bit of a fright with their unusual and even eerie looks.
Get ready to discover the funniest looking animals on Earth and learn why evolution has shaped them to be as unique as they are!
01. Tarsier
Tarsiers are tiny primates native to the southern and eastern regions of Asia. Comparable in size to squirrels, they grow to a maximum length of about 6.4 inches. These nocturnal creatures have remarkably large eyes and ears, which aid them in spotting food in the dark. Additionally, their long tails and powerful hind legs enable them to navigate through treetops with ease.
Fun fact: Tarsiers have the ability to rotate their heads up to 180 degrees, allowing them to track their prey without making a sound.
02. Dumbo Octopus
Dumbo octopuses have distinctive side fins that resemble ears, which is how they got their name – after Dumbo, the famous animated elephant from Walt Disney. These deep-sea creatures inhabit ocean floors at depths ranging from approximately 1,300 to 23,000 feet. Their coloration varies, with some appearing green, red, or orange.
Fun fact: Baby Dumbo octopuses are born relatively large and strong, allowing them to survive independently from the moment they hatch.
03. Mudskipper
Unlike most fish, mudskippers have the unique ability to survive both in water and on land. Their powerful swimming fins enable them to walk on solid ground. Due to their limited swimming abilities, they often prefer walking over swimming when underwater. Additionally, they can propel themselves forward by flipping their bodies, allowing them to “skip” across muddy surfaces to evade predators.
Fun fact: Mudskippers are more agile and breathe more efficiently when they are on land (source).
04. Bald Uakari
Bald Uakaris are sociable primates known for their distinctive hairless, red faces, which give them a somewhat human-like appearance. Their diet primarily consists of fruits, leaves, and seeds, though they occasionally consume small animals. Unfortunately, due to deforestation and hunting, they are now considered a vulnerable species.
Fun fact: Bald Uakaris are highly expressive and can visibly show emotions such as happiness and sadness.
05. Cape Rain Frog
Cape Rain Frogs are small, round amphibians native to South Africa, recognized for their brown coloration. Their diet mainly consists of worker ants and termites. To protect themselves from predators, they have a unique defense mechanism – puffing up their bodies, similar to a puffer fish, either to appear more intimidating or to make themselves too large to be swallowed.
Fun fact: These frogs are known to croak together in unison before it rains, making them surprisingly accurate natural weather predictors.
06. Hooded Seal
Hooded seals are marine mammals native to the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean. They have large flippers that help them swim efficiently and sharp claws that aid in catching prey such as fish, squid, octopuses, and other sea creatures. Unlike many other seal species, hooded seals prefer a solitary lifestyle, only gathering with others during the mating season.
Interesting fact: Male hooded seals can inflate pink, balloon-like sacs from their noses to attract potential mates.
07. Angora Rabbit
Angora rabbits are large, fluffy creatures famous for their exceptionally long and fine fur. Their soft, silky wool is highly valued and often used in making sweaters. These rabbits have a playful and sociable nature, enjoying interactions with both people and fellow rabbits.
Interesting fact: Angora rabbits need regular shearing; otherwise, their fur can grow so thick that it obstructs their vision, causing them to bump into objects.
08. Sloth
Sloths are mammals primarily found in Central and South America. They use their long, curved claws to cling to tree branches while feeding on nearby leaves. Due to their extremely slow digestion, which can take up to a month for a single meal to process, they conserve energy by moving at a very slow pace.
Interesting fact: Sloths are the slowest animals on Earth – so slow that algae can grow on their fur.
09. Emperor Tamarin
Emperor Tamarins are easily recognized by their distinctive long, white mustaches. They live in social groups ranging from two to ten members, with the eldest female serving as the leader. These primates strengthen their bonds by grooming one another and stay alert to danger by emitting loud, shrieking calls to warn the group.
Interesting fact: Their mustaches may play a role in communication and help them distinguish one another.
10. White-faced Saki Monkey
White-faced Saki monkeys are arboreal animals that remain active throughout the day. Their diet consists of berries, flowers, leaves, and occasionally small mammals like mice, as well as other plants they can find.
Interesting fact: Sakis communicate by producing loud, high-pitched calls while fluffing up their fur and energetically bouncing on branches to get the attention of others.
11. Tapir
A tapir has a unique appearance, resembling a mix between an anteater and a bear. These animals inhabit a variety of environments, including mountains, swamps, grasslands, and forests. Their distinctive snout, which combines their nose and upper lip, helps them search for and consume leaves and fruits. Tapirs communicate with one another through high-pitched vocalizations or by marking territory with urine.
Interesting fact: When hiding from predators underwater, tapirs can use their snouts like snorkels to help them breathe.
12. Pink Fairy Armadillo
Pink Fairy armadillos are the smallest species of armadillo, growing to a maximum length of about 6 inches. They have soft white fur on their underside and light pink, armor-like scales on their back. Their diet mainly consists of ants and ant larvae, which they dig up using their powerful claws. These claws also help them navigate sandy terrain with ease.
Interesting fact: Pink Fairy armadillos burrow underground so quickly that their movement resembles swimming through water.
13. Alpaca
Alpacas are adorable and endearing animals known for their soft, silky fur. They communicate by humming and even produce unique sounds to serenade their mates. Their diet consists of grass, weeds, and various other plants. With their long necks, they can easily scan their surroundings for predators while staying concealed behind rocks.
Interesting fact: If an alpaca is displeased with another member of its herd, it may spit at them as a form of protest.
14. Pygmy Marmoset
Pygmy Marmosets hold the title of the smallest monkeys in the world. Despite being small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, they have an impressive ability to leap up to 15 feet in the air. They prefer living in trees, where they can easily access food and stay hidden from predators.
Interesting fact: Pygmy Marmosets typically give birth to twins, and for the first two months, the father carries and cares for them.
15. The Maned Wolf
Maned wolves resemble foxes with long fur, but they are not actually related to them. They have remarkably large ears, growing up to seven inches in length. These solitary animals prefer to live alone and tend to flee when startled. Due to their strong odor, they are sometimes referred to as “skunk wolves.”
Interesting fact: Maned wolves can rotate their ears to detect the sounds of prey hiding in the grass.
16. Patagonian Mara
Patagonian maras may resemble large rabbits, but they are actually rodents closely related to guinea pigs. They are commonly found in grasslands, where they feed primarily on plants. With excellent eyesight and hearing, they can quickly detect danger and sprint at speeds of up to 29 kph to escape predators.
Interesting fact: Despite not being related to rabbits, Patagonian maras can walk and hop similarly, thanks to their longer hind legs compared to their front legs.
17. Naked Mole Rat
Naked mole rats are called “naked” because they live underground, where they don’t require protection from the sun. To stay warm during cold nights, they huddle together in groups. Though they appear hairless, they have a few tiny hairs that help them sense their surroundings.
Interesting fact: Naked mole rats rely very little on their eyesight. Instead, they use their sense of smell to locate food and recognize fellow colony members.
18. Gerenuk
Gerenuks are slender, long-necked antelopes that can survive without drinking water, as they obtain all the moisture they need from the plants they consume. Their diet consists mainly of soft leaves, flowers, fruits, and other vegetation they can reach with their elongated necks.
Interesting fact: Gerenuks have an additional vertebra in their spine, allowing them to stand upright on their hind legs, much like humans.
19. Fossa
Fossae are agile, cat-like mammals that inhabit the tropical rainforests of Madagascar. They are incredibly fast, reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour, and have keen senses of hearing, sight, and smell. As the island’s top predators, they can grow up to 2 meters in length.
Interesting fact: Fossae were once believed to be primitive felines, but later research revealed that they are actually large members of the mongoose family.
20. Sunda Colugo
Sunda Colugos, also called Sunda Flying Lemurs, are neither true lemurs nor capable of flight. Instead, they glide from tree to tree during the night while foraging for fruits, flowers, and leaves.
Interesting fact: Sunda Colugos have special skin flaps known as a patagium, which function like parachutes, allowing them to glide distances of up to 100 meters.
21. Frill-necked Lizard
Frill-necked lizards have large, umbrella-like frills that they spread out to intimidate predators. Despite their fierce appearance, they are completely harmless. These reptiles primarily live in trees and are difficult to spot due to their ability to move quickly and blend into their surroundings using camouflage.
Interesting fact: Frill-necked lizards use various defense strategies against predators, from camouflaging to attempting to frighten them. If these tactics don’t work, they make a quick escape to the nearest tree for safety.