Category: Animals
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The giant crowned flying fox is a human-size bat from the Philippines
Here’s a creature from the Philippines that will stop you in your tracks. The giant golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus) grows as large as 3 feet with a 5-6 feet wingspan. For the record, that’s also wider than Danny DeVito is tall. It is quite simply one of the largest bats in the world. You’d think that […]
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These deep-sea anglerfish might as well be aliens
Deep-sea anglerfish (Ceratiidae) remain one of the most intriguing mysteries of the ocean. Ugly and ghoulish with giant mouths and pointy teeth, only recently has video footage revealed the creature’s unique form of alienesque reproduction. The 3.5-foot females are most famous for their hunting methods, in which they use a fish rod-like appendage (the esca) […]
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The bearded vulture lives exclusively off bone
The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is the only known animal that lives on a diet of bones. That’s right — this intimidating-looking bird avoids the meat and specializes in feeding on bone marrow. This bird of prey is so desperate for bone it’ll fly a dead carcass as high as 500 feet into the sky and release […]
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Say hello to the Vampire Crab
Here’s an animal made for Halloween: say hello to the Vampire Crab. The recently discovered species of the genus Geosesarma dennerle is a tiny, semi-terrestrial crab that resides on the Sulawesi Island in Indonesia. They get their name from their fang-shaped mouthparts, spooky eyes, and pinchy claws. The super-colorful purple vampire crabs are native to […]
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Valais Blacknose sheep from Switzerland
Strange-looking but cute — if you can even see their faces — the Valais Blacknose sheep is a type of mountain-breed sheep from the Valais region of Switzerland. These fancy-looking lambs are called ‘luxury sheep’ for their magical faceless features, shaggy coats, and spiral horns. Although they’re used for their wool and meat in Switzerland, the […]
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Meet the inconspicuous Vietnamese Mossy Tree Frog
The Vietnamese Mossy Tree Frog is a species of frog that can be found in northern Vietnam, China, and Laos. The tree frog looks like a crocodile smushed into a tiny 3” body. Never mind that it can throw its voice up to 13 feet, making the creature hard to spot. In addition to its […]
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Disappearing sandpipers in murmuration
Behold one of the greatest shows in nature — sandpiper murmurations. Sandpipers, like starlings, often fly low in coordinated swirls that give the group the appearance of a disappearing magic trick. Rather, it’s the unison of thousands of individual black backs and white chests against the backdrop of a blue sky that gives off the […]
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Gorgeous eyelashes of the Secretary bird
The Secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is your new favorite bird. Endemic to Africa and the national bird of Sudan, the Secretary bird looks like a combination of an eagle and a crane. Its snake-stomping legs can deliver up to 43 pounds of force. The raptor is also known for its speed, earning the nickname “devil’s […]
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The tiny Etruscan pygmy shrew
The Etruscan pygmy shrew is a tiny mammal of the family Soricidae. It is the smallest mammal on Earth by mass, weighing just 1.8 grams on average. The adorable animal can eat twice its body weight though, feeding mostly on insects throughout the day. At night, they use their elongated nose and short whiskers to search […]
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The exceptionally long tongues of Sun Bears
Think twice if you think your or your pet’s tongue is longer than a sun bear’s. Sun bears have tongues up to 10 inches (25 cm) long, which they use to slurp up termites, ants, and beetle larvae. Their agile faces and strong jaws help too. These bears also love to climb trees to find […]
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The fabulous bowl haircut of the Gloster Corona Canary
It looks like someone is having a bad hair day. The Gloster Corona Crested Canary sports a bowl haircut — often referred to as bushy, rounded ‘crests’ — made famous by The Beatles. This chubby and cute wig-wearing little bird also dons a dynamic singing voice, much louder than other groups in the canary breed. […]
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The slender sunfish shaped like a Dorito
One of the more peculiar fish you’ll ever see, the slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis), looks like a mutant fish that’s been cut in half. Yes, this Dorito-shaped fish is in its complete form! Interestingly, they also can’t close their funnel-like jaws, which makes them look like mouth-breathers of the ocean. The Ranzania laevis is a […]