Let’s face it—animals are cool! They are unique, and there are some pretty amazing animals in the world to explore. Switch off your TV and look at the many different wild animals, letting them amaze you with their strange ways of being closely related to the most unlikely species.

Not many animals have a claim to being boring—not even people like you or me are boring (that’s right, people are animals too). So, let’s find out about some other cool creatures that share this ball spinning around the sun today.

Cool Animals

Our animal journey starts with cool animals—cool for different reasons than you think.

Okapi

The okapi is a type of antelope with extraordinary markings on its legs and a very strangely shaped body. It looks like it’s part zebra, part giraffe, and part cow, but the coolest thing by far is its tongue. 

The okapi can lick its own eyes! Its tongue is so long it can even swat flies on its neck.

The Maned Wolf

This shaggy hairiest breed is more dog than wolf, though it may look like a fox too. The maned wolf has unique “socks” on each of its legs, making its legs look really elongated, and it also has a triangular head like a fox. 

Yet, the maned wolf doesn’t yap like a fox or howl like a wolf; instead, it barks like a dog. Its secret power lies in its skunk-scent glands that leave a foul smell to warn off other predators.

Blue Dragon

Heading to the ocean, the blue dragon (Glaucus Atlanticus) is one tough fish. It can eat larger venomous prey animals, and it keeps its stingers as weapons to use against its own predators (talk about taking trophies)

Slow Loris

Don’t be fooled by the slow loris’s cute appearance, as this is one mean little furball. The slow loris is a type of primate, but it’s the only venomous primate. It secretes a poisonous substance from a gland on its arms, which it uses to deter predators. 

The slow loris also has two tongues—talk about a mouthful. The jagged tongue is used like a toothbrush, while the long tongue sucks nectar from flowers like a straw. Another cool fact is that these little primates have twins and can breed from nine months old.

Angora Rabbit

Staying with fluff balls, I simply adore the Angora rabbit with its lush fur coat and long hairy large ears. Angora rabbits’ wool is highly sought after for weaving dense textiles and knitting cashmere-like jerseys and coats.

Blobfish

The blobfish may have been labeled the ugliest fish, but it also has strong family instincts, which is why I’ve noticed the female or male may sit on their clutch of hatchlings, from the pink eggs and newborn blobfish, to ward off predators. 

When diving or taking a submersible to the ocean bottom, you will see the blobfish swimming by with their mouths open, simply scooping whatever swims inside—lazy chef, right?

Pacu Fish 

The pacu fish is a relative of the piranha family, but it has another creepy but cool characteristic to look out for. While the piranha has a sharp tooth to cut through fish and other aquatic animals, the pacu fish has a set of square teeth that look so much like human teeth; you’ll think they swallowed a set of dentures!

Fossa

The large cat native to Madagascar is something different indeed. Fossas have the build of a cat, but they sport a long tail like a monkey. They have semi-retractable claws, unlike a cat’s, so they can walk down a tree, where a cat would have to jump down. Fossas are quite solitary animals.

Axolotl

The axolotl is a truly amazing creature that’s amphibian and a salamander. I find the axolotl a very colorful and cute creature with the body of a late-stage tadpole with sensors that scan the deepest waters for predators and prey. 

Like most amphibians, the axolotl lives a decade, and it is able to regenerate limbs, such as their legs, and it can even recover from brain damage.

Glass Frog

Native to South American countries, the glass frog is see-through from beneath; you can see its organs and even its beating heart. Taking transparency a step further for daddies all over, the glass frog watches over the eggs his mate will lay, taking responsibility for the clutch to hatch and keeping them safe.

Stick Insect

Nature can be scary and dangerous, but these insects know how to blend in and stay safe—they look like sticks. The stick insect family are all wonderfully camouflaged as sticks, some even sporting leafy attachments to really blend in.

Lyrebird

Native to Australia, the lyrebird is an oddity with its ability to mimic other animals, even copying the sound of predators to scare off other predators. 

Another cool fact about the lyrebird is its remarkable tail, which features two extended feathers, much like a peacock. These feathers fold in behind him, forming a heart shape, when the male performs his mating dance.

Parrotfish

Ocean reefs keep growing and require maintenance, like a hedge that needs to be pruned. Luckily, the parrotfish is up for the task. 

While chewing on the reef, a single parrotfish can produce as much as 320 kilograms of sand from the coral bone (that they regurgitate), helping to form nutrient-rich sand and silt that plants grow in. To do this chewing, the parrotfish needs a hardened beak, much like a parrot’s, to chew on the coral.

Halitrephes Jellyfish

It’s time for some fireworks, at least, the fireworks jellyfish kind. The Halitrephes jellyfish is a native of Baja California, off the Mexican coast, and it’s actually translucent, except when light is shone on it. 

Imagine swimming at night and suddenly lighting your flashlight only to see a sea of fireworks—wow!

Snails

The snail is a mystery. These slimy critters are constantly taking their homes with them since their shells are permanently attached to their backs. 

Of course, every home needs renovation, and snails can heal from crushing injuries in their shells. When the need to rest hits, a snail can hibernate for up to 3 years, during which time they heal from injuries.

Tobecontinued…
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