6 of the Weirdest Creatures on Earth and Where to Find Them

They might not be very pretty. Or cute when young. They might even be deadly poisonous.

But they’re so curious and special we had to share. Here’s our list of the weirdest creatures on Earth and the wonderful places they live in.

1. The Red Lipped Batfish

• Our nickname: Major ‘Hot Lips’ O’Houlihan
• Location: Galapagos Islands
• Weirdness coefficient: 10 (is it a bird? is it a fish? what’s with the hot lips?)

The Galapagos Islands Red Lipped Batfish lives in waters that are 30m deep and can’t swim very well. It grows up to 40 cm big and it uses its pectoral fins to walk on the bottom of the ocean and its diet is carnivorous, eating small fish and crustaceans.

2. The Star-nosed Mole

• Our nickname: The Worminator
• Location: eastern Canada and the north-eastern United States
• Weirdness coefficient: 7 (funky nose, but still very much a mole)

This hamster sized mole has a tentacular nose that it uses to detect pray such as worms and insects. While the mole is completely blind, the nose allows it to catch and consume an individual pray in as little as 120 milliseconds.

3. The Blobfish

• Our nickname: I Don’t Think You’re Ready for This Jelly
• Location: Australia and Tasmania
• Weirdness coefficient: 9

This deep sea fish (lives in waters as deep as 600-1200 meters) and its skin is a gelatin with a density that’s slightly less that water, which allows it to float above the ocean floor without moving a muscle. The fish is currently facing the danger to be extinct, due to deep sea fishing.

4. The Red Panda

• Our nickname: Firefox
• Location: eastern Himalayas and southwestern China
• Weirdness coefficient: 3 (not as weird looking as other, but with a secret past)

This fluffy guy looks more like a firefox than a panda bear and it was previously classified both as a racoon and as a bear. The Red Panda is considered a living fossil, with his ancestors are traced back to tens of millions years ago. Just as his relative, the Giant Panda he finds bamboo particularly tasty.

5. The Dead Leaf Butterfly

• Our nickname: Leafy
• Location: tropical India
• Weirdness coefficient: 9 (amazing, isn’t it?)

When he opens his wings, this  butterfly is as beautiful as any other of his tropical relatives, but when he closes his wings he disappears. He transforms into a dead leaf with dark veins.

6. The Poison Dart Frog

• Our nickname:  Can’t Touch This
• Location: Central and South America
• Weirdness coefficient: 9 (amazing, isn’t it?)

This small colourful little frog is so toxic a mere touch is sufficient to kill a person. You could find it coloured in deep purple, orange, red or green. It’s beautiful and equally deadly.

What’s the weirdest creature you’ve ever heard of?