9 of the Most Unique Animals That We’ve Ever Seen

It’s a great time to be an animal-lover! With the powers of the internet and plenty of mind-blowing nature docs at our disposal – did someone say Planet Earth? – we literally have access to the animal kingdom at our fingertips.

That said, there are so many species out there in the world, we feel that we’ve just scratched the surface when it comes to familiarizing ourselves with some of the more “off-beat” creatures. Because of this, we scoured the web for the most unusual animals we could find— and boy, were we left impressed. Here are 9 of the most unique animals you have NEVER seen!

  1. Blobfish

    Two things here: yes, the blobfish is actually a REAL animal, and yes, it is very ugly. So ugly, in fact, an organization called the Ugly Animal Preservation Society named the deep sea swimmer its official mascot in 2013. Talk about a back-handed compliment!

  2. White Liger

    At a big cat preserve in South Carolina in 2013, four legends were born in the form of the very first litter of white ligers. “What’s a liger?” you ask? Well, a cross between a tiger and a lion. “What’s a WHITE liger?” An animal whose parents are a white lion and a white tiger. Amazing stuff!

  3. Goat with cyclopia

    That ain’t Photoshop! This is a picture of a real-life newborn goat taken earlier this year in Assam, India. The “Cyclops Kid” was born with cyclopia, a condition that leaves the sufferer with just one eye.

    Though the affliction is a rare occurrence in and of itself, what makes this animal so special is that it actually survived past birth. No word on how this kid is doing today, but we hope it is still flaunting its big, wondrous eye!

  4. Pink Dolphin

    In the brackish waters of Calcasieu, Louisianna exists a natural anomaly— a baby pink dolphin. The animal – or Pinky, as she is known to locals – is a bottlenose dolphin who has a form of albinism that makes her skin appear powder pink. Unsurprisingly, Pinky is quite the celebrity. You can even follow her on Facebook!

  5. Aye-Aye

    Nope, that’s not a character from a Tim Burton movie; that’s an aye-aye, the largest nocturnal primate. These creepy-looking creatures call Madagascar home. It’s a place where they like to sleep all day and spend their nights feasting on larvae and nectar. Yum!

  6. Dumbo Octopus

    Can you guess who the Dumbo Octopus’ namesake is? Hint: just look at those gargantuan ears!

    This deep-sea creature can be found floating in the waters surrounding the South Pacific and has even been spotted in California and Oregon. It’s known for its adorable ears, but it has recently gained widespread fame after being featured buoying through the open water in the BBC series Blue Planet.

  7. Red-Lipped Batfish

    Maybe she’s born with it— maybe she’s a red-lipped batfish! This “lipstick”-wearer can be found around Cocos Island, and though its red pout is its most striking feature, it’s not its most impressive.

    You see, this fish has a laundry list of adaptions that sets it apart from its peers, including pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins that are so pliable, the swimmer can actually walk across the ocean floor!

  8. Raccoon Dog

    This animal isn’t technically a raccoon OR a dog, but it sure as heck looks like a mix of both! This incredible canine is native to Japan, but can be found scurrying around all over East Asia and even as far as Europe.

    In recent years, the animal has officially gone viral on the internet, an event that has inspired some people to try to keep them as pets. That said, these wild animals cannot— and should not— be domesticated. Best to let the majestic raccoon dog roam free!

  9. Cloud Antelope

    As you’ve probably already guessed, this creature is, unfortunately, not part of the animal kingdom, but we thought it was too cool NOT to include on our list! This beauty is called a Cloud Antelope and it was created by talented artist CMWyvern. Click here to check out more of her fantastic beasts.

We’d love to hear your take on these incredible animals! Which one is your favorite? Do you know of one that you would like to add to the list? What’s your favorite nature doc?