The following animals are ones you may have probably never seen and heard of in your lifetime. You may even find them bizarre at first sight. Yes, bizarre. But they do exist, and we do share the same planet with them. So if you’re wondering if they’re really true, it’s high time you meet them.
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Bergamasco Shepherd
Known as the dog of the Alps, the Bergamasco shepherds are known for their intelligence, strength, and bravery, making them the best sheepdogs. They may be medium in size and have a rustic appearance, but these dogs are solidly compact, giving them great resistance without taking away their agility. The gray hair, which covers their eyes, function as a visor against the sun’s reflections off the snow in the mountains.
Ankole-Watusi
Ankole-Watusi or Watusi cattles, who trace their ancestry back to more than 6,000 years ago, are the show-stoppers of the bovine kingdom. They may not be that large enough, but they can attract attention wherever they appear because of their large, long horns. Because of the show that they make, they have been referred to as “cattle of kings.”
Irrawaddy Dolphin
Irrawaddy Dolphins are identified by their bulging forehead, a short beak, and 12–19 teeth on each side of each jaw. They are primarily found in Southeast Asian estuaries and mangroves and feeds on fish and crustaceans. They normally go in groups of ten. When they dive, they breathe at intervals of 70–150 seconds with the head appearing first and then disappearing. The back emerges, but the tail is rarely seen.
Saiga Antelope
The saiga antelopes inhabit Dzungaria and Mongolia. Its strange nose is extremely flexible and inflatable, helping it to breathe clean air during dusty summers and warm air during cold winters. Its coat are few and scattered and changes colors from cinnamon during the summers to very thick white during the winters. These animals are major animal migrants and may become extinct soon because of hunting and loss of habitat.
Chinese Water Deer
Chinese Water Deer, found in China and Korea, have earned the nickname “vampire deer” for their prominent tusks, which are used in territorial battles. These beautiful animals grow up to a meter long and are excellent swimmers, able to swim several kilometers between islands. Their males are very territorial and will often fight with each other, using their fangs. The females, who can give birth to 2–3 youngs at a time, and these youngs can stand up within one hour after birth.
Bearded Vulture
Also called lammergeier, the bearded vulture is one of the largest old vultures, living up to forty-five years. It lives on a diet of bones. Once they find their prey, the bird will drop it from a tremendous height to break it into swallowable pieces. Their bright orange coloring serves as a status symbol. The more soiled the feathers are, the more time and resources it has to find an adequate bathing place. The brightest vultures should have the most territory and knowledge of their surroundings.
Lowland Streaked Tenrec
Found only in the rain forest of Madagascar, this strange creature resembles a porcupine. It has barbs on its back that act as both a defensive measure and a complex communication system. It also has quills that produce chattering sounds when vibrated. Tenrecs talk through this sound. They can roll into a ball and raise their spines when threatened.
Gerenuk
Gerenuk are also known as Waller’s gazelle. They have necks that look like those of giraffe’s, yet they still stand on their hind legs when feeding on taller branches.
These animals are rarely seen, and because of rampant hunting, we are slowly losing our chance to spot even one of them. But they all real and they exist, we just have to be more careful so as not to completely lose these species.
Find out more of the world’s strangest creatures that you never knew existed.