10 Strange and Funny Animals in the World

Nature can be very cruel sometimes, sending hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and other natural disasters to the world. But sometimes it creates its creations, being in a surprisingly playful mood. Don't believe it? Look at our selection of photos of the funniest animals in the world and smile. And have a nice day!

10. Axolotl

Cool little animal AxolotlThis funny guy, which is also called an aquarium dragon and a Mexican salamander, belongs to the amphibian family Ambystoma. And don't be fooled by its innocent appearance, the axolotl reaches sexual maturity and is capable of reproduction, while remaining in appearance a mere amphibian child.

Where did the axolotl get its unusual name? Some say it comes from Xolotl (or Xolotl), the Aztec god of death. He was also the god of deformities and sometimes transformed into a dog or a salamander. In fact, there is a myth that Xolotl turned into a salamander when the souls of the underworld rebelled against him and he wanted to hide at the bottom of Lake Xochimilco, where he remained for so long that he could no longer walk on land.

Others say that "axolotl" comes from two words - "atl" (meaning "water") and "xolotl" (meaning "dog"), so "axolotl" is a water dog.

9. Angora rabbit

Angora rabbitIn the photos of the funniest animals in the world, you will see completely different creatures - bald, shaggy, covered in bristles. However, there are no other such fluffy ones as the Angora rabbit in our selection.

This animated lump of fur is pleasant to stroke, because the fur of the Angora rabbit is very soft to the touch. With one caveat - if the animal is combed daily. Then it can easily be ranked among the most beautiful animals in the world.

By the way, the world's most famous Angora rabbit Wally already has over 295 thousand followers on Instagram (he's called wally_and_molly). I don't know about you, but for me, this number makes me feel a little inferior.

8. Yeti Crab

Yeti crab, photoYou still don't believe in the yeti? But in front of you is his pet, it's even in his name!

Okay, jokes aside. After all, the harsh conditions in which these crustaceans live are not exactly conducive to fun. Yeti crabs are found more than 2,000 meters below the surface of the water, near very hot hydrothermal vents in the South Pacific Ocean. So they have to be very careful not to get boiled alive or freeze in the cold water. Plus, toxic gases make it difficult to breathe deeply.

However, the Yeti crab has adapted perfectly even to such an existence. The long bristles covering its body and claws, according to some scientists, help to purify polluted water. Other scientists believe that these bristles contain a large number of bacteria, which serve as the main food of this creature.

7. Grimpoteuthis

GrimpoteutisIf Dumbo the elephant had been born an octopus, he would probably have looked just like Grimpoteuthis.

The most obvious feature of dumbo octopuses is their rounded "ears" that stick out from the sides of their heads. No other species of octopus has something like this.

These cephalopods are sometimes called winged octopuses because the "ears" can also look like "wings." (Remember how Dumbo could fly?)

However, in reality, the “ears” are not ears at all, and not even wings, but fins.

In addition to their pseudo ears, the funniest animals in the ocean are known for their bell-shaped heads and large eyes. The diameter of their eyes is about a third of the width of the head. For comparison: the diameter of the eyes of an adult human (24 mm) is about 1/7 the width of the skull.

6. Kangaroo rats

Kangaroo rats

At night, when the city falls asleep, the kangaroo rat wakes up. And sets off on a difficult hunt.

The cheeks of these little gluttons are always swollen from the prey. The animals need about 100 grams of dry barley seeds per month. At the same time, they themselves weigh from 35 to 180 grams.

But water is practically not needed; the kangaroo rat gets all its moisture from seeds.

Kangaroo rats get their name from their habit of jumping on their hind legs like a kangaroo.

5. Blobfish

Funny BlobfishSometimes the funniest animals in the world look like the embodiment of sadness. Of course, you'll be sad when you're the mascot of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society.

But thanks to its appearance, the blobfish has appeared in many Internet memes, and even swam into the movies. For example, it is in the third part of "Men in Black", and in one of the episodes of the TV series "The X-Files" ("Rm9sbG93ZXJz").

4. Haitian solenodon

Haitian solenodonIf you want to laugh at this long-nosed animal, do it so that it does not hear you. After all, the bite of the Haitian solenodon is toxic, although not fatal to humans.

It is surprising that in the process of evolution, solenodonts did not develop immunity to their poison. And considering that they love and know how to fight with each other, they often die from the teeth of their own relatives.

3. Darwin's bat

Darwin's batThis unusual animal looks like it's getting ready for the hottest date of its life. And it's overdone it with makeup.

Darwin's batfish are poor swimmers, so they have adapted to walking along the bottom on modified pectoral fins that are more like legs.

To catch prey, these fish use the illicium and esca. The first is part of the dorsal fin, modified in the process of evolution, and hanging over the mouth. And the esca is a pouch located at the end of the illicium. It emits light that attracts small fish, which fall straight into the bright red lips of the Darwin's batfish.

2. White leaf-nosed moth

White leaf-nosed bat

Let me go! I am evil! I am the night! That's how this bat might squeak when it finds itself in the hands of a man.

However, being less than 5 centimeters in length, the white leaf-nosed fly cannot even hope to scare anything larger than a mosquito. And this species does not drink blood, preferring fruit.

1. Australian echidna

Australian Echidna - Funny Animal

While other photos of the funniest animals make it more or less clear what nature wanted to create, looking at the echidna only raises one question: what is it? Why does this creature have porcupine quills, an anteater's long nose, and a kangaroo-like pouch? Well, the echidna is from Australia, and that country is full of all sorts of strange creatures.

Interestingly, the echidna is one of the few existing mammals that lay eggs. After laying one egg, the female echidna places it in her pouch. There, the young echidna hatches and remains until it grows up.

And in order for the echidna to lay eggs, it must first mate, and this is where another oddity of this creature appears. During the mating season, the males gather and circle around the female, and when she is ready to mate, the males dig a trench, pushing each other out. The last male remaining in the trench mates with the female.

Australian EchidnaFemale echidnas have a bifurcated reproductive tract, while male echidnas have a four-headed penis. Only two heads are "active" at a time, and the male alternates between them until mating is successful.