There are a lot of crazy animals out there, but these cartoon creatures are so strange-looking that you just might not believe they’re real. Mother nature can have a bizarre sense of humor, and these animals are proof of exactly that. Prepare to have your mind blown below.
Number Ten: Chinese Giant Salamander. This salamander, which is truly giant, can grow up to 5′ 11″. To put that in perspective, most other salamanders are between 10 and 20 cm long. The Chinese Giant Salamander has two lidless eyes, dark skin and is currently endangered.
Number Nine: Blue Sea Dragon. While it’s not a dragon at all, the blue sea dragon resembles one due to its bright blue color and silver highlights. It’s actually a small sea slug, and it has a gas-filled sac in its stomach that allows it to float.
Number Eight: Saiga Antelope. The Saiga Antelope might look like something out of a Tim Burton film, but it’s very real. Known for its comically large nose, its proboscis is actually useful for warming air in the winter before the air reaches its lungs.
Number Seven: Dumbo Octopus. The Dumbo Octopus is, as you may have guessed, named after Disney’s Dumbo the elephant. This octopus’ unusually large fins resemble elephant ears, and these creatures live up to 23,000 feet below sea level.
Number Six: Giant Soft-Shelled Turtle. No, this turtle did not just get run over by a car! Though it may resemble a squashed version of a regular turtle, the Giant Soft-Shelled Turtle has a rubber back and no exterior shell.
Number Five: Cartoon Creatures – Indian Purple Frogs
The Indian Purple Frog has a plump, purple body and resembles a large grape. It has a ridiculously small head relative to its body, and it can grow up to seven centimeters in length.
Number Four: Goliath Birdeater. Dubbed the largest spider in the world by Guinness, the Goliath Birdeater got its name when one was found eating a hummingbird. These spiders live in South African rainforests and has legs as long as 30 centimeters.
Number Three: Panda Ant. Would you believe the Panda Ant isn’t actually an ant? This wasp resembles a hair ant and has colors that are similar to a panda’s. They are nocturnal and rarely seen in nature.
Number Two: Peacock Mantis Shrimp. The Peacock Mantis Shrimp might be beautiful, but it’s quite dangerous. Its front claws are so dangerous that they can’t be kept in aquariums because they can punch through the glass. One punch from a mantis shrimp is equivalent to the power of a gunshot.
Number One: Lamprey. Finally, one of the strangest cartoon creatures is the lamprey, which has been around for about 300 million years. The lamprey is nature’s answer to a vampire, as their giant suction cup-like mouths can attach to fish and literally suck the blood from their bodies.
