Some animals are very well-known to us, but there are many animals that we don’t know. Different environmental conditions give rise to different characteristics in weird animals of all shapes and sizes. In this article, we explore weird and wonderful fun facts about them. There will be some animals in this list that you have probably never heard of, which makes them the world’s weird and wonderful wildlife. 

Here are 7 World’s Weird and Wonderful Wildlife to See

1. Mistletoebird

Mistletoebird is also known as the mistletoe flowerpecker. This pre-poop dancing and bum-wiping routine of the Mistletoebird plays a vital role in the life cycle of this little native bird with its highly adapted diet. After these sweet little red-breasted birds eat mistletoe berries, it defecates by twisting its body sideways, then purposely wipe their poop on the branch they perched on. The seeds of the berries, which are still intact, are sticky. These sticky seeds cling to the branch of their host tree and grow. The parasitic mistletoe only grows high up on other trees this relationship ensures the bird and bush can survive. Mistletoebird is regarded as one of the world’s weird wildlife.

2. Short-beaked Echidna

The short-beaked Echidna is also known as the short-nosed echidna and the world’s weird wildlife. This animal is one of four living species of echidna and the only member of the genus Tachyglossus. Echidna has porcupine-like spines, a bird-like beak, a quoll-like pouch, and lays eggs like a reptile. There are four species of echidnas, including the Short-beaked Echidna found throughout Australia in places like the Great Western Woodlands. Echidnas can live up to 50 years and are a distant relative to the platypus.

Barreleye fish is also known as spook fish. Its skull is transparent, as is the skin on its head and most of its face. This fish has ultra-sensitive eyes shaped like a barrel and tubular structures that are generally directed upwards. Looking upwards allows barreleye fish to see through the top of their heads to detect the silhouettes of overhead prey. These strange features enable it to see things more clearly, and this odd design protects its eyes, on which the fish’s life depends. Barreleye fish green lenses also highlight any firefly-like glows in the dark.

4. Thylacine

Thylacine is also commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger or Tasmanian wolf. The last Thylacine died at Hobart Zoo 80 years ago. This animal got its name at the time because of the distinctive tiger-like stripes along its lower back and tail. It had the characteristic pouch of other Australian national treasures, such as the wombat, koala, and kangaroo. Thylacine males had pouches, too. Thylacine had strong hind legs that were longer than its front legs. It also had a strong, stiff tail similar to that of a kangaroo. The thylacine is among the world’s weird wildlife.

5. Japanese spider crab

 

Japanese Spider Crab is a species of marine crab and is the biggest one that lives in the waters around Japan. There are around 60,000 species of crustaceans, among which the Japanese Spider Crab is the largest. It has a whopping 3.7m leg length considerably larger than a human. Japanese Spider Crab starts life as a microscopic planktonic larva, one of the millions that the mother lays. This large crab is mostly found off the coast of Honshū, a Japanese island.

6. Bird-dropping spider

 

Bird-dropping spiders are from Australia and New Zealand. This spider derives its name from mimicking bird droppings to avoid predators, mainly birds. At night, this crafty critter will stretch out its forelegs and release a pheromone that lures in unfortunate male moths looking for a mate. The males are much smaller than the females, about 2.5 mm to 12 mm.

7. Tarsier

 

This small strange-looking animal is known to have eyes as big as its brain. Tarsier has the largest eyes concerning the body size of any mammal. This animal can’t move their huge eyes like we can, they turn their whole head 180° like an owl. This helps them silently look for prey,  they’re the only completely carnivorous primate. Tarsier’s long hind legs and fingers enable it to climb and leap. They have over-sensitive ears. These animals are found primarily in forested habitats, especially forests that have liana. Because of its appearance, Tarsie is the world’s weirdest wildlife.