By Laura Anderson
It is October 4th, which means that it is World Animal Day! This year’s theme is “Great or small, love them all”, so how about we discuss the world’s greatest, and smallest, peculiar animals? The world is full of oddities, and it’s time we embraced them in all their weirdness! Starting off the list is the maned wolf! Some of you may have heard of this curious canine. With the long legs of a deer, the appearance of a fox, and the name of the wolf; the maned wolf is none of these things! In fact it’s the only species within its genus, Chrysocyon, with its closest known relative being the bush dog. These animals are found in South America, they are solitary with an omnivorous diet - fruit and vegetables making up 50% of their diet!
A maned wolf.
Next up is the aye-aye, a bizarre primate from Madagascar. Weighing only about 2kg, they are in fact the largest nocturnal primate in the world! These uncanny creatures have an oddly long middle finger with an even stranger use. By tapping on the trees, the aye-aye is able to listen and locate the insect larvae moving beneath the bark. They will spend the majority of their night doing this in order to find enough food to survive.
An aye-aye.
Perhaps you have heard of the peculiar pangolin? Despite their reptilian look, these animals are in fact mammals belonging to the Pholidota order, of which there are only 7 living species native to both Africa and Asia. The pangolin, also known as the “scaly anteater”, has no teeth! It eats by picking up ants and termites with its sticky tongue. In addition to this, they have the ability to curl up into a tight ball - safely guarded by their armour of scales!
A giant ground pangolin.
Or what about the quirky tenrec? It may look like a hedgehog, but these creatures are in fact more closely related to the likes of elephants! Ranking in as the smallest animal on this list, these critters can weigh as little as 5g! Though the largest can reach about 1kg. There are 36 different species of tenrec, most of which are found in Madagascar. They mainly eat insects, but don’t mind the occasional fruit!
A lowland streaked tenrec.
Finally, the last animal on our list is the frightful potoo! These birds are related to nightjars and frogmouths, and just like their relatives they have wide gaping mouths perfect for catching insects. Alongside their giant mouths, these birds also have giant eyes that take up the majority of their skull. Their birdcall is described as “haunting”, leaving many to believe that their call is a sign of impending death. Even if you might hear them, they’re often difficult to see due to their astounding camouflage.
A common potoo.
What other weird and wacky creatures do you know? The world is full of these wild wonders; and World Animal Day is the perfect time to share what you know!
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