Some Pretty Weird Animals, Including the Pangolin and Uakari

Enjoy the trip, it's gonna be strange, shocking and kind of creepy!

Pangolin, Uakari, Colugo, Douc, and batfish

The dog. The family member with abundant hair. We love them and are use to them in our daily lives. We recognize them no matter what breed of dog they are as just that, dogs (well, Rocco, my brother and sister-in-laws Chinese Crested may be the exception).

So, what are some other creatures that lurk about this world we may not be use to or may not recognize? Let's go find out; I am going to take you on an animal adventure where you will meet critters you have never seen before and will hardly believe are earthly beings at all. Enjoy the trip, it's gonna be strange, shocking and kind of creepy!

Don't try this at home!

We will start off slow with this White Uakari. As one of the more striking animals on earth, it has a bright red face with an uncanny human like features, noticed mostly when considering the ear configuration. This weird critter is known as 'Englishman' by the local population where it lives. In spite of their bright red assertive appearance, the Uakari are a passive and quiet animal. They are found in a small river-bound community in north-eastern Brazil, in the forest called the Várzea, where it floods seasonally. More odd, these short-tailed monkeys cannot swim, while they traverse the banks of larger rivers, it rarely leaps, possibly for fear of falling to a watery grave. Preferring to walk through the canopy in search of fruit, insects and of course, Brazil nuts. The jaw and tooth power of these quiet creatures is evident as they crack open the Brazil nuts with their teeth. Don't try this at home!

Now that's a ride baby!

While strolling the rainforest's in south-eastern Asia, (and you know you do) you may want to look overhead. The Colugo, the most accomplished of the volplaners—to glide without motoritation—glides from tree-branch to tree-branch in search of leaves, buds and fruit. Relics from a far ago time, 50 million years ago their relatives could be found as far north as Canada. This volplaner master has a volplaning membrane which stretches from its neck to the tip of its tail and on to its feet. If you think you play extreme sports, these daredevils can accurately glide about 427 feet (130 meters) through the crowded canopy while only dropping around 30 feet (10 meters) in elevation; not so bad considering these heavy weights measure in around 3½ pounds (1½ kilograms). The babies hang out in the armpit area where two teats are located under the blanket-like gliding membrane. Now that's a ride baby!

They are capable of swimming in an ordinary fishy manner...

Nope, it's not a flattened sea urchin, it's a Starry Batfish. This odd looking fish can walk on its four limb-like fins, and can also propell through the water using gill-slits located on the sides of its body. Adults have been measured up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) in length and their exterior body is as hard as a rock. The design of the skin offers interlocking bone plates which provide effective protection against predators. The first Starry Batfish discovered back in 1902, measured a little shy of 2 inches (5 centimeters) and was brought up from an amazing depth of 438 yards (400 meters) near the Hawaiian islands. They are capable of swimming in an ordinary fishy manner, but are more apt to casually stroll along the ocean floor. Not much more is known about these crazy icthiode's, however the question's continue to flourish.

Their beauty would seem to be their best as well as their worst quality.

The Laos and Vietnam tropical rainforests provide the home base for this leaf monkey. The Douc is quiet and gentle being hunted by humans for food and for target practice. During the Vietnam war, the U.S. dropped defoliants like Agent Orange over the homes of the Douc. This has caused a measured decline in the reproductive rate for the monkey. The Douc sends out a twittering sound similar to a bird call to beckon its social group. When left to simply reside, these handsome animals habitate in groups of four to fifteen. A single male leads the troupe on cautious treetop quests in search of food consisting of leaves and fruit. When humans see these rare creatures, they are often killed for pelts or food. Their beauty would seem to be their best as well as their worst quality.

Lucky for the mother Pangolin, the baby's scales don't harden until the second day of living!

Extremely sharp, flat hairs that resemble fingernails or fish scales cover this odd creations body. They are ant and termite eaters, yet so unlike the silky soft anteater we are accustomed to seeing. A biological mystery for sure, the Pangolin are more closely related to the dog or cat than the anteater or armadillos. Because they don't need sharp teeth or complex bone structure to acquire food, the species has developed the simplest skulls of any animal. No longer having teeth, its food is captured by using its hugely long and sticky tongue and then crushed by tiny stones it swallows and stores in its stomach. The strong back muscles allow the Pangolin to curl up in a tight, inaccessible ball when threatened. It can be found in trees from Senegal to Uganda and Angola. Lucky for the mother Pangolin, the baby's scales don't harden until the second day of living!