10 Strange Animals and Where to Go to See Them
For many travellers, the chance to see exotic wildlife is one of the major reasons to take a holiday to a specific place.
We’re no different.
Weird and wacky animals always catch our attention, and we’ve made sure most of our wildlife tours give travellers the opportunity to spot some of the world’s most unusual wildlife in the flesh.
There are some truly bizarre animals out there in the wild, so we’ve collected a list of our ten favourite strange-looking animals for you to enjoy—and perhaps to go in search of.
1. Pangolin
2. Aye-aye
3. Capybara
4. Armadillo Girdled Lizard
5. Magnificent Frigatebird
6. Fossa
7. Sloth
8. Velvet Ant
9. Pink Fairy Armadillo
10. Maned Wolf
1. Pangolin (Africa and Asia)
Pangolins are truly bizarre creatures that look a bit like armoured anteaters. In fact, another name for them is ‘scaly anteaters’! Amazingly, though, they're much more closely related to dogs, cats and even seals than to anteaters or armadillos, the mammals they most resemble.
Despite their strange looks, we think pangolins are actually quite cute, with their beady eyes and big feet, and of course their habit of curling up into a ball when they’re threatened!
A good place to go to try to spot pangolins is sub-Saharan Africa, where three different subspecies may be spotted.
Sadly, many species of pangolin have become critically endangered in Africa as well as Asia due to intensive illegal hunting and poaching for their meat and scales.
By opting for our Ghana - Birds, Rare Mammals & Butterflies tour, you can seek out black-bellied pangolins, with Ghana offering the best opportunities to see this wonderful and gravely endangered mammal.
2. Aye-aye (Madagascar)
Madagascar is known for being home to many strange animals, most of which are found nowhere else in the world.
One great example of this is the aye-aye, with its bulging eyes, ever-growing teeth and long fingers. It can be very creepy-looking, especially if you suddenly come face-to-face with one in the forest at night!
Aye-ayes are a type of lemur and can be found exclusively in the jungles of Madagascar, where they come out at night to forage.
Further Reading: Lemurs in Madagascar Travel Guide
3. Capybara (South America)
Capybaras are the largest living rodents and are found across much of Latin America. They tend to live near bodies of water in large social groups, which can reach up to 100 individuals during the dry season.
They're often spotted acting as a perch for various birds, which adds to their unusual appearance.
One thing that may surprise you about capybaras is that they're incredibly fast, capable of running as quickly as a horse if they need to. They can also stay underwater for up to five minutes and have been seen using this trick to avoid predators.
Iberá Wetlands in Argentina is home to an abundance of wildlife, including capybaras. Our Argentina Wildlife holiday visits the beautiful northeast region for two days, giving you plenty of time to catch a close-up sighting of the rodent in its natural habitat.
4. Armadillo Girdled Lizard (South Africa)
Endemic to the Northern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa, this lizard reminds us of nothing more than a tiny dragon. This resemblance is especially pronounced when they roll themselves up to protect themselves from danger—the behaviour that earned them their name.
Another interesting fact about armadillo girdled lizards is that they're one of the few lizard species that give birth to live young, and there's some evidence that the females may actually feed their young, which is even more uncommon.
Our Enigmatic Wildlife small group tour gives you a chance to see the lizard. It's located in Namaqualand, along with Weber’s thick-toed gecko, southern spiny agama, rhombic skaapsteker and a swathe of vertebrate enigmas.
5. Magnificent Frigatebird (Galapagos Islands)
These incredible birds, endemic to the Galapagos Islands, boast wingspans of nearly two-and-a-half metres and have been spotted flying as high as 2,500 metres above sea level.
They're sometimes called ‘man-o’-war’ birds, because they like to attack other birds while they’re flying and even try to steal their food on occasion.
What makes these birds truly strange, though, is the big red sac the males have on their chests, which they balloon up to try to attract a mate.
North Seymour is home to an abundance of magnificent frigatebirds, Galapagos sea lions and blue-footed boobies. Our Best of Ecuador & Galapagos Wildlife holiday visits the island as well as other naturally beautiful destinations in search of unusual fauna and flora.
6. Fossa (Madagascar)
These cat-like animals can measure up to four feet in length, and researchers believe they're most closely related to the more familiar mongoose and other animals like it, although they look a lot like cougars.
Fossa (fosa) primarily eat lemurs, and is the only carnivore on Madagascar that's big enough to eat even adult lemurs.
Their long bodies, small, rounded ears and short legs earn them a place on this list—although, like the pangolin, we can’t help thinking they’re rather cute.
Kirindy Forest is the place in which to seek the nationally scarce animal, which, due to its elusive nature, is very difficult to spot elsewhere. By journeying here on our Tsingy, Baobabs, Wildlife and Whales tour, you have the opportunity to see them in addition to other rare and unusual wildlife. If you want to observe fossas mating, travel in October-November, as females are site-faithful—so return annually to the same tree where their suitors compete for them.
7. Sloth (Latin America)
Known for their slowness of movement, sloths can be found among the trees in Latin American countries such as Panama, Brazil, Costa Rica and many more.
Their faces look slightly dopey, and from some angles, they seem to be smiling. Their slowness of movement is due to their slow metabolism, a result of their leaf diet, and is also thought to help them escape detection by predators who hunt by sight.
Sloths today might be small and cute, but until about 11,000 years ago, their ancestors roamed on the ground and were larger than modern elephants.
Our Costa Rica Highlights tour gives you plenty of chances to see sloths in the wild. From Tortuguero National Park to Monteverde Cloud Forest and Manuel Antonio National Park, the spectacular ecosystems here ensure you experience a stunning variety of wildlife and scenery.
8. Velvet Ant (South America)
Confusingly, these insects are actually wasps of multiple different breeds. The females are wingless and hairy, and very much resemble ants.
Some specimens in Chile have been found with black and white colouring, and when you see these, you'll understand why they're also called ‘panda ants’.
These bugs are known for their extremely painful stings. Such is the strength of these stings, in fact, these wasps are also known by another name: ‘cow killers’.
9. Pink Fairy Armadillo (Argentina)
These beautifully bizarre creatures might just be our favourites on this list!
The pink fairy armadillo is a tiny creature found only in central Argentina, and they're so rare that scientists haven't been able to classify their conservation status. Small enough to fit in a human hand, these tiny armadillos are nocturnal and burrow in the ground.
These are generally difficult to spot due to their shyness, but if you want to try, central Argentina is the place to go.
Further Reading: Best Time to Visit Argentina Travel Guide
10. Maned Wolf (South America)
Maned wolves are not, in fact, wolves—just to be confusing. These long-legged beauties are in a genus all of their own and are related to wild dogs, foxes, wolves, and all other species of canid.
They're solitary creatures with large ears and are omnivorous, unlike many other hunters. Some scientists think that over half their diet might be vegetable matter, in fact. This certainly adds to their strangeness, but we think these canids are very beautiful despite how unusual they are.
Maned wolves can be found in parts of Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru.
Ready to see the world’s most extraordinary creatures?
From the rare pangolin of Ghana to the tiny pink fairy armadillo of Argentina, our wildlife holidays are designed to bring you face-to-face with nature’s most unusual wonders. Speak to our Travel Specialists today and start planning your adventure into the wild.
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