The Hoatzin is one of the weirder birds on our list and managed to accumulate a respectable list of nicknames, including the reptile bird, the skunk bird, and even the stinkbird. This bird reaches up to 26 inches in length and has a unique feather structure on its head that makes it look like a teenager on a first date.
Its mohawk is actually a defensive mechanism and helps it scare away predators, probably by implying that its head is spiky and dangerous. Scientists don’t know a lot about the origin or evolution of this bird, but we have sent a recommendation to classify it as the world’s first heavy-metal bird species.
Axolotl
You may have seen the Axolotl before in a popular internet meme or two. If you've ever wondered what this creature is, it is a salamander, otherwise known as The Mexican Walking Fish. Despite its name, it is an amphibian rather than a fish. It was originally discovered in lakes surrounding Mexico City.
Unfortunately, over the past decade, these rare creatures reached a state of being at critical risk of extinction, as they were being sold as food. The Axolotl has a unique ability to regenerate limbs, which makes them primary targets for research by scientists who want to develop the same ability in humans.
Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise
Male birds go a long way in order to guarantee their chances of mating with females of their kind. Some of these birds will learn how to sing, while others grow very eccentric kind of feathers. The Vogelkop superb bird-of-paradise also does his best to impress the ladies, by turning into a weird alien creature with mesmerizing blue eyes.
This bird is equipped with black and blue feathers which he extends in order to create an arch shape when he wants to attract a mate. When it wishes to do so, it will dance around a female and face her with his pitch-black side. We're not sure how this is attractive to the female bird, but eh, to each his own.
African Clawed Frog
The African clawed frog is a unique species of frog, mostly due to the three smooth, short claws it has on each hind foot. It uses these claws to tear apart its food, which is quite useful when you can't use a fork and knife. You can find them in Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Nigeria and Sudan, where they spend most of their time in ponds and rivers.
It's believed that the African clawed frogs have no tongues, no teeth, and no ears. Despite the lack of these sensory organs, they have fantastic senses and can even detect movements and vibrations in the water. These frogs will eat just about anything small enough, whether it's living or dead, as they are one of the least picky eaters on earth.
Blue Dragon (Glaucus Atlanticus)
Glaucus Atlanticus, also known as The Blue Angel or The Blue Dragon, is a small sea slug with an incredibly exotic look. It's a tiny creature and only reaches about 1.2 inches in length. They are quite rare, and can mostly be found in a few special places in India. The Glaucus Atlanticus tends to feed on small open sea creatures, and hunts them using its venomous sting.
If you ever find one that got carried to the shore on a beach, make sure to avoid touching it. These slugs store poison they get from the jellyfish they eat, which makes touching them highly painful and potentially dangerous. Simply admiring them from a distance works great, as these are truly beautiful and artistically inspiring creatures.