Animals That Are So Strange We Have To Wonder If Nature Made A Mistake

Planet Earth is a weird and wonderful place that's chock-full of all kinds of different wildlife. But among the wild animals we usually think of—like lions, tigers, and bears—are living things that simply defy explanation. Some of these animals are beautiful, some are mesmerizing, and some are just plain creepy, but all of them have one thing in common: they're some of the most unusual beasts around!

1. Pangolin

Though many may believe that the pangolin is related to anteaters, sloths, and armadillos, the truth is that this scale-covered insect eater literally is in a category all its own! There are only four types of them in the world, too. This unique creature is also known as a "scaly anteater." The pangolin uses his extremely long tongue to lap up entire colonies of ants that it finds hanging out in the underbrush. Yum!

2. Glaucus atlanticus

This adorable (and pretty gooey-looking) little guy is a species of sea slug found off the coasts of South Africa, Europe, Australia, and Mozambique. If the name Glaucus atlanticus is too complicated to pronounce, you can call it one of its many other names: blue sea dragon, sea swallow, blue angel, blue sea slug... the list goes on. Keep your eyes peeled and maybe you'll see one! Just don't touch it — it stings its predators.

3. Indian purple frog

If you were to stumble upon this frog in the wild you might be a little confused. What is it, exactly? It kind of looks like a turtle that crawled out of his shell, but in reality, he's just a special-looking frog. The Indian purple frog enjoys leaping around in the water and playing with his friends the way that all frogs do. He's not the most graceful creature on the planet, is he?

4. Pink fairy armadillo

This little guy might be the smallest member of the armadillo family, but he comes in first place for total cuteness. His sweetly colored pink armor helps keep him safe from predators. Believe it or not, this isn't just a bunny wearing an armadillo coat! He might scurry like a bunny, and dig like a bunny, but he's all armadillo. Look for him in sand-covered locations or in the high plains.