1. Nutria
Image Source: Reddit
This animal is also called a coypu and can be found in states like Louisiana, Virginia, and Georgia. It's a semi-aquatic rodent and was introduced to the US by fur farmers. The farmers had no clue that these rodents would be terrible for certain ecological infrastructures, but they're here to stay!Original content sourced from Femanin.com
2. One-toed amphiuma
Image Source: Reddit
You might think this animal is a snake or an eel, but it's much weirder than that! It's an elongated salamander that's very rare. It has limbs that seem to serve no purpose, each with a single toe. There are no gills on it even though it has gill slits, and it's usually found in mud or water. It's also known as a ditch eel.
3. Gila Monster
Image Source: Reddit
This animal, the Gila Monster, is in the same family as the Komodo dragon. It produces venom and kills and consumes its prey. They are slow moving, so as long as you maintain a safe distance, you should be in the clear. They're found in the southwestern part of America.
4. Craspedacusta sowerbii
Image Source: Reddit
You might be surprised to find a jellyfish on this list, but this one is special. It's a freshwater jellyfish that originated from China and is found in the state of Wisconsin. They're quite small, about one inch in size, and they can't even sting you because their stingers are so tiny! They're becoming quite scarce as time passes.
5. Brahminy blind snake
Image Source: Reddit
It's long been claimed that there are no snakes in Hawaii. It's true that there are none indigenous to the state, but the blind snake is the world's smallest snake! Cute! You'll most likely see them in Kauai, and it almost looks like an earthworm. It hails from the Philippines, and they're able to hatch unfertilized eggs which has ensured their survival.
6. Alligator gar
Image Source: Reddit
Okay, so this is a FISH that can be over 8 feet long, and then it also has sharp teeth. Seems pretty terrifying! It can be found in Mississippi and other states connected to the Gulf. It has primitive features, can breathe air and under water. It has sharp scales and a BIG bite.
7. Lampreys
Image Source: Reddit
Honestly, this looks like something straight out of Stranger Things. The Lamprey is a fish, but it has no jaw, so it latches onto its prey with its teeth and sucks out the blood. It can be round in the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Officials struggle to contain the species population. Dislike!
8. Pygmy shrew
Image Source: Reddit
Let's take a break to look at something cute and furry. The Pygmy Shrew is the second smallest mammal in the world, and it can consume THREE times its body weight, every single day. It eats every few hours to maintain body heat, and it's usually about two inches long. They only seep for a few minutes at a time, because they have to constantly hunt for food.
9. Fishing spider
Image Source: Reddit
Oh no! The fishing spider can grow a little bigger than a human palm, it's venomous, and it can be under water for over 30 minutes. Sounds awful. The spider literally fishes for small fish and aquatic creatures to eat. They also catch insects crawling on the water's service. And... they lay eggs which they wrap in a silken ball and carry around in their mouth. Cool cool cool.
10. Hellbender
Image Source: Reddit
Found in the Ohio River, this is a flattened aquatic salamander. It usually reaches about 2 feet in length. Their population is shrinking due to poor water quality and accidental fishing. They're considered a living fossil by the science world, saying these guys may date back to 160 million years.
11. Snakefish
Image Source: Reddit
The snakefish is known to be predatory. It's amphibious, and it also reproduces at a very rapid rate. It's mostly found in the Washington D.C. area, but it's found in other parts of the US as well. They dominate the areas they populate, so much so that they are trying to control their population.
12. Gemsbok
Image Source: Reddit
The gemsbok is straight out of an African safari, so you might be surprised to find it in New Mexico. It's native to South Africa, and it was introduced for hunters. However, they've held on an reproduced, and now there are over 3,000 in the area. There are fewer big predators in New Mexico to contend with than in Africa, which is the reason for their survival.
13. Western hognose snake
Image Source: Reddit
These snakes are a bit... dramatique. When a hognose thinks it's being threatened, it will hiss, flatten its neck, then raise its head like a cobra and pretend to strike. If that doesn't work, then it will roll over and play dead. Taking it a step further, it will then POOP, which has a musty smell, and let its tongue droop. It can even emit blood drops. It will keep up the theatrics until it's safe.
14. Scorpion fly
Image Source: Reddit
Scorpion flies are odd looking because they have a tail that looks like a scorpion stinger. But they don't sting. It actually on the male and it's called a clasper. It's used for courtship. Females are known to kill their partners, so this clasper helps them from being murdered. They offer a dead insect to keep from being killed.
15. Jaguarundi
Image Source: Reddit
This cutie is not very predatory. The jaguarundi is about 30 inches from nose to tail and loves to hunt small rodents. You can really only find them in the state of Texas. It's actually close in relation to a mountain lion. They're very intelligent and love solitude.
16. Nile crocodile
Image Source: Reddit
While this creature isn't ~weird~, the fact that it can be found in Florida is definitely weird. Or at least the most Florida situation we can think of! The Nile crocodile is much more aggressive than American crocs, and they cause hundreds of human fatalities per year. No one is quite sure how they got to Florida, but they can be up to 16 feet in length, so we're good!
17. Roseate spoonbill
Image Source: Reddit
The spoonbill is a very aesthetic bird with pink feathers. It also has a very long, speckled beak. They eat snails and crustaceans mostly, and they also use their beak as foreplay. The males also use their bill to gather materials to build nests and help care for their young. Talk about multi-tasking!
18. Tardigrade
Image Source: Reddit
Tardigrades are microscopic critters with eight legs and a sucker-like face. They are said to be 10 billion years old and are affectionally referred to as water bears. They can survive dehydration and freezing, even the vacuum of space. Wild. They can be found in the waters of Maine and will probably outlast the human race.
19. Coatimundi
Image Source: Reddit
The Coatimundi is related to the raccoon, and it shows! It's like the cuter, friendlier raccoon cousin. You can find them in the southwest, and they love fruits and vegetables. However, they've also been known to eat frogs, birds, bird eggs, and even small lizards.
20. Painted bunting
Image Source: Reddit
The painted bunting is found in the Gulf Coast. The beautiful rainbow colors are only present on the male of the species, while the females display green feathers. These birds are mostly foragers and during mating season, the male birds will eat insects to prepare for their search for a partner.
21. Scolopendra heros
Image Source: Reddit
If you're not into creepy crawly things, then this is not the pet for you. This is the largest centipede in North America. It has a bright coloration, and it's venomous. It hunts small creatures like rodents, but it also consumes various bugs with its cell-rupturing venom. Fun! The last part of its 23 pairs of legs is the most deadly!
22. Spiny water flea
Image Source: Reddit
The spiny water flea looks like a creature from another planet. It's an invasive species that can be found all across the Great Lakes. They're pretty crazy looking! So how did they get here? It's said that they came from Europe and Asia when ships crossed over.
23. Camel spider
Image Source: Reddit
The camel spider can be found in the desert areas of the southwest in the United States. They're not nearly as big as the viral photos going around from the Gulf wars, but they DO have a VERY painful bite. They're not venomous, but it would probably put you in a better mood to avoid them.
24. Pronghorn
Image Source: Reddit
The pronghorn looks similar to an antelope, but they have a unique backward-curving horn. They are the second fastest land mammal, second only to the cheetah! They can run over 53 miles per hour, even the babies! When they feel threatened, the hairs on their booties raise and turn into a white patch that can be spotted from far away!
25. Cat-faced spider
Image Source: Reddit
The cat-faced spider is also known as a jewel spider. It has two pronounced bumps on its abdomen. The bumps form the ears of what looks like a cat face. When it sits with its head towards the ground, it looks like an upside down kitten. They are harmless to humans!
26. Seneca white deer
Image Source: Reddit
The Seneca white deer is surprisingly stunning. The Army Depot built a wildlife sanctuary where the largest herd of these deer can be found. They're not albino, but they have a recessive gene that contributes to their lack of hair pigmentation. They have normal noses and brown eyes. So cool!
27. Glass lizard
Image Source: Reddit
These glass lizards are often mistaken for snakes and can be found in the eastern part of North Carolina. They are legless lizards, but the rest of their characteristics match that of a standard lizard. Their tails break into several pieces (like glass) to avoid being captured. It can take years for the tail to grow back.
28. Spotted skunk
Image Source: Reddit
If not friend, then why friend-shaped? This spotted skunk is pretty cute! But be warned, if the skunk feels threatened, it will hiss and spray you without a second thought. They get into a handstand and then spray you from their tush, so definitely keep your distance!
29. American paddlefish
Image Source: Reddit
The paddlefish has been around for 300-400 million years. It has a unique paddle that is longer than its head. It's flat on the top and bottom, and it's thought that it helps stabilize the fish. When paddlefish are young, they don't have this feature, but they do have teeth that they lose in adulthood. They can weigh more than 200 pounds.
30. Geoduck
Image Source: Reddit
Liiiisten, get your head out of the gutter. This clam has gone very viral on the internet because of its... unique... shape. They are the largest burrowing clams in the world. They're also said to be one of the longest-living creatures and can be found in the Pacific Northwest. They're usually around 24 inches long!
31. Want more weird animals? Here are some of the strangest from around the world... the Aye Aye
image source: factanimal.com
Or the Nope Nope if you met this thing at night. It looks like what we look like wandering to the kitchen after an all-day Netflix binge. This animal is actually the largest primate in the world, and its middle finger - which you can see here - is long, skeletal and particularly creepy.
32. Bald Uakari
image source: factanimal.com
You'd think this animal would be named after the fact is has a massive red face rather than 'bald' when it has hair anyway... but who are we to judge. This needs to be the meme template for anyone talking about being embarrassed. This monkey is found in the Amazon basin.
33. Babirusas
image source: factanimal.com
This definitely looks like an animal that should have long-since been extinct, like some sort of cross between a wild boar and rhino. The Barbirusas has long tusks coming out of its mouth, and more tusks on the top of its head for added defence - or just to look cool.
34. The Barreleye Fish
image source: factanimal.com
This is just one of those things you do not want to see - inside a fish's head. This particularly eerie fish has a transparent dome for a head, which gives you a full-on view to its brain and nerves, as well as its glowing eyes. Can you imagine that coming at you through the water? At least you'd know what it was thinking...
35. The Blobfish
image source: factanimal.com
We think the picture pretty much sums up this one. But we'll give you a little more background anyway. The aptly named Blobfish is a deep sea fish, and has - understandably, but kinda mean anyway - been called the ugliest fish you can find. Is this even real? You decide.
36. Blue-tongued Skink
image source: factanimal.com
Skinks are a type of lizard, and while there's nothing too remarkable on the outside, when they decide to stick their tongue out at you, you'll get a nice colorful surprise! This lizard has obviously been sucking on the blue popsicles for too long. The color of the tongue is supposed to scare off predators.
37. Colossal Squid
image source: factanimal.com
Two words we don't want to hear together: colossal and squid. But here we are. This thing actually exists, and it's terrifying. If you didn't already have a fear of the ocean, you probably will now. The good news is that it usually only stays in the darkest or coldest parts of the ocean, so as long as you stick to the shadows...
38. The Flying Lemur
image source: factanimal.com
Flying squirrels exist, so obviously the lemur wanted to give it a go too! The only issue would be if one of these went flying at your face. Also known as the colugo, the flying lemur can be found in South East Asia, usually up a tree which it can use as a good take-off spot!
39. Demontor Wasp
image source: factanimal.com
The creepiness of this insect doesn't come so much from its looks - which are bad enough - but more from what it does to its prey. The demonster wasp targets cockroaches by injecting venom into its head. But that's not all - the venom then makes it into a zombie cockroach which strolls - or scuttles - straight into the wasp's nest... Yikes.
40. Dumbo Octopus
image source: factanimal.com
AKA the cutest thing in the entire world. Kinda makes up for the colossal squid, doesn't it? This has got to be what Pearl from Finding Nemo was inspired from, right? This little octopus gets its name because of the side fins that come out of its head, which resemble elephant ears!
41. Egg-Eating Snake
image source: factanimal.com
Which makes you feel sorry for any animal out there with eggs in its nest, ever. But the circle of life and all that! This particular snake has even adapted to make sure it lives and thrives in environments with the most birds because it's now feasting exclusively on birds eggs...
42. Fossa
image source: factanimal.com
This is one of those strange animals that looks like it isn't real because it looks like a combination of about 5 different animals we know and love. The fossa is native to Madagascar, and it's an animal that sort of looks like a mix between a cat and mongoose on a bigger scale!
43. Fried Egg Jellyfish
image source: factanimal.com
This is either going to make you very hungry or put you off eggs for life. We think the latter. The fried egg jellyfish is also known as the egg yolk jellyfish, and you can see why. It's recognizable for that round orange dome on top, and it also has tentacles that trail under the water. Lovely.
44. Gerenuk
image source: factanimal.com
This looks like someone has used a bad Photoshop stretch tool on a gazelle, doesn't it? But nope, this is actually what it looks like. The gerenuk is a type of rare antelope recognizable for - you guessed it - its extremely long neck! For this reason it's also known as the giraffe gazelle.
45. Gharial
image source: factanimal.com
As if crocs and alligators weren't scary enough, check out that long snout! This reptile is actually a crocodile, and one of the longest in existence due to that snout. It's also known as the fish-eating crocodile, but we're sure with those teeth it could eat whatever the heck it wanted!
46. Ghost Shark
image source: factanimal.com
One thing you don't want to think about looming at the bottom of the dark ocean is something that looks like a ghost in itself. But here we have the ghost shark, helping us to get to sleep at night. They're not actually sharks, they're just a deep-water fish that look like a Halloween costume.
47. Goblin Shark
image source: ocean.si.edu
Didn't think the ghost shark was too bad? How about a goblin shark instead? Any spooky word before the word 'shark', really. This one is pure nightmare fuel, and this one is actually a shark. Those jaws that you can see sticking under it snout actually come out and expand to wrap around prey completely. Yep.
48. Hammer-Headed Bat
image source: factanimal.com
This huge bat is one of the few unique types of bats around the world due to its size and appearance. Now we know some bats can be cute little flying foxes, but this one is something you wouldn't want to get too much up close and personal with.. It is a fruit eating bat though, so that's good news.
49. The Helmeted Hornbill
image source: factanimal.com
You can see where this unique type of bird gets its name! Unfortunately this bird is actually close to extinction because of being hunted and poached so much. Found in Southeast Asia, as well as its huge helmet head, it also has an eerie call that sounds like laughter.
50. Spider Crab
image source: factanimal.com
No. Just no. Why does this exist? This monster is most likely to be found on the Japanese Pacific coast - so definitely not going there then - and can grow up to a whopping 12.5 feet! It must be pretty hard to navigate that amount of legs and size. Probably gives good hugs though.