Content
- rare mammals
- elephant shrew
- Sumatran Rhinoceros (Extinct)
- Myanmar noseless monkey
- Aye-Aye or Aye-Aye
- Rare Vertebrate Marine Animals
- Witchfish (myxini)
- marine vaquita
- pink-hands fish
- rare birds
- Shoe-billed Stork
- hermit ibis
- Emerald Hummingbird
- Rare invertebrate marine animals
- Yeti crab
- purple octopus
- squid worm
- Rare freshwater animals
- Sevosa Frog
- Tyrannobdella rex
- Animals close to extinction
- soft shell turtle
- angonoka turtle
- hirola
- Extraterrestrial animal?
- the rarest animal in the world
- Can we domesticate a wild animal?
Nature is wonderful and will never cease to amaze us with newly discovered animals with unique characteristics and behaviors.
They can be birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, insects or the huge amount of fauna that inhabit the seas and oceans. As such, the list we show you today in this article by the Animal Expert is destined to be ephemeral, as new species are constantly being discovered that enter, by right, the list of rarest animals in the world.
Another sad reality is that, because they are threatened, some animals, due to their small number, become the rarest animals in the world. Find the names and information about the rarest animals in the world.
rare mammals
Currently, among mammals, the species considered rarer are:
elephant shrew
Today there are 16 species of elephant shrew. In addition to having a trunk, these shrews are the largest on the planet (there are specimens weighing up to 700 g). Can only be found in Africa.
Sumatran Rhinoceros (Extinct)
This rare endemic Sumatran rhinoceros has been chased for its valuable horns for several years. Unfortunately, in 2019, the last of the species died of cancer, a female named Iman, in Malaysia, decreeing the extinction of the species and alerting those responsible for similar situations of others. rare animals. As a tribute, we decided to keep it on the list.
Myanmar noseless monkey
There are only considered to be 100 living specimens of this rare Asian ape. As notable features, the ape It has a black color, long tail, white-tipped beard and ear.
The species is at risk of extinction, mainly due to the construction of roads in its habitats, promoted by Chinese companies.
Aye-Aye or Aye-Aye
This primate, related to lemurs and endemic to Madagascar, is very rare. Their unsettling hands and nails look like they're from science fiction and are used to hunt larvae from trees.
Due to its unfriendly appearance, many legends have been created around the species. One of the best known says that her long middle finger is used to curse the houses she visits at night.
Rare Vertebrate Marine Animals
The world's marine waters are a constant source of new species that are discovered every day and others that are becoming extinct. Some of these newly discovered species are:
Witchfish (myxini)
This disquieting blind fish sticks to its prey, pierces them, entering them and later starts spawning from the inside.
marine vaquita
It is the smallest dolphin there is. It is estimated that only 60 live specimens remain and the risk of extinction of the vaquita exists less due to direct threats and more due to networks spread throughout its habitats.
pink-hands fish
Only 4 specimens of this strange 10 cm fish were found near Tasmania. Their food consists of small crustaceans and worms!
However, in 2019, National Geographic released an article that identified the discovery of yet another fish with hands, bringing the prospect of an increase in individuals of around 80 (!). Undoubtedly great news for lovers of one of the rarest animals on the planet.
rare birds
In the bird world there are also new discoveries and species on the brink of extinction. Some representative species are as follows:
Shoe-billed Stork
This strange and large bird lives on the African continent. It is considered a vulnerable species. Due to popular beliefs, it is a bird constantly hunted for being considered unlucky, having 10 thousand existing individuals.
hermit ibis
This variety of ibis is very endangered and there are only 200 specimens in the world.
Emerald Hummingbird
This beautiful bird is in critical danger of extinction. The capture of these birds and deforestation are their main problems to survive.
Rare invertebrate marine animals
The invertebrate marine fauna is full of strange animal species:
Yeti crab
In the depths near Easter Island, this eyeless crab was recently discovered that lives surrounded by hydrothermal vents at 2200 meters deep.
purple octopus
This new species of octopus was discovered in 2010 on an expedition to investigate the Atlantic depths of the Canadian coast.
squid worm
At a depth close to 3000 meters, in the Sea of Celebes this rare species of animal was discovered until then unknown to science. It's really weird and rare.
Rare freshwater animals
The waters of rivers, lakes and swamps are also home to countless rare species. See the following list of the world's rarest freshwater animals:
Sevosa Frog
This beautiful Mississippi batrachian is in critical danger of extinction.
Tyrannobdella rex
In Amazonian Peru this large species of leech was discovered during 2010.
Animals close to extinction
There are some animal species that will soon become extinct if an authentic miracle does not occur.
soft shell turtle
There are very few captive specimens of this strange and curious turtle, similar in appearance to a pig-nosed turtle. It has Chinese origin.
angonoka turtle
This species is in critical danger of extinction. It's really fantastic!
hirola
This beautiful antelope currently has only 500 to 1000 specimens.
Extraterrestrial animal?
the calls water bears, Tardigrada, are tiny animals (more than 1000 subspecies of different sizes) that do not exceed half a millimeter in size. However, it is not this feature that distinguishes them from the immense terrestrial fauna.
These tiny and strange animals are able to withstand and survive a range of circumstances that would annihilate any other species, which makes them the toughest species in the world. Below we list some of its prodigious features:
- Pressure. They are capable of surviving 6000 atmospheres of pressure. That is, 6000 times more than the pressure that exists on the surface of our planet.
- Temperature. They are able to "resurrect" after being frozen at -200º, or withstand positive temperatures up to 150º. In Japan they carried out an experiment in which they revived specimens of Tardigrada after 30 years of freezing.
- Water. They can survive up to 10 years without water. Its usual humidity is 85%, which can be reduced to 3%.
- Radiation. They are capable of resisting radiation 150 times greater than that which would kill a human being.
These prodigious animals have been known since 1773. They live on damp surfaces of ferns, mosses and lichens.
the rarest animal in the world
the turtle of the species Rafetus swinei is considered the rarest animal in the world! The species has only 4 specimens divided into lakes around Vietnam and a zoo in China. What differs from these rare species of turtles for many of the animals exposed here is the risk of extinction.
Despite being a rare animal, according to the Red List of Endangered Species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the Rafetus swinei it is at risk of extinction not because of the threat, but because of its rarity.
The species can reach up to 1 meter in length and weigh up to 180 kilos.
Can we domesticate a wild animal?
And wild animals, can they be domesticated? Can one of the rarest animals on the planet be trained to become a pet? Learn more in this video by Animal Expert: