Some real animals are so strange that they seem to come straight out of a fantasy book. A whale with a unicorn horn, a primate with a magic finger, an antelope so rare that scientists almost never see it: all of them exist.
And there is much more to find. A 2011 study estimated that around 86% of land species and 91% of ocean species have not yet been described by science.
Key Takeaways
- Most species on Earth have probably not yet been described by science
- Some real animals likely inspired legends such as mermaids, sea serpents and the kraken
- The saola, discovered in 1992, is one of the rarest large mammals in the world
- Many of these animals are endangered
1. The Aye-Aye of Madagascar
The aye-aye is a nocturnal lemur found only in Madagascar. It has large bat-like ears, ever-growing rodent-like front teeth and a long, thin middle finger. It is considered the largest nocturnal primate in the world and is classified as Endangered.
A Very Special Finger
The aye-aye taps on tree bark with its thin middle finger and listens for hollow tunnels made by insect larvae. Then it gnaws a hole and pulls out the larvae with the same finger. This way of foraging, called percussive foraging, is extremely rare among mammals.
| Characteristic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Body length | About 30-37 cm |
| Tail length | About 44-53 cm |
| Weight | About 2.5 kg |
Folklore
In some parts of Madagascar, the aye-aye is traditionally seen as a bad omen, and some people have killed them on sight. This belief, along with habitat loss, is one of the threats to the species.
2. Legendary Creatures of the Sea
The Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic
The narwhal is an Arctic whale whose “horn” is actually a long, spiraling tooth that can grow up to about 3 meters. In medieval Europe, narwhal tusks were sold as unicorn horns and were worth more than their weight in gold.
- Habitat: Arctic waters around Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia
- Body length: about 4-5.5 meters, not counting the tusk
- Weight: up to about 1.6 tonnes
Manatees: The Real Mermaids?
In 1493, Christopher Columbus wrote that he had seen three “mermaids” near the island of Hispaniola, adding that they were “not as beautiful as they are painted”. He was almost certainly looking at manatees. Manatees and dugongs are often linked to mermaid legends.
Sea Serpents and the Kraken
Some sea monster legends may come from real animals:
| Animal | Size | Possible Legend |
|---|---|---|
| Giant oarfish | Commonly up to about 8 m, the longest bony fish | Sea serpents |
| Giant squid | Up to about 12-13 m including tentacles | The kraken |
The giant squid was first filmed alive in its natural deep-sea habitat only in 2012.
3. Birds That Defy Belief
The Resplendent Quetzal
With shimmering emerald-green feathers, a red chest and tail feathers up to about 65 cm long in males, the resplendent quetzal lives in the cloud forests of Central America. It was sacred to the Maya and Aztecs and is now the national bird of Guatemala, whose currency is also called the quetzal.
Birds-of-Paradise and the Bird Without Feet
The first birds-of-paradise skins that reached Europe in the 16th century had been prepared without legs. This led to the legend that these birds had no feet and spent their whole lives flying, never touching the ground. Their dazzling courtship dances are just as unbelievable as the myth.
The Shoebill
The shoebill, a huge bird from the swamps of East Africa, stands over 1.2 meters tall and has an enormous shoe-shaped bill. Its prehistoric look often makes people compare it to a dinosaur.
4. Land Mammals with Mythical Qualities
The Saola: Asia’s Unicorn
The saola was discovered by scientists in 1992 in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and Laos. It has two long, straight horns and is so rarely seen that no scientist has ever observed one in the wild; it is known from camera traps, villagers’ accounts and a few captured animals. It is classified as Critically Endangered.
The Okapi: The African Unicorn
The okapi looks like a mix of different animals, with zebra-striped legs and a horse-like body, but its closest living relative is the giraffe. It lives in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was unknown to European scientists until the early 1900s.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Unique feature | Zebra-striped legs and a long blue tongue |
| Closest relative | Giraffe |
The Binturong: The Bearcat
The binturong of Southeast Asia is neither a bear nor a cat, but a relative of civets. It uses its long tail to grip branches, and its scent is famously compared to buttered popcorn, thanks to the same chemical compound found in cooked popcorn.
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5. Strange Insects and Reptiles
Leafcutter ants do not eat the leaves they carry. Instead, they use them to grow a fungus in underground gardens, which feeds the colony. They can carry pieces of leaf many times their own body weight.
Chameleons are famous for changing color. Contrary to popular belief, they do it mainly to communicate and to regulate their temperature, not only for camouflage.
The axolotl, a Mexican salamander, can regrow lost limbs and even parts of its heart and brain, an ability scientists study for medical research. It is Critically Endangered in the wild.
FAQ
What makes the aye-aye such a unique creature?
It is a nocturnal lemur from Madagascar that taps on wood with its long middle finger to find insect larvae, a very rare foraging method among mammals.
Are narwhals real unicorns of the sea?
Narwhals are real Arctic whales. Their “horn” is a long tooth, and in medieval Europe their tusks were sold as unicorn horns.
How rare is the saola, or Asian unicorn?
Extremely rare. It was discovered in 1992, has never been observed in the wild by a scientist and is classified as Critically Endangered.
Did manatees inspire mermaid legends?
Very likely, at least in part. Columbus described seeing “mermaids” in 1493 that were almost certainly manatees.
Why are some animals considered almost mythical?
Because of unusual features, extreme rarity or because they inspired legends before scientists studied them.
