Exotic Animals are those creatures that, due to their physical appearance, colors or the particularities of their way of life, are rare to see or are very attractive to a human observer. In certain cases they are classified as exotic because they are at risk of disappearing and it is extremely difficult to have the opportunity to see one of their kind. Find out much more by reading on.
What does exotic animals mean?
Do you know what is meant by exotic animals? In the world there is a huge variety of animals and it is estimated that there are about 7,77 million animal varieties. Surely you know some of those millions but do you know which are the rarest and least common? that is, do you know why they are called exotic animals?
This is how the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language reviews the exotic term: "That comes from a distant and unknown nation or culture". Similarly, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) points out that the term exotic or exotic refers to species or subspecies that are located outside their natural and potential environment.
On our planet we observe an enormous diversity of animal species and living beings with unique characteristics that make them particularly special and different. There are all kinds of mammals, birds, fish or insects that will make us startle or move. By continuing to read the following paragraphs you will be able to learn in depth the most exotic animals in the world.
slow lorises
The Slow Loris, Slow Monkey or Slow Loris is a kind of ape that lives in Asia, which is considered one of the slowest and most exotic creatures on the globe. Its evolutionary history is enigmatic since hardly any fossil remains of its ancestors have been found.
The slow monkey has almost no defense against its predators, which is why it has developed a gland in its armpits that secretes poison, which, when licked and mixed with saliva, becomes active. It defends itself by biting its predators and even applies the poison to the fur of its young in order to protect them. It is an animal species under threat of extinction and its most important predator is the human being. The devastation of its habitat and its illegal sale have been the main problems faced by this small mammal.
There are legal provisions of all kinds to prevent their commercialization, but even being part of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the IUCN red list, unfortunately we can get offers from them in Internet, alleys and shops of Asia.
The possession of the Slow Loris as a pet is prohibited throughout the planet. To which is added the complex task that to separate a mother from her offspring, she ends up killing the parent. It is also known that some traffickers extract their teeth with tweezers or nail clippers to make them suitable for children and prevent poisoning.
mandarin duck
Originally from China, Japan and Russia and imported to Europe, the mandarin duck is a highly valued breed for its enormous beauty. The male exhibits a variety of wonderful colors such as green, fuchsia, blue, brown, cream and orange. Its exuberance of colors makes it one of the most exotic creatures in the world. It usually lives in areas near lakes, ponds or lagoons. They are considered bearers of good luck throughout Asia, as well as affection and conjugal love. It has come to be offered as the main gift at weddings of great importance.
tapir
The tapir is a huge, herbivorous mammal that lives in forested regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. It is part of one of the oldest families of mammals from about 55 million years ago. It has a very versatile trunk and is a docile and peaceful creature. It is at risk of disappearing, particularly in Mexico, due to indiscriminate hunting, its low reproductive potential and the devastation of its natural environment.
pink grasshopper
It is common to see green, brown and even white grasshoppers. The pink grasshopper exhibits this color according to a recessive gene that, in contrast to other grasshoppers, has developed in them. Despite the fact that there is only one case per 50.000, it is estimated that the survival of this class of grasshoppers is due to its striking color, which turns out to be not so attractive to predators.
Giant Scallop
With the name of giant scalpendra or Scolopendra gigantea is called a variety of colossal centipedes that can be found in the lowlands of Venezuela, Colombia, islands of Trinidad and Jamaica. It is a carnivorous being whose diet consists of reptiles, amphibians, and even mammals such as mice and bats. It can exceed 30 centimeters in length and has pincers endowed with poison with which it can cause pain, chills, fever and weakness. Only one case of death of a human due to the poison of the scalpendra has been known in Venezuela.
sea dragons
The sea dragon is a beautiful marine fish from the same family as the seahorse. Originally from Australia, it has extensive leaf-shaped extensions that are distributed throughout its body, which contributes to its camouflage. This is one of the most desired exotic creatures on the planet. It looks like a floating algae and due to its physical features it is subject to various threats.
They are captured by collectors and even used in alternative medicine. Regarding their conservation status, their current condition is of least concern, even so, they are under the protection of the Australian government. Obtaining sea dragons for display in aquariums is a difficult and costly process since special licenses are needed to guarantee their origin or the appropriate permits for their distribution. Even so, its maintenance in captivity is very complex and most of the specimens perish.
Caulophryne Jordani
It lives in the deepest and most hidden regions of the oceans of the entire planet and there is little reliable information about its behavior and life. It has a small luminous organ with which it manages to attract its prey. The problems they have in finding a mate in the darkness of the seabed makes the enormously large females become hosts for the male who enters their body like a parasite and keeps them fertilized for life.
Macaque Onsen
They have a multitude of denominations, the Japanese macaque, and it lives in the Jigokudani area. They are the only apes adapted to very cold temperatures and survive because of their woolly coat, which provides insulation from the cold. Accustomed to human presence, throughout the inhospitable winter, they spend long hours enjoying the thermal baths in which the best places are awarded to individuals of the highest social category. Their sexual relationships are both heterosexual and homosexual.
Atelopus frog
There are several species of Atelopus, recognized by their bright colors and small size. Most of the specimens in the wild have become extinct, only those in captivity have remained. They have been cataloged as the most exotic family of frogs on the planet due to their diversity of colors such as yellow and black, blue and black or fuchsia and black.
The Liger
The "liger" is a magnificent hybrid animal, the result of the cross between a lion and a tigress. These beautiful exotic creatures have special features, among which their enormous size, corpulence and color stand out, being able to reach a length of up to 4 meters. It exhibits a lion-like mane, but with brindle stripes on its skin, showing fur in shades of yellow and orange. There has been no known case of an adult male who is not infertile.
When the cross between a male tiger and a lioness is made, the resulting creature receives the name of "Tigrón". However, certain animal conservation groups have shown their opposition to this kind of crossbreeding. The liger is an imposing animal that is considered, par excellence, as one of the most exotic creatures in the world. Only one case of non-sterile Tigron has been known.
The Chinese Water Deer
The scientific name of the so-called vampire deer is Moschus Cupreus. These amazing exotic creatures belonging to the deer family are characterized by having outstanding fangs instead of the antlers exhibited by other varieties of deer. It lives primarily in the vicinity of rivers, swamps and grasslands, being equally present in mountains and farmland. This animal has great swimming skills and can swim an enormous number of kilometers without any problem.
Lizard with Frills
The frilled lizard or lizard Chlamydosaurus Kingii, is one of those wonderful exotic creatures that are part of the family of the agamid reptile variety. It exhibits special features in its skin, where part of it is made up of long cartilage spines that rest on the back of its head and on the top of its back. These spines open in a surprising way when the animal is in a dangerous or threatening situation.
This exotic reptile can reach a size of up to 80 centimeters in length. It inhabits the southern part of New Guinea, northern and western Australia. It is characterized by having a highly evolved sense of sight, which enables it to more easily catch its small prey and insects.
Tortoise or Gold Beetle
The tortoise beetle is an insect that has a very special characteristic that allows it to change the color of its almost invisible shell to shades of orange, deep gold or light brown. Alteration that it can make thanks to the fact that it has microscopic valves that are responsible for regulating the humidity levels of the internal part of its shell.
The tortoise beetle uses this ability to change color when it feels threatened. This insect is native to North America. Its diet consists exclusively of the leaves of the "Morning Glory" plant variety, distinguishing itself from another family of beetles whose food class is more varied.
Pink dolphin
The pink dolphin, also known as the boto, is considered one of the most exotic animals on the planet, due to its particular distinguishing characteristics and its wonderful pink color. This variety of dolphin lives in the Amazon River and the Orinoco River basins. Its diet is based on the intake of river fish, modest turtles and crabs, being able to catch its prey in shallow waters and flooded plains.
Thanks to the fact that its anatomical structure is made up of cervical vertebrae which are not fused, it allows it to move its head in an unusual way up to 180 degrees. This variety of dolphin has been kept in captivity in some aquariums around the world, but in contrast to marine dolphins, its training is quite difficult. Additionally, it has the particularity that its resistance to survive in a non-wild type of environment is low, thus having a high mortality rate.
The color of the pink dolphin can be the same pink or light gray or brown, without being able to verify until today what is the reason for its wonderful typical pink color. It is considered that it is related to its adaptation to life in the river or to the existence of capillaries near the surface of its skin. The truth is that dolphins acquire their distinctive pink color when they are excited or subjected to a stressful situation.
River dolphins are smaller than sea dolphins, but have a longer snout, can have a total length of 6 to 8 feet, and can weigh from 185 to 355 pounds. The total number of its population is unknown, so it is part of the IUCN red list. The pink dolphin is considered a true exotic animal due to its incredible temperament and color.
Fennec fox
The Feneco fox or desert fox is one of the most beautiful exotic creatures in the world. This mammal inhabits the Sahara and Arabia. It is a variety that has huge ears that it uses in an incredible way as ventilation on one side and on the other as a system to cool its blood. They are of great help to counteract the high temperatures and extreme weather of the desert environment, as well as to hear as little noise as possible from their potential prey or predators.
Its sand-colored fur helps to reflect daytime radiation and at night favors the conservation of body heat. In the same way, its long and woolly tail serves as a coat at bedtime. It is a small creature that can reach 21 centimeters in height and 1,5 kilograms in weight. It is not a threatened species, even so the CITES agreement regulates its commercialization and distribution for its protection.
the pangolin
The pangolin or Manís, is an exotic creature that lives primarily in the tropical regions of Asia and Africa. It is a kind of mammal that is characterized by exhibiting large scales with strong legs that it uses to dig. The strength it concentrates in its legs is so intense that it could break a man's leg.
To scare away its predators, the pangolin throws fetid acids, also managing to protect itself by digging holes very quickly in a short time. Their relationship as a couple is monogamous and they manage to feed themselves thanks to their long and sticky tongue, which they use to capture and eat ants and termites, which they achieve after devastating the termite mound or anthill with their claws.
Pangolin meat is highly sought after in China, which has had the result that over time the populations of this creature have been declining due to the exaggerated demand for its meat, to which medicinal properties have also been attributed. . This species has also been a victim of the animal trade and the pangolin has been considered one of the most trafficked creatures in the world.
Common Blue Cord
The common blue cordon, whose scientific name is Uraeginthus angolensis, is also known by the name of the "widow" bird, and is an exotic bird par excellence which is part of the estrildidae family. It is recognized primarily by the beautiful and showy blue color of its plumage and elegant appearance. Its plumage is consistent with its rounded brownish head with a slight shade of blue, slender beak, and long, thin tail. It can reach a body length of 12 centimeters.
Among the most outstanding features of this bird stands out its accentuated sexual dimorphism. The male differs by presenting some spots on both sides of the head (on the cheeks), meanwhile the females do not exhibit them and they possess a shorter tail than the male. This harmonious and playful singing bird adapts perfectly to cold climates, but it goes through an adaptation phase beforehand.
However, since it is significantly affected by low temperatures, it lives mostly in hot climates. They tend to live in groups of the same species. Their diet is based on seeds such as panizo. This bird can be found primarily in regions of equatorial and tropical Africa, although to a greater extent in an area of West Africa called Senegal.
rainbow parrot
The rainbow parrot stands out for its striking physical appearance where the beautiful variety of colors of its feathers stands out. The colors blue, red, green and yellow are mixed harmoniously, thus living up to its name. It does not have a large size since it only measures 20 to 30 centimeters, and does not usually exceed 200 grams in weight. However, it requires a large and well-conditioned space to survive. There are no great variations in their external physiognomy in terms of gender, so it is difficult to recognize the sex of each animal unless an expert evaluates it by means of an endoscopy or a DNA test.
Hairy Frogfish
In great demand at a gastronomic level, this spectacular creature has the ability to blend in almost completely with its surroundings, making it almost impossible to recognize it in the coral sea beds where it usually lives. This hunter has a very particular technique of "catching" its prey, which can range from molluscs to even other frogfish. To catch them he uses an extremity that he has in his front part like a kind of fishing rod, with which he attracts other fish.
Star-nosed Mole
The star-nosed mole is a bizarre and disgusting-looking mammal that gets its name from the unusual shape of its snout. It is believed that this creature uses this feature to be able to detect the electrical activity of animals that are potentially its prey. The star-nosed mole can be found in different regions of Canada and the United States.
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