There are tales and legends of different mythical creatures in the sagas of many a cultures. From the Greek Gorgon to the Norse Elves the list abounds in the outwardly beings. But have you wondered what really bizarre animals actually exist in teal life? Here is a list of creatures you will not believe exist, but are actually alive.
Bergamasco Shepherd
These herding dogs were bred for the freezing Alps and have evolved to possess thick dreaded coats.
Ankole-Watusi
Ankole longhorns and their massive horns have survived in Africa for thousands of years. Their horns are used in defense and cooling and can weigh up to 100 pounds each and reach 8 feet from tip to tip
Dumbo Octopus
The ear-like fins of this octopus have earned it the name “Dumbo.” The octopus lives at extreme depths of 10,000 to 11,000 feet, searching for worms and other crustaceans at the seafloor.
Irrawaddy Dolphin
Irrawaddy dolphins are found in coastal areas in South and Southeast Asia. These animals are known for their bulging forehead and short beak, giving them a far stranger appearance than other dolphins.
Saiga Antelope
The saiga is a critically endangered antelope that inhabits the Eurasian steppe, including Dzungaria and Mongolia. Its strange nose is extremely flexible and helps to filter out dust kicked up by the migrating herd.
Red-Lipped Batfish
Batfish are found in the waters around the Galapagos Islands, but are terrible swimmers. Instead, the fish have learned to walk the ocean floor on their fins.
Chinese Water Deer
Chinese Water Deer have earned the nickname “Vampire Deer” for their prominent tusks, which are used in territorial battles.
Pyura Chilensis (The Living Rock)
It can be difficult to believe, but these “rocks” are living, breathing organisms. Their appearance allows them to blend into Chilean beaches and avoid predators. Interestingly, these creatures have both male and female organs and can breed individually.
Bearded Vulture
These beautiful birds inhabit Everest, the Himalayas and other mountainous regions in Europe and Asia. They were nearly eradicated because people used to fear that bearded vultures would attack lambs and children, and now, the WWF estimates only 10,000 are left.
Eastern Long-Necked Turtle
These turtles with a rather literal name can be found throughout Australia. Their remarkable necks can reach the same length as their shells, or around 10 inches.
Sarcastic Fringeheads
While the name would have you think otherwise, these fish are far more vicious than they are sarcastic. Found in the waters off the West Coast of America, fringeheads can grow 12 inches long and have eerily large mouths, which they press up against each others, as if kissing, to assert authority.
Blobfish
Deep in the waters off the coast of Australia and Tasmania is the ‘unique’ blobfish. The flesh of a blobfish is a gelatinous mass that’s less dense than water, giving the fish its unique look, and allowing it to float above the seafloor without swimming.
Frilled shark
In the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans this prehistoric beast boasts 300 trident-shaped teeth, aligned in 25 rows to rip through any prey. Scientists also believe that the frilled shark breaks the record for gestation periods amongst sharks, taking three and a half years to give birth.
Goblin Shark
The terrifying goblin shark measures between 8 and 13 feet and was first discovered in 1898. Referred to as a ‘living fossil,’ these terrifying animals are the only surviving member of a 125 million year-old family.