Lisa O
With more than 8.7 million species of animals on the planet, it’s no wonder that evolution has led to some really strange-looking creatures. While some may seem ugly, these so-called “creepy” animals often end up being surprisingly popular, especially thanks to internet memes. But let’s be honest—some of these critters are guaranteed to make you say, “Oh, gross!” Here are 14 animals that will definitely make your skin crawl.
Honey Badger
The honey badger, weighing around 30 pounds, is known as the bravest animal on earth because it boldly takes on much bigger animals like lions and buffalo. Besides having a strong jaw and tough, rubbery skin, the honey badger has a unique defense mechanism. When threatened, it flips the pouch at its rear end inside out and sprays a terrible, musky smell that makes predators run away fast.
Sea Cucumber
The sea cucumber might seem like an easy target due to its slow speed, but it has a surprising defense. When threatened by a predator like a crab, some species shoot their guts out—including intestines, respiratory tracts, and even reproductive organs—from their anuses. Strangely enough, some predators actually find this snack appealing. While they’re distracted, the sea cucumber hides under a rock or in the sand, preparing to make its escape.
Elephant Shrew
Even though elephant shrews might look like ordinary mice, they’re actually closer relatives to elephants! It’s pretty wild, but their DNA shows a stronger connection to the giant creatures than to rodents. Despite their small size, they share some surprising traits with their huge cousins. For example, both have unique skull structures and special features in their limbs. Plus, the elephant shrew’s flexible snout is a mini version of an elephant’s trunk, helping them sniff out food like insects.
Mind-Control Fungus
If you’ve ever dreamed of having mind-control powers like a Jedi—you might be interested in a real-life fungus with a similar ability. This Brazilian fungus invades an ant’s brain and takes over its actions. According to National Geographic, the fungus controls the ant until it dies and then spreads its spores to infect more ants.
Eurasian Roller Bird
Imagine walking up to some people to say hello, only to have them vomit on you as you get closer. Gross, right? That’s exactly what young Eurasian roller birds do, but they have a good reason. As they travel from Europe to central Asia, they face all sorts of predators like snakes and rats. When these young birds throw up a nasty-smelling, orange fluid, it helps scare off the predators and signals their parents that trouble is near.
Xenomorph Wasp
About two years ago, a researcher in Australia discovered a wasp with a truly creepy trick. It injects its eggs into a victim, like a moth caterpillar. As the eggs hatch, the larvae eat their way through the caterpillar’s insides and eventually burst out as full-grown larvae. Sometimes, the caterpillar survives in a zombified state, forced to guard the larvae’s cocoon until they become wasps. The researcher, clearly a fan of sci-fi, named this wasp Dolichogenidea xenomorph.
Leaf Deer
The leaf deer is a delightful little creature, smaller than a standard beagle, weighing about 25 pounds and standing just 8 inches tall. Its name comes from a fun local story in Myanmar that says this tiny deer is so small you could wrap it up in a single large leaf. Even though it’s so small, the leaf deer plays a big role in its forest home by helping spread seeds and keep its habitat healthy.
Bombardier Beetle
This beetle lives up to its name by defending itself with a fiery spray. When threatened, it shoots out a chemical mixture from its rear that reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit—hot enough to burn human skin. The beetle has two glands: one with hydrogen peroxide and another with enzymes. When these mix, they create a scorching spray, which the beetle can fire up to 20 times before running out.
Horned Lizard
The horned lizard, which lives in dry spots from Arizona to Guatemala, has a pretty wild defense trick. When predators like hawks, snakes, or dogs come too close, they can squirt blood from special ducts near their eyes right into their faces. This blood can shoot up to four feet and has an unpleasant substance that dogs and coyotes really dislike.
Massive Eel
The massive eel, or Pylorobranchus hearstorum, is a true giant in the eel world. Discovered in 2014, it stretches up to 50 inches long—about twice the size of other eelworms. Known as the “worm eel” because of its long, skinny shape, it lives in deep, mysterious waters, making it pretty rare and exciting for scientists.
Tiniest Chameleon
The Brookesia marca is the tiniest chameleon, so small it could comfortably sit on the tip of a matchstick. This mini reptile is truly tiny, measuring only about 1.5 inches from head to tail. Sadly, you probably won’t spot one easily because it’s facing serious threats from deforestation and habitat loss. These little chameleons live in very specific environments in Madagascar, and as their homes shrink, their numbers are dwindling.
Hairy Frog
If you heard about a frog that keeps breaking its bones, you’d probably think it’s pretty clumsy. But the four-inch hairy frog from western Africa actually has a clever trick. When it’s in danger, the frog tightens muscles connected to its back claws, causing its bones to break. It then pushes the sharp bone shards through the bottom of its toe pads, turning them into weapons. Once the threat is gone—the bones go back into the frog’s foot.
Transparent Shell Snail
Deep within a Croatian cave system, nearly 609 miles below sea level, scientists found a strange snail with a see-through shell. But don’t expect to find one easily! Even if you could dive that deep, these snails are incredibly tiny and super rare. Although the cave had many types of snails, researchers only managed to find one of these particular species.
Snub-Nosed Monkey
When you see a snub-nosed monkey, you might think, “Is that a monkey or Voldemort from Harry Potter?” Either way, you wouldn’t want to run into one in a dark jungle! These critically endangered monkeys from Myanmar have a quirky problem: when it rains, water gets trapped in their noses. To find them, researchers actually listen for their sneezes, which is a pretty unique way to track them down.