The 5 Ugliest Animals In The World
In nature there are many types of animals. Some are really lush like the common peacock, elegant like the tiger or cute like the titi monkey. However, there are also very unattractive living beings. Next, we’ll introduce you to some of the ugliest animals in the world.
Despite their appearance, these animals play a role within the ecosystem and play a key role in food chains. While they may not seem like the most beautiful beings in the world to some people, they are also important to global biodiversity. Without further ado, let’s check the classification of the least favored animals.
1. Bubblefish: gold medal among the ugliest animals
The bubblefish or dropfish ( Psychrolutes marcidus ) is cataloged as the ugliest animal in the world. In fact, he is the image chosen by Society for the Conservation of Ugly Animals . This organization, based in England, was created by Simon Watt in 2012, with the aim of protecting those beings who, due to their appearance, are not so appreciated.
This fish has a gelatinous appearance, as if it were missing all the bones in its body and it was just an amorphous mass of flesh. Regardless of one’s opinion about this animal and its appearance, this is one of the best adaptations that nature has provided to a marine animal.
Bubblefish live at great depths, which is why they are rarely seen in water. The high pressures in these places prevent the animal from having a swim bladder, the organ that allows fish to move up and down the water column.
Bubblefish, on the other hand, lack bones and muscle. Its body is a gelatinous flesh much less dense than water, which allows it to float a good distance from the ground, where it feeds.
Although there is no gastronomic interest in this animal, it is in danger of extinction due to trawling. The specimens accidentally fall into the nets and, although they are thrown back into the sea, they do not survive after spending a few minutes out of the water.
2. Naked mole rat
As the name suggests, heterocephalus glaber it’s a rat that lives underground like a mole and, moreover, has no hair, so its rough, pink skin is constantly exposed. The naked mole rat has no lips, so its 4 incisors are exposed.
It also has no ears, just a couple of holes, which is very useful when living underground. The eyes are nothing more than 2 black dots with little function in the underground darkness. Despite its appearance, this species does not fail to amaze humans. On the one hand, the naked mole rat is the only mammal that lives in an eusociety, like bees or ants.
Furthermore, these animals are used as models in some laboratories, as they are incapable of developing cancer. Its genetics are being fundamental for the development of new therapies. Finally, it should be noted that they are the longest-lived rodents that exist, as they can reach 30 years in the wild.
3. Proboscis monkey, the importance of size
Almost any human with an overly large nose would not hesitate to resort to a surgical solution. In contrast, the proboscis monkey ( Nasalis larvatus ) is very proud of this outstanding feature. In fact, the longer your nose, the more attractive the male appears to be to females of this species.
The reason this animal has a giant nose is still under study. This monkey probably uses its nose to attract females so that it can make loud sounds to intimidate other males.
The proboscis monkey is native to the island of Borneo. Unfortunately, the destruction of its habitat due to massive and uncontrolled logging meant that the number of individuals was significantly reduced and the species was threatened.
4. Aye-aye, one of the ugliest and scariest animals
The aye-aye looks like the incarnation of an evil spirit, or so many tribes that live in its territory think. In fact, the aye-aye is a type of nocturnal lemur native to Madagascar. His messy black fur, white face and bulging eyes don’t evoke any kind of confidence.
In addition to all these physical characteristics, the aye-aye has an extremely long thumb, which it uses to tap the branches of trees and find which one is hollow. After that, he inserts his finger through some hole and removes the hidden insects.
5. Star-Nose Mole
If the proboscis monkey’s nose ever looked a little strange, wait until you see the proboscis monkey’s nose. The little one star-nose mole ( Crystal condylure ) deserves a place among the ugliest animals in the world.
Tentacles sprout from his face, giving his nose the appearance of a pink, sticky star. This structure is made up of 22 appendages that have more than 25,000 nerve receptors. Despite being ugly, this nose doesn’t miss a thing.
Although they are the ugliest animals in the world, the ecological importance of all these species is of utmost importance. All of them present some degree of extinction danger. Unfortunately, this shows that being ugly or beautiful doesn’t matter: the destruction of the environment affects everyone equally.
