Some animals, in pictures or when described, seem impossible. When the platypus was introduced to British scientists in the late 1700’s, they thought the creature was a hoax. Today’s article includes real animals that your players may not find realistic or mistake as monsters.
This column idea grew from a comment about the aye-aye by “Auntie Mumpsimus” in last month’s Characters Vs Nature: Dangerously Cute post.
Aye-Aye
Averaging a little over 2.5 feet in length, the aye-aye is a lemur with bulging eyes, long middle finger, and rodent-like teeth that continue to grow as the creature ages. Even the classification of lemur is tenuous amongst scientists as this ugly animal shares features with various mammals. The aye-aye is an endangered species, partially due to the beliefs of many of Madagascar’s indigious peoples that the animal is a harbinger of evil and should be killed on sight. The belief is that if an aye-aye points their middle finger at a person they are marked for death (or their death has been foretold), and killing the creature is the only way to prevent the curse.
Tarsier
These primates are no larger than an adult human’s hand. Their fur is a mottled brown, and their heads seem little more than enormous, bulbous eyes and tiny mouth—much like a “grey alien.” Their fingers are and toes are incredibly large for their diminutive state. As the tarsiers leap from branch to branch to eat insects, birds, or bats, they could easily be mistaken for something unnatural.
Okapi
Like a platypus, okapis seem less like real animals than a slap-shod amalgamation of other animals. Their legs are striped like zebras, their bodies and size more like deer, and their heads resemble a giraffe—down to the nubby horns above their eyes and long tongues. Popular belief is that this animal may have been the origin to the mythical unicorn. While okapis have two horns, they may appear as one from a side view.
Star-Nosed Mole
A common contestant on “ugliest animals” lists, the star-nosed mole is a burrowing animal whose face might conjure visions of something unnatural or otherworldly. While some other mammals may have Eimer’s organs, none seem to be as pronounced as those of a star-nosed mole.
Giant Oarfish
Collosal squids and their relationship to the mythological kraken are pretty well-known at this point. Less discussed is the giant oarfish and how it may have been the source of the “sea serpent.” The giant oarfish is the world’s longest bony fish, reaching documented sizes of 36 feet and unconfirmed reported lengths of 56 feet. In colors of silver with dark markings, it is an unusual looking creature, especially due to its long fins on the top of its head.
Goblin Shark
The only extant representative of the Mitsukurinidae animal family, the goblin shark gets its common name from a translation of the tengu, a Japanese mythical creature often depicted with a long nose and red face. At around 9 to 13 feet in length, this deep sea creature is a pink, flabby shark with a long and narrow snout. Below its “nose,” are jaws that can extend when it feeds, almost giving the impression that there is another creature inside, ripping itself out.
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