The animal kingdom is home to millions of species, each trying to just live their unique lives. Some of these animals are alien-looking creatures found in the depths of the oceans. Some others are adorable furry creatures found in Madagascar. Out of these millions of species, we’ve only discovered a small fraction of them.
In this article, we will be exploring more of them. From “Barbie” Armadillos to Kung Fu Cats. Here are 10 Mammals you didn’t know existed.
1. The Pudu:
Mammals don’t get any cuter. The Pudu is the world’s tiniest dear growing to about 2 feet tall. It is small enough to fit into your bag if you know how to acquire one. The western coast of South America is where this animal calls home. However, it is endangered.
2. The AardWolf
Don’t let its name deceive you. The Aardwolf is no wolf. It is a distant cousin of the hyenas. The grassy plains of Africa is where this nocturnal creature lives. Unlike its cousin, the Aardwolf is insectivorous with its diet consisting of up to 200 thousand termites per day.
3. Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey.
Is that you Sun Wukong? The Golden Snub-nosed Monkey looks like the Monkey King from the famous story “Journey to the West.” This regal-looking monkey resides in the snowy mountains of China. It is a very social animal. It communicates with others by vocalizing without any visible signs – just like a ventriloquist.
4. The Pink Fairy Armadillo:
It’s Barbie season every day for these cute little mammals. The Pink Fairy Armadillo is the smallest of all armadillos. It is a nocturnal creature found in Argentina. The Pink Fairy Armadillo is also called a “sand swimmer” because it likes to burrow underground. It is currently endangered.
5. The Okapi.
No, this isn’t a Zorse, a hybrid of a horse and a zebra. It is not a hybrid at all, even though its long neck resembles that of a giraffe and its legs that of a Zebra. The Democratic Republic of Congo harbors this endangered animal.
6. The Maned Wolf:
The Mane wolf looks like a mixture of a fox and wolf and barks like a dog. It has very long legs that allows it to stand over 3 feet tall. This allows it to see above the tall grasses of the savannahs of southern and eastern South America. It feeds mostly on fruits and vegetables as well as small rodents. It is also shy around humans.
I’ll be shy around you too, bro.
7. Lowland Streaked Tenrec:
The Lowland Streaked Tenrec can be found on the Island of Madagascar. Its erect quills make it look like an electrocuted rat. However, these quills are used to communicate through stridulation and also fend off dangerous predators.
8. Nilgiri Marten
No, I am not referring to a popular Asian drink. The Nilgiri Marten derives its name from the Nilgiri mountains located in southern India where it inhabits. It spends most of its time on trees feeding on insects and small(er) animals.
9. Pallas’s Cat
The Palla Cat is a master of ancient martial arts. Sorry, that’s a DreamWorks movie. This big furry cat lives in the high-elevation rocky grasslands in Asia. Its diet consists of birds, insects and small reptiles.
10. Aye-Aye.
Do its eyes give it its name? The Aye-Aye is the world’s largest nocturnal primate, a lemur native to Madagascar. It has large rodent-like front teeth that help it feed on tiny insects found in trees, and a very long middle finger for searching for grub.
We’ve come to the end of our little exploration. Yet, there’s still so much more to discover. If you’ve seen any of the mammals above, you can drop their names in the comments section. Don’t forget to share.
To discover more amazing animals like these, read more of our articles here.
Until, next time. Keep exploring.
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