Animals That Look Mythical but Are Completely Real

When it comes to pictures of animals and objects, the internet can be a tricky place that looks too strange to be real. It can be challenging to tell what’s real and what’s not.

Many animals in the world look pretty average, but now and then, we come across an animal that looks like it came straight out of a fantasy film. These ten animals are some of the most unique and mythical-looking creatures.

Okapi

This animal might be challenging to identify just by looking at him, as he shares many features with other animals. However, each of those features plays a unique and essential role in his life, from helping him blend in with his surroundings and hide from prey to allowing him to reach berries at greater heights. He is a national pride emblem for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is around the size of a horse with the long neck of a giraffe.

Saiga Antelope

The saiga antelope is a hardy species that has been around since the Ice Age. These animals are on the brink of extinction due to their unique proboscis-like mouths. This mouth structure gives the saiga antelope the appearance of an anteater and works as a sort of air filtration system. 

Narwhal

You wouldn’t be too far off if you said that narwhals look like dolphins with sharp horns. The narwhal is a porpoise with an ivory tusk tooth that sticks out prominently from its upper lip, which gives it the appearance of a horn. The tooth can grow close to 9 feet in length in male narwhals and is thought to be used for mating rituals and fighting off potential rivals. Narwhals are extremely rare, and approximately 45,000 to 50,000 exist in the wild.

Streaked Tenrec

The tenrec, a small, hedgehog-like creature, is uniquely equipped to communicate in the dark and high pitches that human ears cannot pick up. The tenrec’s body is covered with yellow and black quills. And it has a second set of quills that it uses to communicate through stridulation. This form of communication allows the tenrec to communicate constantly in high pitches, making it an excellent tool for communicating in the dark.

Superb Bird Of Paradise

The superb bird of paradise is not to be confused with its regular counterpart, adorned with long tail feathers. This variety of birds are well known for its bright blue breast shield and nape feathers that double as a cape. Males are known for fanning out their nape feathers to create a disc-shaped appearance that looks like a neon blue and black smiley face, a surefire way to attract potential mates.

Thorny Devil

The thorny devil lizard is a fascinating creature that is native to Australia. These lizards have thick, intricate spikes that protect them from predators and survive entirely on ants. One of the most impressive things about these lizards is their ability to change color under temperature. They will stay yellow and red when it’s warm and switch to darker colors when it’s cold.

Vampire Deer

Numerous species of musk deer go by the moniker “vampire deer.” But you can see where he acquired his nickname for the supernatural. The only deer in this family with fangs are males, and they utilize them to fight for females. In November of last year, researchers discovered a single Kashmir musk deer in northeastern Afghanistan for the first time in 60 years.

Glaucus Atlanticus

Glaucus Atlanticus is a slug that floats upside down in the ocean and feeds on the Portuguese man-of-war. After eating, the glaucus stores the stingers of his prey in his finger-like appendages and uses them to fend off attackers. Not only does the name allude to visions of the lost city of Atlantis, but this little sea creature also looks like he might have come from the city itself.

Red Uakari

The bright red, bald face of the uakari primate is a surprisingly attractive quality to potential mates. Pale faces in these primates are symbols of poor health. So the red uakari’s rare appearance makes him highly attractive to potential partners. Though they lack long tails, these monkeys are just as agile as others in their species and hop nimbly from tree to tree without a problem. They also gather in large packs of up to 100 other uakaris for social activities.