Weird, Funny, Or Bizarre Creatures Of The Earth Shared By This Instagram Account (30 Pics)

Some call them mistakes, Bob Ross calls them happy accidents, but this Instagram page just went the direct route—World’s Strangest Wildlife. It leaves no room for debate as to what you’ll be getting, but the actual critters may leave you more than thoroughly intrigued. 

From land to sea, the page is dedicated to sharing “the most rare, beautiful, and strangest creatures and plants of the world,” as said in the bio. So far, they’ve accumulated 5,690 followers eager to get their dose of Mother Nature’s experimental laboratory of secretive creations. 

Although these creations may seem intriguing, albeit a little unusual, one must not forget that nature is never black and white; there are a lot of secretive behaviors that wildlife partake in whilst we’re sitting at our desks at work, unaware of the magic. 

Fact Animal, authored by Dan Sharp, a UK-based animal expert, enthusiast and researcher, has made a list of 101 of the greatest animal facts, so I think these will pair very nicely with all of the strange and wondrous pictures you’re already enjoying. 

Can you believe that the loudest animal in the world is a mere 2 cm long (0.78 inch) prawn? The pistol shrimp is capable of snapping its claw shut so rapidly that it creates a bubble which collapses to produce a sonic blast, louder than a Concorde’s sonic boom. The shock wave can reach 230 decibels, which is louder than the sound of a gunshot.

What if I told you that the world’s deadliest animal isn’t a shark, bear, or tiger, but a mere mosquito? According to the World Health Organization, 725,000 people are killed each year by mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever. 

To prevent yourself from falling prey to these annoying buzzing critters, Mass.gov recommends using insect repellents any time you are outdoors, wearing long-sleeved clothing, repairing damaged window and door screens so those pesky buggers can’t get in, and removing any standing water sources from around your home, so they can’t breed. 

Getting back to interesting animal facts: Flamingos are not pink. They are born gray; however, their diet of brine shrimp and blue-green algae contains a natural pink dye called canthaxanthin that makes their feathers pink. Wish we as humans could just eat something and change color–oh wait, we can!

Eating too many carrots can turn your skin orange. “Carrots can, in fact, cause an orangish yellow skin pigmentation,” says Dr. Lady Dy, a dermatologist with the Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. “It’s called carotenemia and is often most noticeable on thick skin like the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet.” 

The orangish-yellow discoloration is a result of excess beta-carotene in the blood. Other foods that can cause increased pigmentation include squash, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and even dried apricots. All these foods are high in beta-carotene. So if you’ve always wanted to be a Simpsons character, there is still hope for you! 

The last interesting fact about the animal kingdom comes from McGill University. Back in 1996, it was found that koalas have a lot more in common with us humans than meets the eye. Their fingerprints very closely resemble those of humans, which is exceptionally interesting as koalas are evolutionarily distant from humans. 

It turns out that fingerprints are an excellent example of convergent evolution, or different species developing similar traits independently from each other. They seem to serve two purposes: First, they aid in grip; Second, they increase the sensitivity of touch, allowing for a finer level of perception. 

Police aren’t exactly worried about koala bank robbers, but it is possible that koala fingerprints could be found incidentally at a crime scene and be mistaken for a human’s, making it pretty difficult to find a match. Good thing koalas can’t read, otherwise this might lead to an increase in bank robberies. Tough times for us all, innit? 

Regardless of it all, the strange facts and the strange-looking creatures, there’s charm in that strangeness. Isn’t it wonderful that there are so many different species, different colors, different shapes and sizes? It definitely makes for a more interesting world for aliens to visit! 

Dear Pandas, please enjoy the rest of the list, and don’t forget to vote for your favorites! Are there any other creatures that you know of that didn’t make the list? Leave them in the comments below and I shall see you in the next one!