Amazing animals — A look at the weird and wonderful species that live on our planet
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Pigbutt worm: The deep-sea 'mystery blob' with the rump of a pig and a ballooned bellyBizarre worm that looks "like the rump of a pig from one side and Mick Jagger's lips from the other" may be in the middle of an evolutionary leap, scientists say.
By Melissa Hobson Published
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Southern grasshopper mouse: The tiny super-predator that howls at the moon before it killsThe southern grasshopper mouse is largely immune to the venom of the Arizona bark scorpion and will resort to cannibalism when times are tough.
By Megan Shersby Published
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Blue dragon: The deadly sea slug that steals venom from its preyThe blue dragon may be too weak to resist the ocean's current, but it can take on a Portuguese man o'war and even steal its venom.
By Melissa Hobson Published
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Skeleton panda sea squirt: The weird little creature that looks like baby panda dressed up for HalloweenScientists discovered this little panda skeleton that lives off the coast of a Japanese island was a new species after scuba divers posted photos of it online.
By Melissa Hobson Published
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Eleonora's falcon: The raptor that imprisons birds live by stripping their feathers and stuffing them in rocksOne population of Eleonora's falcon is reported to keep little birds alive inside rocky prisons — a behavior not seen in any other raptor species.
By Megan Shersby Published
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Hummingbird hawk-moth: The bird-like insect with a giant sucking mouthpartJust as humans rely on their eyes to make precise movements with their hands, hummingbird hawk-moths use continuous visual feedback to precisely position their proboscis in the center of flowers.
By Rohini Subrahmanyam Published
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Patagonian mara: The monogamous rodents that mate only a few times a year but pee on each other constantlyMale Patagonian maras follow females wherever they go and rub poop on the ground around them to deter rival males.
By Sascha Pare Published
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Shoebill: The human-sized African bird that eats baby crocodiles and kills its siblingsShoebills reach up to 5 feet in height and they are formidable ambush predators, standing still in swamps before lunging forward to swallow their prey whole with their giant bills.
By Megan Shersby Published
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Mary River turtle: The green-haired oddball that can breathe through its butt for 72 hoursThe Mary River turtle has adapted to life underwater after splitting from all other living turtle lineages more than 18 million years ago.
By Megan Shersby Published
