The world is a strange and wonderful place. One might argue that humans are definitely the weirdest land animals going, and it would be a very valid point. We can’t really argue against that. However, there are some other truly stellar and bizarre creatures out there that could give us humans a very good run for our money. Check out our list of some of the weirdest land animals in the world and see how many you’ve heard of before.

Pangolins

Pangolins happen to be the only known mammal that has scales. Their scales are made up keratin, like our fingernails. When these cute little critters are threatened, they roll up into a ball and let their scaled “armor” protect them. Native to India, Southeast Asia, and parts of Central and West Africa, these amazing land animals are unfortunately dropping in numbers. Parts of Asia believe the pangolins’ scales have medicinal properties and so poaching is a problem.

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So we’re quarantined… how strange to think that just a week ago I was in Jordan, blissfully oblivious to the scale of the impending crisis. There’s a bigger methaphor here, and so many lessons to be learnt. The links between climate, biodiversity loss and our survival could not have been thrown into sharper relief. One little-known mammal has been in the spotlight because of the epidemic. As you’ll know by now, #pangolins, the most trafficked mammals on Earth, are suspected as a potential #Coronavirus host. I love pangos, and I can’t help to see the current epidemic as their revenge on us for bringing them to the edge of extinction. But a few years ago when I went to investigate why people poach them in Cameroon for @vicetv, what I found was so much more complex than I expected. If you’re interested in finding out why ending poaching is as much a fight for social justice as a fight against organized crime, head out to ViceTV, @hulu, @skytv or @amazonprimevideo (link in bio) to watch Black Market: Dispatches, ep.5 Poaching Pangolins. I’d love to hear what you think, and what else you’ll be reading and watching during the weeks ahead. Stay home and stay safe. 📸 @cedric.jacquet

A post shared by Mélanie Gouby (@melaniegouby) on Mar 16, 2020 at 8:15am PDT

Pink Fairy Armadillo

From one armored weird animal to the next, we give you the pink fairy armadillo. These creatures are the smallest species of armadillo there is. They can be found primarily in Argentina and generally come out at night. With their over-sized front paws for digging, long pink strip of shell, and peeks of white fur, they make for a strange sight. But they’re also pretty cute, don’t you think?

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Just a little Pink Fairy Armadillo….💖 🧚‍♀️ #PinkFairyArmadillo

A post shared by Protect Animals Worldwide (@protect.animals.worldwide) on Feb 18, 2018 at 8:31am PST

Glass Frogs

These tree-dwelling land animals are really interesting. Most glass frogs are lime green in color, but it’s their underside that gives them their name. Some members of this species have a translucent and transparent skin along their underbelly. So, you can actually see their tiny livers, hearts, and gastrointestinal tracts. These guys are also super tiny, generally ranging from around 3-7.5 cm in length.

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Oy oy oy 🔥#glassfrog #transparent

A post shared by dıptısdıptıs (@rafigaontheshore) on Mar 28, 2020 at 6:31pm PDT

Fog-Basking Beetle

Belonging to a group of insects known as Toktokkies, these weird and wonderful land animals have an interesting way of keeping hydrated. At night, or in the morning, these beetles climb to the top of sand dunes as fog begins to roll in. The beetle then performs a handstand where it finds the water condensation to be at its thickest. The fog then condenses on the beetle’s back, and gravity brings the water to its mouth. You can find them hanging out in the Namib Desert, doing handstands, and drinking about 40% of their body-mass in the water.

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Woke up this morning thinking of Namibia. The "Fog-basking beetle" (Onymacris unguicularis) of the Namib desert collects moisture on its body using a distinctive head-stand pose. It can can collect up to 40% of its body weight in water every day. The beetle serves as inspiration for bio-mimicry efforts to harvest fog water in desert areas. I remember camping in the desert and waking up early one morning to climb to the top of a sand dune to find this one. #namibia #fogbaskingbeetle #gobabeb #namib #namibdesert #beetle #tenebrionidae #entymology #desert #desertwildlife #wildlife #wildlifephotography #Onymacrisunguicularis #adaptation #science #biology #environment #nature #environmentalscience #Wüste #namibWüste #biomimicry

A post shared by James Anderson (@jim_in_the_field) on Oct 1, 2017 at 6:33am PDT

Chevrotain

These precious little land animals are also sometimes referred to as “mouse-deer”. Looking at them, it’s not hard to see why. They are the smallest hoofed mammals in the world. They are super tiny, smaller than your average house-cat. They can be found in the forests of South and Southeast Asia, as well as the rainforests of West and Central Africa. This family of animals has been around for around 34 million years.

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Lesser Mouse-deer, Tragulus kanchil. The Lesser Mouse-deer or Kanchil, also known as the Lesser Malay Chevrotain, is found widely across Southeast Asia. As their name suggests, these small even toed ungulates are tiny, measuring about 12 inches at the shoulder. Mouse-deer feed on fallen fruits, tender shoots, young leaves and fungi found along the ground and in low, dense vegetation. This photo shows a female; males have two small tusks. Nikon D850, Nikon 500 mm f/5.6 PF, 1/200 second @ f/5.6, ISO 1250, flash. #mousedeer #lessermousedeer #chevrotain #mammalphotography #deerphotography #deerofinstagram #mousedeerofinstagram #mammalsofthailand

A post shared by Corey (@cr_wildlife) on Dec 19, 2019 at 8:57am PST