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Interesting Animals
Maned Wolf
Canine that resembles a mix between a Fox/Wolf but is neither.
The largest canine in South America - they do not hunt in packs only meeting others during breeding seasons - and are omnivores.
Thylacines
Tasmanian Tiger
Extinct wolf-type breed with tiger stripes
They had a pouch similar to a kangaroo on their underbelly that both men and females had. The female would use it during youth, while the male would use to protect their young.
The species was eradicated in Tasmania from bounty hunters and angry farmers.
Hawaiian Poi Dogs
Extinct dog breed that guarded Native houses but also were a main source of food during dire times.
The Hawaiians looked at them as spiritual protectors - but the breed eventually declined into extinction as the islander's beliefs were forgotten and over time they abandoned breeding the dogs.
Wojtek
The Soviet Bear
Bear taken from Soviet Union by the Polish Army during WWII that supposedly hauled ammo. He played with the soldiers and was a celebrity for Allied generals before living the rest of his life in Edinburgh Zoo (Scotland) after the War.
Gander
"Sergeant Gander"
Newfoundland Dog that traveled with a Canadian army regiment in WWII.
The dog was donated instead of being forced to be put down, and helped the regiment on 3 occasions.
The last time, he was killed in battle after picking up a thrown Japanese grenade and running towards the enemy - saving the nearby soldiers.
Tsavo Man-Eaters
Deadly Pair of male lions that were estimated to have killed over 100 people constructing railways in Kenya.
They were eventually killed by a British officer/hunter who was sent as the lions were a major threat to the Railway company.
Synanceia Verrucosa
Deadliest Fish
The Stonefish
Fins are lined with 13 spines that are venomous, and 18 mg of dose can be fatal. The fish can release enough from 6 of their spines, and low dose symptoms are often serious.
Portuguese Man O' War
Ocean animal that closely resembles a jellyfish… really it's a mix of many animals fitting into a colony body…. Like a crew sailing a boat.
Each part of the colony is venomous and it is a carnivore.
Tullimonstrum
Real Life Spore Creature
Tully's Monster, a extinct soft-bodied marine animal that lived 310 million years ago. The creature had a cigar shaped body with two stalked eyes, and a tong shaped beak.
Thylacocephala
Sea Wall-E
Extinct arthropod that looked like flat crabs with with giant eyes,
Had raptor like limbs and ranged from 15 - 250 mm in size.
Unknown what period they lived in.
Helicoprion
Extinct shark that's lower jaw would spiral at the end in the shape of a sawblade called "tooth whorls". It was believed to be a evolutionary trait for breaking down hard-bodied shelled life.
Therizinosaurus
Dinosaur
Giant Extinct Raptor that could grow to 16 feet and 33 ft long.
They were herbivores and slow runners, using their long arms and claws to pull food from trees.
Cotylorhynchus
Dinosaur
Extinct Chunky Lizard
Had a barrel-shaped body with a very disproportationally small head.
They were mostly land animals although they were semi-aquatic.
Averaged around 20 feet long and weighed 1,100 lbs.
Tanystropheus
Dinosaur
Giant Extinct Reptile that looked like a mix between a whale and a giraffe. It had a elongated neck that was about 2/3 of its body - and averaged 16 - 20 feet in length.
Erythrosuchus
Dinosaur
Extinct Lizard with giant T-Rex Head - with a appearance like a crocodile.
Were the largest predator of its time - around 15-16 feet long.
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Argentavis
Flying Dinosaur
One of largest extinct flying birds, had a average wing span of 21 - 24 feet.
It weighed around 150-180 lbs which was unusually heavy for a bird.
Believed to have worked more like a scavenger than predator because of its aerodynamics.
Mosasaur
Water Dinosaur
Extinct Aquatic Reptile, mix between a lizard and shark.
Breathed air and could adapt to most aquatic environments.
Averaged 39-42 feet long with the largest being 56 feet.
Basilosaurus
Water Dinosaur
Large extinct predatory whale that existed ~35 million years ago.
It was the largest in the Paleogene Era, measuring around 56-66 feet long and weighing up to 15 metric tons.
The whale had a unique look because of it's extremely long and narrow body.
Dunkleosteus
Water Dinosaur
Extinct mix between shark and turtle
Lived about 350 million years ago, llived in open waters and was one of the 1st vertebrate apex predators.
Estimated to have been 13 - 33 ft long and weighing anywhere from 1-4 metric tons.
Rhizodus
Water Dinosaur
Extinct largest freshwater fish, based on specimens would have had been an average of 17 feet long, and weighed 1-1.5 metric tons.
Elasmotherium
Extinct
Extinct Rhino with huge unicorn horn
Were believed to have been around 9,990 lbs - and would have been herbivores.
Gigantopithecus
Extinct
Giant Extinct Ape that were 10 ft tall.
Weighed just 450-650 lbs but had the largest teeth/jaw of any ape. Which it was generally a herbivore so it would eat thick plants/stems but would eat other animals when the opportunity came.
Glyptodon
Extinct
Giant Extinct Armadillo
Lived around 3.2 million years ago and were herbivores.
Reached up to 7 feet long and 880 lbs in weight.
Had a shield-like shell made of bone-like material, and the rest of its body was covered in scales.
Rubidgeinae
Extinct
Giant Extinct Mole Rat - fossils appearing only in Africa and believed to have lived around 120 million years ago.
They were believed to have been the largest predator in their environment and are believed to have hunted in packs.
Megatherium
Extinct
Extinct Giant Ground Sloth
The animal was believed to have stood about 20 feet tall on its hind legs, and weighed 8,200 - 8,800 lbs about the same as a bull elephant.
Unclear if they moved slow like sloths too.
Hallucigenia
Extinct
Extinct Worms that walk on legs - and had spines that served as scales.
Fossils found in Canada/China - aged back to Cambrian Era (over 300 million years ago)
Green-banded broodsac
Host Bug
A parasitic flatworm that usually becomes a host of a land snail - and uses its eye stalks to start pulsing their own attraction for birds. The worm then spreads through the bird.
Brood Parasite
Behavior where a species will mimic another to themselves or their babies get raised by them.
Happens mainly with birds, insects, and fish. With birds - the invading mom may go as far as to kill the actual babies so they can put their baby in the nest & better blend in with the rest.
Collapse of Insects
Study that an average 9% insect population decreasing each decade (2% per year).
Basically the more populated species dying faster will lead to ecosystem impacts because of the need to adapt to lesser resources... being generous.
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