Bizarre animal appearances

animals shocked us with the most bizarre appearances some even look like they've been dressing up [Music] but the weird and wonderful shapes and colors of nature are vital to the animals lives [Music] from racing pigs to super snails it's time to reveal sod the secrets behind these crazy costumes [Music] [Music] animals wear all manner of costumes some subtle and others extreme sometimes their disguises to help blend in other times they're designed to stand out and show off but whether it's a monkey in makeup or a salamanders toxic stripes the weird and wonderful outfits enable the creature to thrive perhaps the kings of color for parrots seem an obvious place to start [Music] the birds dazzling hues are not all caused by pigment a lot of it is clever reflection of the light colors are expensive to produce this way the birds can avoid using them [Music] bright vibrant plumage is very attractive to a bird of the opposite sex it demonstrates that the wearer is in good health [Applause] [Music] parrots like aalberts in color and they use it to show off to one of them but surprisingly the main function of their bold markings is camouflage brings help them blend into the leaves but even the reds and blues break up their shapes making them harder for a predator to spot in the canopy [Music] [Music] no animal is more famous for being a master of disguise than the chameleon the cryptic lizards hunt insects and use their knack of picking out good colors to match the surrounding foliage [Music] [Music] by moving slowly and with gentle rocking they'll appear to the cricket as nothing more than a leaf blowing in the wind they manipulate their colors by exciting two layers of pigment within their skin [Music] in their relaxed state for pigments reflects mostly green but when the chameleon gets wound up for example by a trespasser or an attractive member of the opposite sex then the pigment cells are excited until they reflect different shades of light this is one animal that never needs to worry about not having enough different outfits one major reason for an unusual look is to go unseen in the dappled light of the Amazon rainforest anything wearing a spotted coat is close to invisible just what a predator needs to stalk close to its prey [Music] to catch one of these highly strong animals requires a close approach and ambush but the white lipped peccaries don't rely too much on vision in the thick undergrowth their long snouts housed powerful scenting machines [Music] they can't see the Jaguar but they catch its scent [Music] if he wants pork for supper it will take more than fancy-dress below the Amazon another invisibility cloak is being deployed you might not recognize this as a turtle thanks to its cunning disguise the matter matter blends into the leaf litter fleshy projections on its body break up its shape apart from the occasional breath of air all it needs to do is sit and wait the fish are drawn to the interesting pile of debris that might Harbor prey they don't notice the vacuous mouth for the patient reptile a camo costume is a surefire win [Music] many marine creatures flaunt fancy looks most are borned the role but there are a few that pick out their own outfits hermit crabs are not born with shells they simply recycle those left behind by other creatures if they outgrow their accommodation they simply upgrade the hard shell keeps them safe and helps them blend into the rock pool community [Applause] some camo gear is so effective that its owner can disappear into the landscape but this is more than an invisibility cloak breeding in the Arctic the Ida duck is at the mercy of the elements even in midsummer snow flurries are common it can be tough on all the residents but wrapped in her Ida down she sits it out determined to protect her eggs from the cold [Music] in a matter of hours she's buried but barely seems to notice [Music] the snow doesn't last long it melts away and reveals her unmoved and unharmed she has the ultimate survival suit [Music] but if your costume is too good it might draw envious eyes the Ducks fluffy under feathers grown and plucked to line her nest and keep her eggs warm are much coveted by humans wanting a war eiderdown duvet normally the duck would abandon it as soon as her clutch hatches but to people this waste is worth millions [Music] the nervous mother watches as her clutch is placed under expert supervision while the warm nesting material is gathered luckily because of its value it's better for down collectors to avoid harming the Ducks wanting to ensure a future harvest [Music] the little ones are returned to mother none the worse for wear [Music] [Applause] Ida down is camouflage shelter against the fiercest winters and even waterproofing helping these little ones keep their heads above water many youngsters are born in camo costumes much-needed protection in a dangerous world but most will quickly outgrow their birthday suits [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the little waiters don't just need to grow into their Hedgehog suits but their huge feet as well [Music] after a few weeks all the baby birds will not and to add all plumage it's not just Birds harp seals are dark and mottled to blend into the sea floor but their pups start out on the ice they have thick white fur not only to keep them warm but it make them harder for predators to spot it's a smart move in nature to make your babies harder to see though camouflage only really works when they keep still [Music] the spotted forms and humbug piglets will lose their markings in time there are some adult animals that go in for a few costume changes as well it's a winter whiteout in the Arctic here most animals would stick out like a sore thumb but a few Hardy specialists have a neat trick the arctic fox has snowy white thick and windproof fur keeping it warm and well hidden and a cold climate grouse the ptarmigan uses the same technique to avoid being seen it even has hairy toes that act like snowshoes but when the snow disappears so too does the ptarmigans white plumage [Music] it molds into a mottled brown gray that's perfect for disappearing against the rocks [Applause] and Tufts of fur are all that's left of the fox's white coat his gray summer suit is a better match for beachcombing these are markings to help their wearer to blend in to its surroundings but others use their costumes to create spectacle there is no missing this fancy fella making a big fuss about your whereabouts if you're a small animal can attract predators but for this in phibian it seems better to be seen and make a statement the bold markings are saying come and have a go if you think you're hard enough it's a warning that if you mess with the salamander you might regret it the bold pattern tells of special glands hidden in the skin he's deadly especially to the small creditors of a forest the glamorous glands produce an alkaloid neurotoxin that can cause muscle convulsions and hyperventilation his fancy outfit has another benefit to living on the forest floor his toxic skin prevents bacterial or fungal infections he stays looking good and feeling good [Music] though it may not have any poison to back itself up this toad headed a gamma is doing his best to look intimidating like Medusa's hair his tail flicks back and forth it's a display of bravado warning other males to keep off his rock [Music] when someone tries to set up shop on his patch they're in trouble [Music] the intruder leaves but not without sending a message [Music] at least he's got his home back and being next to an ant colony meant it was worth taking the fall many reptiles deploy costume in their intimidating acts but it's not always the tail others turn to color lanford's Rocca Gama dazzles and scares with red racing stripes [Music] the head Bob's in territorial disputes and any trespasser gets the message [Music] his girlfriend seems to approve an intimidating display perhaps backed up with a poisonous punch is a good reason to get dressed up when they've hatched from eggs caterpillars are destined to nothing more than eating leaves for weeks on end as big fat juicy bugs they are often eaten by all manner of creatures but some cover their backs with irritating bristles the youichi hairs are enough to remove most threats [Music] the caterpillars that live long enough will turn into butterflies or marks in this case small Emperor moths and now they have a different tactic large spots on their wings false eyes designed to confuse and intimidate prey I spots are a tried and tested method and when an egg stealing monitor lizard threatens their nest de cops reveal that they too have the bold markings [Music] making themselves look as big and intimidating as possible they work together to call the monitor's bluff [Music] [Music] [Music] having the right costume can really help you keep all your eggs in one basket some of the most intimidating displays are related to sex kappa Cayley's puff themselves up to look as big and as strong as possible they hope to impress females with their might and frighten away any would-be challenger he peaks the femurs interest as he puffs his chest to maximize the theatrical potential of his costume he fills himself full of air the air sacs reverberate enhancing his calls if push comes to shove he can fight with his claws and beak but his outfit is more show than shove but some headgear designed to look good to the opposite sex can also be used in combat this stack is in his prime and the ladies know it with hormones pumping through his body the enraged male warms up on an unfortunate tree [Music] the intruder is making moves on his females not something he will tolerate [Music] this is not just a hat for show antlers are made from some of the strongest bones on earth built to go head-to-head [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] things don't always have to turn nasty [Music] the fanciest costume in the world female peahens gather around the displaying cop [Music] his incredible fan is two meters across the females will judge it based on its size and bright hues at the 150 I like markings [Music] [Applause] young males yet to grow their plumes do their best to impress [Music] but these girls don't want a toy boy this is an audio in-house performance the vibrations create low-frequency sounds that the girls can't resist but this costume can be a drag literally the weight of the train makes it harder for the mature males to make a speedy escape and there are plenty of dangers in the jungle a cat in camo costume [Music] [Music] [Music] lucky for the peacock this time he's brought down a deer an outfit designed to blend in worked for him and now the peacock can get back to work with his conspicuous costume some combined display and dispute in their finery these gladiators are ready to die by the sword [Music] [Music] Ruff's wading birds that win mates by dressing up there are various looks this season with each wearer hoping his color combo will impress the ladies there is another type of costume some of the smaller males dressed like the females hoping to get past the aggressive birds and find their way to a mate they too need house ting [Music] fresh from the battlegrounds the male's primp and preen and the victors look to claim their prizes but the females seem more interested in chasing worms all dressed up with nowhere to go this colorful character dubbed the clown of the north is the Atlantic puffin by winter the birds live at sea you have small drab beaks but when they arrive on land to breed their beaks grow like getting ready for a masquerade ball [Music] and to these image orientated individuals size matters [Music] the birds with the biggest most colorful beaks will be the most attractive to the opposite sex [Music] [Applause] the birds mate for life and the bill tapping helps reaffirm their bonds [Music] not only do their beaks look nice both birds will use them to dig burrows and line them with nesting material [Music] and when their chicks hatch they are also useful to transports and deals [Music] noses can be the most ridiculous aspect of fancy-dress to the human eye big noses can look absurd but many animals make the most of having them one hell of a honker belongs to the Russian Desmond [Music] it's a mall that spends most of its time underwater it has a snorkel of a snout [Music] like other molds it can barely see and so uses its sizable schnoz to feel its way [Music] moles have a unique nose called I MERS organ instead of site they can use their sensitive snouts to feel their surroundings [Music] it's especially well developed in the Desmond to help it navigate murky water [Music] it might look a bit silly but it's expert at sniffing out a treat whether it's fish frogs shrimps or a tasty snail another big nose this time in the Amazon rainforest though it's a cousin of the horse the tapir has a nose more like an elephant highly flexible it can swing in all directions it's large-area gives its owner a good sense of smell but can also act like a hand to help pile food into its mouth in the trees overhead there's a raccoon that dresses like a tapir the co arty has the same body plan as its North American raccoon counterpart but it enjoys a more distinguished profile [Music] but there is another aspect of their costume a long banded tail the prehensile appendage can act like an extra limb to get them through the canopy though sometimes it needs a bit of backup like help from mum [Music] on the ground the tail has another job carried aloft it's like a banner helping keep the troupe together it would be all too easy to get lost in the dense jungle once down on the ground that nose really comes in useful sniffing out tasty treats like their raccoon cousins coatis can eat just about anything even tarantulas but they prefer insects and fruit all they have to do is follow their nose having a wacky face full of nose can lead to some crazy adaptations on the vast Russian steppe burning summers and freezing winters make life difficult but the Saiga antelope uses its huge nose the big flexible muzzle can allow blood close to the surface to help cool it on hot days but when the temperature drops you can also warm the freezing air before it passes into their lungs it also works a bit like a car's pollen filter filtering out dust kicked up but a herd a lone watchman on a vast desert plane a [Music] type of Mongoose this is the meerkat plan in the Namibian Sun the greatest of resources his water and a tiny natural spring forms the core of the home range for a meerkat troupe they are very social animals and work together to defend their patch to make sure it stays safe they always post someone on guard with a watchman on Lookout the rest of the troop can relax and quench their thirst [Music] it's not easy to look out in the fierce intense African Sun but meerkats have a trick which is just as well as many dangers come from above sportsmen sometimes put dark stripes under their eyes and meerkats have the same look they might have the appearance of last bandits but the dark skin reduces glare bouncing off their cheeks [Music] it means they can look up on the brightest of days the meerkats have neighbors the ground squirrels like to hang out nearby to take advantage of the meerkats security system these squirrels have a useful accessory themselves their big bushy tails it can be hot work feeding out on the plains like a built-in parasol the tails the perfect Sun shape to help forage under the Sun on the African plains a lack of water is a problem in Japanese mangroves the opposite is true creatures burrow away until the tide goes out but then some wacky outfits are unveiled crabs come in all colors using the bright hues to help recognize their own kind and to show off to each other some have a huge accessory only male fiddler crabs have the giant claw it's the size and color of the claw that can bring success and the claw size determines the dimensions of the owners burrow if the glove fits so will the female big claws will produce the ideal burrows and nesting chambers [Music] mudskippers are fish that can walk out of water once the tide retreats they can clear their burrows of mud before beginning a foraging excursion as long as their gills stay damp they can breathe air when the best feeding spots get a bit crowded they perform a quick costume change like a Matadors cape the fins are waved to taunt their neighbors but before there is any trouble the tide returns and the fancy fins are packed away some creature costumes are easy to explain but others remain a mystery no one really knows why zebras are stripy the bold black and white markings probably don't help camouflage them though they might make it harder for predators to pick out one individual in the herd they might help individuals tell one another apart and they certainly give each species its own distinct look [Music] some suggest the ice training stripes confuse insects deterring biting flies from landing and others even wonder if the darkened light warm up at different rates helping to control the wearer's temperature [Music] whatever the reason they model the fanciest outfits on the plains is this costume building in progress [Music] in the South American rain forests leafcutter ants look like mini seamstresses cutting out dress patterns [Music] [Applause] with remarkable feats of strength they can carry the sheets which way many times more than they do they look like tiny yachts or full mast their appearance is enough to alarm a lizard who does some displaying of its own [Music] but the ants aren't doing this to look good they're farmers harvesting the leaves and shipping them back to their nests where they are used to cultivate fungi their staple diet [Music] but there are some animals that seem to deliberately dress up antler decorations can make the wearer look bigger and more intimidating whether the ladies will be attracted to a weed remains to be seen with their big ears wrinkled skin tusks and enormous snouts elephants already look pretty well dressed up but in the Namibian desert the Sun can get a bit intense perhaps a Sun Hat will help there are other ways that Elly's can get creative with a spot of face painting they are clearly enjoying themselves but the modpack will serve to cool and protect their skin and keep insects at bay but it might not help their wrinkles and for the inquisitive dolphin almost anything can become a fancy decoration even human waste can enhance his appearance this is dressing up purely for fun [Music] [Music] [Music] animals dressing up may seem weird but throughout the ages we too have enjoyed some crazy costumes [Music] whether for ritual religion or to celebrate the natural world we love getting dressed up [Applause] [Music] do we perhaps have the craziest costumes of them all [Music] [Music] [Music]

Channel: Free High-Quality Documentaries

Views: 1,518,823

Rating: 4.7307091 out of 5

Keywords: Nature, Documentary, HD, Animals, People, Places, Adventures, Countries, Wildlife, Technology, Travel, Portraits, Biography, Science, bizarre, appearances, shapes, colours, nature, outfits, parrots, birds, camouflage, sex, pigment, toxic, stripes

Id: YqS35WMrCZg

Length: 50min 0sec (3000 seconds)

Published: Fri Jan 12 2018