- [Narrator] The world
we live in is chock-full of crazy and colorful creatures, but a few are so seldom
seen that you'd be forgiven for thinking they're mythical beings. From deep in the oceans
to high in the trees, these crazy critters can
hide just about anywhere. So, put on your khaki clothes
and grab your binoculars, because we're about to go on a safari of some of the strangest wild animals that have rarely been seen. (contemporary music) Curious Cuscus. The dense forests of Northern New Guinea are home to thousands, if not
millions, of animal species. But there's one slinking
about in the darkness that's as confusing as it is captivating. This is the Black-Spotted Cuscus, a mysterious marsupial
that looks like a cross between a cat, a fox, and a monkey. Though we don't know much about it, what we do know is fascinating. For a start, those snake-like
eyes are very useful for seeing in the dark. Much like cats and foxes, the Cuscus' vertically slit pupils allow it to see excellently at night, while also blocking out harmful daylight in the sunlit hours. As well as being nocturnal, these freaky furballs are arboreal, meaning they live in trees. Using their arched front
claws and 20-inch tail, they nimbly navigate the
very tips of the treetops in search of tasty fruits and leaves. But even though they seem safe up there, they've been pushed to
the brink of extinction thanks to deadly deforestation
and human hunting efforts. And now, so little is
known about these animals that we don't even know how
many are left in the wild. That's enough to make anyone cuss. Hidden Desman. In Catalonia's Alt Pirineu National Park, a strange combination of
a rat, mole, and platypus scurries around on the
ground entirely undetected, that is, until it's caught. This elusive little animal
is a Pyrenean Desman. Using its twitchy trunk-like nose, it roots through mud and
crevices for insects and fish like a tiny, carnivorous elephant. Unlike an elephant though, these little critters are also amphibious. They can close their nostrils
and ears while swimming, and their paddle-like paws allow them to zip through the water like some sort of furry fish. But because this minute mammal is only about five inches long, nocturnal, and lightning
fast, it's very hard to spot. The little pocket rocket is
so hard to study in fact, that researchers have resorted to hunting for its poop instead. It's a dirty way of extracting
DNA from the animals without having to dive
into the water after them. But I think those researchers are looking in the wrong places, because some Desman seem to care more about having fun than running away. Now, these animals might
be difficult to spot, but you don't need a pair of eagle eyes to see those like and
subscribe buttons down below. Go ahead and hit them up. Right, all done? Great, now what's next? Gooty Beauty. If you're scared of spiders,
I suggest you look away now, because the Gooty Tarantula
is as spine-tinglingly scary as it is bizarrely beautiful. The sapphire spider was first found in the town of Gooty,
Southern India, in 1899, before completely
disappearing for 102 years until it was spotted again in 2001. You might be wondering how
something so strikingly blue with a huge, eight-inch leg-span could possibly vanish for so long. But that's because the Gooty is actually a very timid tarantula. Instead of attacking, the spider will opt to
flee in most situations. And as a tree-dweller, it often
lurks high above eye-level, staying well out of sight of most humans. But if provoked, it will bite, and its poisonous fangs are so potent that they can leave humans in
intense pain for over a week. Not that it seems to bother this man, who actually owns one of the
incredibly rare creatures. (soft music) They're not exactly my idea of a cute pet. Though some are kept in captivity, it's now almost impossible
to find them in the wild because their habitats are being
destroyed by deforestation. No wonder they look so blue. Sky-High Funny Guy. The mountaintops of the Khau Ca forests in Northern Vietnam are so high, parts of them soar
spectacularly above the clouds, although that's not the forests'
most incredible feature. Because it's here, in trees perched up to 4,000 feet above sea level, that the Tonkin Snub-Nosed Monkeys climb. They may sound majestic, but up close, they look
a lot more like clowns. With a blue face, bright white
eyes, and huge pink lips, it looks like the poor primates tried to put makeup on without a mirror. Even their babies are born looking like they're about
to perform in a drag show. But we shouldn't laugh,
because they're actually one of the 25 most endangered
primate species in the world. Today, only about 200
are left in the wild, thanks to intense poaching
and massive habitat loss. Looks like this primate's appearance is the least of its problems. A Sizeable Squid. Despite their huge size,
it's still very rare to catch a sighting of an
aptly named Giant Squid. That's because these colossal cephalopods usually live in the darkest
depths of the ocean, around 2,000 feet below the waves. So elusive are these massive sea monsters that it wasn't until 2006 that the first footage
of one was captured, taken off the coast of Japan. But considering there are an estimated 4.3 million giant squids swimming around, a lack of sightings is astounding. This injured squid however, off the coast of Cape
Town in South Africa, must have lost its way. It's possible the animal was
attacked by a sperm whale, their only known predator, or it could've gotten into a
fight with one of its own kind. Scientists know from cutting
open giant squid carcasses that they live on a
diet of deep-water fish and even other giant squids,
so anything's possible. They show no interest in
feasting on human flesh though, which is lucky, because
the eight-armed titans also have two long feeding tentacles lined with razor-sharp, serrated suckers. Using these, they can snatch prey up to an astonishing 33 feet away. Then, they reel the
unfortunate cargo towards them before munching it into tiny pieces with their powerful beaks. Considering the behemoths
can grow up to 43 feet long, which is about the size
of seven to eight adults, I don't think a human would stand much of a chance against one. What's more, the growth
rings on statoliths, which are small, mineralized masses that help squids to balance, suggest they don't live
any longer than five years. So, they must grow at an insane pace, and need an equally insane amount of food to sustain all that growth. Okay, now I'm really glad they
don't have a taste for human or we'd all be in deep water. Brilliant Bumblebee Bat. You'd better look really closely if you want to get a glimpse of this miniature creature. With a body slightly over an inch long that weighs even less than a penny, the Bumblebee Bat is believed to be the smallest mammal in the entire world. It's so small that, unlike other bats, it can actually hover in
the air like a hummingbird, and dart away just as quickly. But it's not just its tiny size that means it's hardly ever seen, it's also classed as a vulnerable species in Thailand and Myanmar, where it lives. Like regular bats, they cling
to the ceilings of caves in clusters during the day. But Monks that use the
bats' caves to meditate in, and tourists trying to
spy the rare animals, have disturbed and damaged
these precious natural habitats. That's not to say the flying furballs haven't fought back though. Reddit user Skididlydoo
recalled a tour-guide's tale about a group of tourists who noisily tramped around one of these caves, waking all the little
bats clustered high above. And they were not happy. Furiously, the crazy critters
swooped down from the ceiling and pelted themselves at the tourists like a big, fuzzy hailstorm. Well, I definitely
wouldn't be hanging around if that happened to me. Secretive Sea Pigs. Despite the name, ocean-dwelling Sea Pigs will not respond to being called "Babe" and don't have curly pink tails, either. Unlike their namesakes,
Sea Pigs are actually a type of sea cucumber
that live in the deepest, darkest, coldest places of the ocean, some four miles below the surface. And even though they're
very common down there, they live in such an extreme location that you and I will probably never see one with our own eyes. Which is a shame, because
they're so strange I could sit and watch them for hours. (soft music) Even though these bloated,
water-filled sausages only grow to about 6 1/2 inches long, they're bigger than almost
everything else at these depths. But if anything does try to eat them, they possess a poisonous skin
to help repel the attacker. Not that anything with half
a brain would try to eat it, I mean, imagine putting
that creepy little thing in your mouth, ugh. As such, they spend most of their days happily sucking up detritus
from the ocean floor, completely carefree. I guess they must be as
happy as a pig in mud. Private Purple Frog. I have a riddle for you: what's about the size of your
palm, has the nose of a pig, and is the color of Barney the dinosaur? If you somehow guessed this
frog, then you have my respect. The lumpy, squishy Purple
Frog is such a peculiar shape that it's been dubbed the
doughnut frog by some. Though sadly for my waistline, I'll see a lot more
doughnuts in my lifetime than I will Purple Frogs. This species lives underground and only emerges to breed
for a few brief hours a year. In fact, the frog is so
elusive that it took scientists until 2003 to discover it even existed. This is partly because it only lives in the Periyar region of India. It might also be because its mating call sounds less like that of a frog, and more like a lost chicken. (frog croaks) Usually, these frogs call from the burrows and nests
they make underground. Here, baby tadpoles are born from eggs laid in crevices, holes,
and the underside of stones, and spend 100 days developing
while clinging to bedrocks. Then, when they've grown
into their final fleshy form, they burrow deep underground
and use their pointed snout to gobble up ants and termites. The only time they travel
to the surface at all is during mating season, while the male hilariously
rides the female to the surface. I guess that's one way
to ride your partner. Astonishing Amur Leopard. If ever an animal could be more different from the bloated blob we just
saw, it's the Amur Leopard. This beautiful big cat lives in Russian and Chinese rainforests and can run up to a
blazing-fast 37 miles per hour. But even with such incredible speed, sadly, it can't outrun poachers, who have hunted it to the point where only 70 remain in the wild. Today, the Amur Leopard is the
world's most endangered cat, and its uniqueness has
been its biggest downfall. The cat's coat can grow
almost three inches thick due to the cold climate, and is paler than other leopards' coats. Unfortunately, this makes it
very attractive for poachers looking to make a profit
on the gorgeous fur. But thanks to conservation
efforts by Russia and China, Amur leopard numbers are increasing again in their native forest habitat. And when they're hidden amongst the trees, it's not hard to see why they're known as the greatest stalkers and climbers of all the big cats. Amazingly, Amur Leopards can tackle prey up to 10 times their own body weight, and then carry all that
weight with them up trees to hide the kills from other predators. However, there are also about
200 Amur Leopards in captivity where, as you can see, they
enjoy a luxurious lifestyle with all the creature comforts provided. Patient Potoo. Despite standing up to two feet tall, with bulging, bright yellow
eyes, and a massive mouth, the Great Potoo isn't an obvious animal. Even with all its freaky features, this South and Central American bird is actually a master of disguise, using its mottled brown color to blend in seamlessly
with the trees it rests on. It can hold this rigid position all day, and even during storms, so that no potential predators spot it. Even while sleeping, it
remains staunch to its post, and, crazily, can detect
approaching predators by using narrow openings at
the bottom of its eyelids. So, these incredible creatures can see with their eyes closed. But when the night falls, the
Great Potoo springs to life. Plucking beetles and moths out of the air with that big beak, it only stops feeding to
make a strange, haunting cry that echoes around the woods it lives in. (potoo cries out) And I thought they just looked creepy. Odd Okapi. At a glance, what sort of animal would you say the lesser-known Okapi is? Did those stripes on its behind make you think it was a
member of the Zebra family? Well, despite those signature streaks, Okapis are actually the only
living relative of the giraffe. While it doesn't look like much of a giraffe on the outside, one trait it does share with
its stretched-necked cousins is a long, black tongue. Like Giraffes, Okapi use
their terrifying tongues to reach up and strip buds
and leaves from trees. But they also use it to groom themselves, and even lick their own ears and eyelids with the 18-inch monstrosity. However, when they're not
licking their own eyes, these secretive animals
wander the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the only place they can
be found in the wild. Although, you probably wouldn't find any if you went looking yourself. Not only are the Okapi well camouflaged, but those big upright ears are super sensitive to sound, too. So, they'd hear you and scamper
long before you saw them. Scientists have also discovered that as well as their normal bleats, Okapi have a secret language
using frequencies so low humans can't hear the
slightest sound at all. And it's a good job they're
skilled at avoiding people, because sadly, they're hunted extensively and now about 25,000 remain in the wild. Turtle Trouble. Softshell Turtles come
in all shapes and sizes, from the fairly common Florida variety, all the way up to their
narrow-headed Indian cousins. But the big daddy of them
all is, without a doubt, the Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle. At more than 440 pounds, these phenomenal freshwater creatures continuously grow for more than 100 years to weigh about the same
as three adult humans. But despite their
enormous size and weight, there are so few left in the wild that your chances of seeing
one are next to none. Due to pollution, hunting, and the destruction of
their wetland habitats in China and Vietnam, the
species is as close to extinction as it's possible to be. In grand total, just five of
these weird-looking turtles are left in the whole world. And what's more, of the five we know of, only one is a female, so
conservationists in Vietnam are on a mission to get
her to mate with a male. So far, there's been no luck, but females can lay up to a
whopping 40 eggs at a time. So, there's still hope that the turtles could be saved within a year. Vanishing Vaquita. Also competing for the title
of world's rarest animal, we have the Vaquita. Of the seven species of porpoise, vaquitas are the second smallest, weighing around 95 pounds, which is less than half the
weight of the largest porpoises. Though not quite as rare as the Yangtze Softshell Turtle, there are only around 10 of these adorable ocean
critters alive today. In fact, the pretty
porpoises are so rarely seen that until recently, many people believed they
were mythical creatures. But even if there were more in the wild, they'd still be pretty difficult to spot as they're only about four feet long. They do, however, have a
relatively big dorsal fin, which scientists believe
is used to dissipate heat. This is needed because
vaquitas live exclusively in much warmer waters than many other porpoises. Sadly, vaquita numbers are dwindling because of illegal fishing operations in Mexico's Gulf of California, where the very last of
these amazing animals live. Fishermen regularly cast out
nets to hunt totoaba fish, which are also endangered, and in doing so, accidentally
snag vaquitas as well. So, despite looking like they're smiling, there really isn't a lot for
these guys to smile about. Doom in the Gloom. Imagine swimming down into the ocean, reaching the crushing, dark depths almost a mile below the waves, when all of a sudden, this terrifying face
emerges from the blackness. Ah Jesus, what's your
mother doing down here? All jokes aside, this is the
aptly named Goblin Shark. Despite its looks, this deep sea-lurker poses no danger to humans, because it lives at depths of around 4,300 feet. Which is lucky, because just
one look at its massive jaws is enough to make anyone never want to step foot
in the ocean again. With anywhere between
31 and 62 rows of teeth, it has no problem crushing, cutting, and chewing up any
crustaceans and small fish it can find on the ocean floor. And it's an excellent hunter too, utilizing its special low-density flesh to silently drift towards
prey without alerting them. Most terrifyingly of all,
though, when the 12-foot stalker is close enough to its catch, it does something truly unique. In one swift movement the Goblin
Shark can dislocate its jaw and propel all 62 rows of teeth forward at a ferociously fast
10.2 feet per second. I don't know about you, but that definitely made my jaw drop. Terrific Tenrec. At first glance, you'd be mistaken for thinking this yellow-streaked,
mouse-like creature is some kind of long-lost Pokemon. But you won't find it
lurking in the long grass, because this is a Lowland Streaked Tenrec, and it prefers to spend its
time in underground burrows throughout Eastern Madagascar. Because of their subterranean lifestyle, very little is known
about these creatures, including how many even exist. But what we do know is crazy. Living in groups of around 20, the tenrecs communicate to
each other using special quills found along their six-inch bodies. By rubbing the quills together, they make sounds through stridulation. It's the same process crickets use when they rub their legs
together to make chirping noises, but tenrecs are the only mammals
in the world that do this. But their knack for clever communication doesn't mean they aren't up for a fight. If threatened, the spiny little beasts raise the quills around their neck and will violently buck
their head at their attacker. So, I wouldn't recommend trying
to catch these tiny terrors, with or without a Pokeball. Ridiculous Rhinos. Now, the super rare Sumatran Rhino may not look all that tiny, but they are the smallest
of their kind in the world. If you were to stand toe to toe with one of these tiny rhinos, you'd probably tower over them as they only stand up
about five feet tall. But I wouldn't
underestimate the full force of these 2000-pound powerhouses, because if one charged at you, it would be like getting
smacked in the stomach by two racehorses at once. While their size certainly
makes them stand out, it's the luscious locks
covering their body that really sets them apart from the rest of the Rhino family. This is because they're
the closest living relative to the woolly rhino,
a long extinct species that last roamed the earth around 12,000 years
ago during the Ice Age. Unfortunately, if trends continue, hair might not be the
only thing Sumatran Rhinos share with their extinct woolly cousins. Due to habitat loss and
fragmented populations, the number of Sumatran Rhinos
has declined across Asia, and now, fewer than 80 survive
on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo. But even in captivity, only
two females have reproduced in the last 15 years. Take a look at one of
their most recent babies. Cute, right? Or kind of creepy. Man, I just can't decide. Let me know what you
think in the comments. (soft music) Elephant Shrews. Sorry to let you down, but
you're not about to see the result of elephants
crossbreeding with shrews. However, the Elephant
Shrew, also known as Sengi, is a very odd little animal, nonetheless. Ranging from about four to 12 inches long, these miniature mammals
sport trunk-like noses that they use to efficiently
find and hoover up juicy grubs and insects. They're so effective at
searching for creepy crawlies that they play a vital role in keeping insect populations
down around South Africa. But natural disasters like
droughts and forest fires have led to a worrying
decline in Sengi numbers over the past decade. And even before this, the shrews were highly elusive animals. So elusive in fact, that the Somali Sengi
disappeared completely in the 1970s and wasn't
officially seen again for 50 whole years. Recently, however, a team of scientists in Djibouti, East Africa, set more than 1000 traps
in 12 different locations to see if the little
critters were still around. They traps were covered in an
extensive combination of foods like peanut butter,
oatmeal, and even yeast. After all this effort though, they only found 12 of the shy shrews. Maybe they should have tried something that smells and tastes like bugs instead, like my mother-in-law's cooking? Shocking Shoebill. Lurking in the swamps of Eastern Africa, giant statues of prehistoric-looking birds are perched over the water's edge. But for all their stillness,
these aren't actually statues, they're Shoebill Storks. At a shocking five-foot tall,
these intimidating creatures can stand stone-still for hours on end, waiting for prey to pass by. And the second something
catches their ominous eyes, they leap into action, striking with their huge, serrated bills and completely engulfing
whatever's unfortunate enough to have gotten near. And Shoebills are known to eat massive 6 1/2-foot-long monitor lizards, as well as baby crocodiles,
so nothing is safe. Then, they swill out any
excess water from their bill before decapitating their food. Are you scared yet? Well, despite its daunting demeanor, the Shoebill's method of keeping cool is much less intimidating. The birds actually poop themselves, and as the putrid liquid
slides down their hot legs it evaporates, cooling the
animals down as it does so. Somehow, that makes them even scarier. Never underestimate an animal, or human, that isn't afraid to poop
themselves in front of you. Despite their rancid reputation though, Shoebills are actually
very docile around humans and are important predators in the ecosystem they live in. Even so, they're,
understandably, seen as bad omens and are mercilessly hunted, even today. Their swamp habitats are also
being destroyed by humans, and now, less than 6,000
of them exist in the wild. As much as I find them terrifying, I'd be sad to see them gone. Just as long as they don't poop
themselves anywhere near me. So, do you have a favorite out of all the animals you just saw? And have you ever spotted
something so rarely seen that you think it belongs on this list? Let me know down in the comments below, and thanks for watching. (upbeat music)
