A striped giraffe, a floppy snouted antelope, and a $500 spider — what do all of these creatures have in common? Each of these odd species is facing extinction. And just what is putting these extraordinary animals in danger? Loss of habitat in this growing world is the major culprit that threatens these and other species. Let’s take a look at just five of the planet’s many unusual endangered species.
1. Proboscis Monkey
Take, for example, the proboscis monkey. With a nose like comedian Jimmy Durante and a big belly, these strange looking primates have suffered a 50 percent population decline in recent years. Deforestation in their native Borneo is to blame. Same goes for the snub nosed monkey. This tiny fellow, which looks something like Sasquatch crossed with an Ewok, is rarely spotted. They live only in a small area of China’s Yunnan province, where there are only an estimated 2,000 left.
2. Okapi
How about the zebra giraffe? Its real name is the Okapi and they were once hugely popular, roaming the plains in large herds. British explorers first spotted this Congo native in the 1800s and could hardly believe their eyes. Okapi thus became a favorite of trophy hunters. A distinctive sight with its zebra striped legs, a horse-like body, and giraffe genetics, there are only about 20,000 left.
3. Irrawaddy Dolphin
Remember the chestburster critter from Alien? Say hello to the Irrawaddy dolphin. While less toothy, with a short-nosed face and long, slender body, this marine mammal looks as though it could be more at home in outer space than under the sea. Sadly, overfishing has decimated their ranks, leaving fewer than 100 alive today.
4. Saiga Antelope
The Saiga Antelope is another animal that looks somewhat otherworldly. Noted for its long, droopy snout, this Kazakhstan native suffered an unexplained mass mortality event in the summer of 2015, killing off nearly half the population.
5. Gooty Spider
On the creepier side crawls the Gooty spider. A rare find, it might be mistaken for a tarantula if not for its vibrant blue hair. These arachnids fetch over $500 when sold to eager collectors, which is causing a their population to dwindle.
That wraps up out list of 5 unusual endangered species, head over to The Human Role in the Destruction of Wildlife Habitat to learn more on what lead these species to the brink of extinction.
Featured Image from Dasha Urvachova/Unsplash
