14 DAY TRIAL // It may very well be that baby pandas and tiger cubs are perfectly worthy of being the poster children of conservation projects, but this does not change the fact that there are also some other animals out there which, though not as cute and as cuddly, are in dire need of attention and protection.
Without further ado, here are the top 5 endangered or threatened animal species with looks to scare (or at least laugh at):
5. The Proboscis Monkey
One can only assume that Voldemort would much rather stick to having no nose at all rather than look anything like this arboreal monkey. Also referred to as the “long-nosed monkey,” this animal is presently listed as an endangered one.
Its natural habitat is limited to the south-east Asian island of Borneo, and zoologists agree that it’s one of the largest monkeys presently residing in this part of the world.
4. The Chinese Giant Salamander
This animal is simply the largest amphibian in the world (it can grow to be 180 cm / 6 ft long), and it is presently listed as a critically endangered species.
As its name suggests, it is native to the streams and lakes in China, and apparently, people in this country consider it to be a rare delicacy. This salamander can produce sounds similar to crying and whining, which is why locals also refer to it as the “infant fish” (you know, ‘cause it cries like a little baby).
3. The Aye-Aye
This animal is a type of lemur native to Madagascar, and most people agree that it's nothing like King Julian when it comes to sweetness and sassiness. Zoologists say that the aye-aye is the world’s largest nocturnal primate, and with looks like that, nobody can blame it for choosing to only go out during nighttime.
The aye-aye’s middle finger is significantly longer than its other ones, and helps it pull out bugs from their hiding places and scoop the pulp of various fruits.
2. The Aquatic Scrotum
This amphibian lives at the bottom of Lake Titicaca and its scientific name is “Telmatobius coleus” (Latin for “aquatic scrotum”). The species is presently listed as a critically endangered one, all due to pollution and over-collecting for human consumption.
The frog’s lungs are greatly reduced, and the excess skin is there to help it breathe.
1. The Pignose Frog
This endangered species lives in India and odds are you’ve never seen anything quite like it. These frogs are so bloated that one would assume they had mints and Cola for lunch but, apparently, this is not the case. Females are roughly three times the size of males, and once they hit adulthood, both sexes turn purple.
The pignose frogs spend most of their time in the underground and only come out during the monsoon season.
