Unusual Land Mammals You Didn’t Know Exist!

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Unusual Land Mammals You Didn’t Know Exist!

From night monkeys and tiny antelope … to maned wolves and screaming armadillos ... Here are 18 Unusual Land Mammals You Didn’t Know Exist!



#18 Moon Rats
While they do resemble rats, these animals are not rodents. They’re more closely related to hedgehogs, although they’re not spiny. Researchers say their physical traits may resemble those of the earliest mammals. That includes having a furless tail and a head that is about one-third the length of its total body. Moon Rats are also noted for marking their territory with a scent that resembles garlic or onions. They’re mostly found in Vietnam and other areas of Southeast Asia.


















#17 Nyala (nie-yah-lah)
Native to southern Africa, this spiral-horned antelope displays the highest degree of sexual dimorphism among such animals. Males can weigh about 276 pounds (125 kg) while females are around 150 pounds, maximum (68 kg). They’re threatened by poaching, disease, and habitat loss. But overall, their population is regarded as stable with an estimated 30,000 individuals or more. More than 80-percent of them live in sanctuaries and national parks where they’re protected.



#16 Monk Sakis
Saki Monkeys are New World primates that range throughout South America. The Monk Saki gets its name due to the way its fur curves over its head like a monk’s cowl. That’s what we’re told, anyway. This species is found from Brazil to Colombia, and is about the same size as a 5-pound (2.2 kg) rabbit. Its thick, bushy tail can measure 22 inches (55 cm) which is longer than its body. Humans are unlikely to encounter this monkey since it’s very shy and is completely arboreal.





#15 Cacomistle (kak-uh-mis-sul)
These animals range from Mexico to Panama, and they look like a mash-up of several species. Sometimes they’re mistaken for Ring-tailed cats, to which they are related. In fact, the name “Cacomistle” comes from an Aztec word meaning either “half mountain lion”, or “half-cat”. But they actually belong to the same family as raccoons, and you can see it in the tail. These are small omnivores weighing little more than 1.5 kg and its tail can be longer than its body. They typically favor woodlands, tropical areas, and mountain forests. Are you thinking you’d want one for a pet? Not a good idea. These are solitary animals that really value their space. Researchers say that a single Cacomistle needs a home range of about 50 acres (20 hectares)!








#14 Lowland Streaked Tenrec
If a big yellowjacket and a hedgehog mated, the result might be this animal, which has a defense mechanism reminiscent of a porcupine. Those sharp yellow bristles provide great camouflage in the forest, but the animal also has spiky spines that grow between their fur. If a predator tries to attack, they’ll get a mouthful of spines for their trouble. They’re unique to the island of Madagascar. Because of their small size, around 6 inches long (15 cm) and weighing about 7 ounces (200 g), some people think they’re very cute and would make for great pets. Just don’t pet it, or you might get a handful of spines!





#13 Night Monkeys
Remember in “Spider-Man: Far From Home” when Peter Parker went by the alias of Night Monkey? While that was made up for the movie, there is a creature known by the same name, and it’s this one. These New World primates are native to the tropics of Central and South America. And as you might guess, they’re most active at night. In fact, researchers say they’re the only monkeys known to be truly nocturnal. Working at night gives them several advantages. That includes escaping the heat of the day, and avoiding run-ins with predators. Although they’re small, Night Monkeys are known for making a wide range of vocalizations. Eight distinct categories of calls including screams, various grunts, and hooting noises are known so far.





#12 Ring-tailed Coati (koe-ah-tee)
From their striped tail, you can probably puzzle out that these critters belong to the same family as raccoons. That means they’re also related to the previously mentioned Cacomistle. There are four different species of Coati which are found from the southwestern United States through Central and South America. This particular species is widespread throughout the Amazonian jungles of the latter continent. Chile is the only South American country where they don’t show up.











#11 Bongo
The Bongo is distinguished by its reddish-brown coat with black and white markings, and by its long, spiraled horns. Both sexes display those heavy, hollow horns, which is unusual for this type of antelope. They can reach some impressive sizes, weighing up to 900 pounds (407 kg).