This Creature Is Nature's Weirdest Superhero

Bright Side

Hey, did you know woodpeckers have their tongues tucked inside those big beaks of theirs? Different species use their tongues in various ways to match their eating habits, but they all have super long tongues to reach deep into crevices for tasty beetle larvae. What's wild is their hyoid bone – it's way different from ours. But they aren't the only nature's superheroes - dive in for more fun animal facts!  Animation is created by Bright Side. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com   Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV   Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brightside  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightside.official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.official?lang=en   Stock materials (photos, footages and other): https://www.depositphotos.com https://www.shutterstock.com https://www.eastnews.ru ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me

Transcript

00:00Birds, just like us, have a tongue that is held up by a bone called the hyoid.

00:05In humans, it looks like a horseshoe and is located under our jaw.

00:10That's what the muscle in the tongue are attached to.

00:13This bone is very important for us.

00:15It helps us breathe, swallow, and talk.

00:18Unlike us, woodpeckers have a very different hyoid bone.

00:22It's a big part of their body that allows them to peck really fast.

00:27It also helps them keep their head steady and lets them use a lot of force when they

00:30peck wood.

00:33A woodpecker's tongue is long and it has spikes on it, which helps the bird get bugs out of

00:38trees.

00:39Woodpeckers can also move it in and out, which is not very common in most birds.

00:44This tongue also has a special way of wrapping around the woodpecker's skull to keep it safe

00:49when the bird pecks.

00:51The tip of the tongue is also covered with a sticky substance, which helps to catch bugs

00:56better.

00:58Speaking of weird animals, ever heard of an axolotl?

01:02You might also know it as a Mexican walking fish.

01:05It's a type of salamander.

01:07It's a unique species, known for its ability to regenerate its limbs.

01:13Axolotls are typically found in lakes, streams, and canals in and around Mexico City.

01:18Their appearance with the wide head and long, feathery external gills is unusual compared

01:24to other amphibians.

01:25They're often kept as pets because of what they look like.

01:30Rats may not be your first choice when thinking about weird animals, but let me tell you about

01:34the naked mole rat.

01:37This one is considered weird because of its unique physical characteristics and behavior.

01:43For starters, it's nearly blind and has translucent, pink skin.

01:48These animals also live in large underground colonies with a strict social hierarchy.

01:54With one dominant female and several male mates.

01:57The creature, also known as the sand puppy, has a low metabolic rate, which allows it

02:03to survive on very little oxygen and food.

02:07Even their lifespan is unusual, much longer than that of most other rodents.

02:12Some specimens even live up to 30 years in captivity.

02:17This unusual creature is considered the superhero of all rats.

02:21Being immune to pain caused by high levels of acid.

02:25This makes it capable of living in environments that would be dangerous to other animals.

02:31Dogs are one of the most common species of animals these days, but not the Comondor dog.

02:37This one is a weird dog breed because of its unique appearance.

02:41It has a long, thick, corded coat that resembles dreadlocks.

02:45Additionally, it's a large and imposing breed, standing at around 27 inches tall and

02:50weighing up to 110 pounds.

02:54Its size and appearance can make it seem intimidating to some people, but most dog breed specialists

02:59say it can be a loving family pet if properly trained.

03:03Imagine that food bill though!

03:05The star-nosed mole is an equally weird animal because it has a distinctive star-shaped snout

03:11that is highly sensitive.

03:13It helps these animals locate and identify food underwater really efficiently.

03:18This mole is also an expert burrower and has feet with claws which allows it to dig

03:24through the ground with ease.

03:26Among its other unique traits, there is a high metabolic rate and the ability to eat

03:31food at an incredibly fast rate.

03:34A crab with a weakness for coconuts?

03:37That's probably where the coconut crab got its name.

03:40It's widely seen as a quirky animal because of its strong, claw-like legs that allow it

03:45to climb trees and open coconuts!

03:49This is a unique ability among crabs.

03:51It's also the largest land-dwelling anthropod in the world, reaching up to 3 feet in length

03:56and weighing up to 9 pounds!

03:59The coconut crab also lives a pretty long life with some specimens even getting to celebrate

04:05their 60th birthday!

04:08Look at this face!

04:09See these bulging eyes, huge ears and tufts of hair?

04:13This image is not photoshopped.

04:16It's a real animal called the aye-aye.

04:18This quirky-looking creature is a long-fingered lemur native to the island of Madagascar.

04:24It comes equipped with rodent-like teeth that never stop growing and a special thin middle

04:30finger.

04:31Hmm.

04:32The aye-aye is also the world's largest nocturnal primate.

04:36The weirdest thing about it?

04:38Its method of finding food.

04:40It taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward slanted

04:45incisors to create a small hole.

04:49It then inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out.

04:52The aye-aye also has a distinctive call that has been described as a shrieking screech.

04:59The echidna is a weird animal because it's a mammal but it also lays eggs.

05:05Not only that, but it has spines like a porcupine, a tongue like an anteater and a long snout

05:11that resembles a beak.

05:13Because they're pretty shy animals, they need their sharp claws to dig holes in the

05:17ground to hide.

05:18The echidna likes to eat bugs and has a special tongue that helps it catch them.

05:24The Dumbo octopus has large ear-like fins that give it a distinctive appearance resembling

05:29the cartoon character Dumbo the elephant.

05:33It also has a unique method of propulsion.

05:35The octopus uses its ear-like fins to fly through the water instead of using traditional

05:41tentacles like other octopuses.

05:44More so, it lives in the ocean at depths of up to 13,000 feet, which makes it difficult

05:51for humans to observe and study this creature.

05:55The panda ant, also known as the cow ant or velvet ant, is a species of wasp that is known

06:01for its unusual looks.

06:03It's called a panda ant because it has a black and white coloration resembling that of a

06:08panda bear.

06:10The ant is considered weird because it's not actually an ant but a species of wasp.

06:15Additionally, its large size makes it stand out from other insects.

06:21Make room for the Honduran white bat, which is weird because it's one of only a few species

06:26of bats that have white fur.

06:28It's also unusual because it has a unique mating behavior, with the males taking care

06:33of multiple females and aggressively defending them from other males.

06:38Additionally, it's one of the few bat species that feed primarily on pollen and nectar from

06:43flowers rather than insects.

06:47Another animal with a striking physique is the saiga antelope.

06:51It has a bulbous nose and large, protruding eyes.

06:54This adaptation helps the animal filter out dust and regulate its body temperature in

06:59the harsh desert habitat.

07:01Sadly, the saiga antelope experiences a rapid population decline and is considered critically

07:08endangered, which is unusual for an antelope species.

07:13The mata mata turtle is considered unusual, and not just because of its name.

07:18It has a flattened and elongated shell, a pointed snout, and bony protrusions on its

07:24head that resemble horns.

07:26Its skin is also covered in ridges and bumps, giving it a rough, dangerous-looking appearance.

07:31Its movements are slow and sluggish, and you'll often see it lying motionless for long periods

07:36of time, waiting for its prey to pass by.

07:40The okapi is truly one of a kind.

07:43That's because it's not closely related to any other known species of animals.

07:48It has a unique combination of physical characteristics, including a long neck and body, short

07:54legs, and striped markings on its backside, which makes it stand out from other animals.

07:59You can only find it in a small region of Central Africa, which only adds to its uniqueness

08:05and mystery.

08:07Ever heard of goby jerboa?

08:10It's not a fantastic beast, though judging by the name, you may be tricked into thinking

08:14that.

08:15It has long, hind legs for jumping, a tail for balance, and large ears for hearing.

08:21Its habitat is equally as special, since the animal lives in the harsh regions of the

08:26Gobi Desert in Asia.

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