According to scientist Tim Wall, there are approximately 7.8 million species of animals in the world. With that being said, there are so many animals that we don’t even know exist. It’s weird to think that we share Earth with numerous other living things. We are used to dogs, deer and a few cardinals, but what are some animals that most people have never seen or have heard of?

An interesting amphibian gets an award for their name; axolotl (ACK-suh-LAH-tuhl). These guys are Mexican salamander, better known as “walking fish”. They live permanently in water, which is unlike all other salamanders. They can grow up to a foot, but the average length is only about six inches. Due to only residing in one place, Lake Xochimilco, Mexico, these salamanders are endangered. Apparently, roasted axolotl is a delicacy in some parts of Mexico, which is very unfortunate for the species. 

Another crazy named animal is a quokka. This type of marsupial, or in other words, a mammal with a pouch, lives on an island near Australia. They are mostly nocturnal, eat only plants and can survive for a while without food or water by using the fat stored in their tail. Quokkas can climb trees and the females give birth to joey, similar to kangaroos. An adult grows up to be about seven pounds. Much smaller than kangaroos. These cute mammals are said to be the happiest animal in the world because they have a permanent smile on their face. 

The gerenuk should also get credit in being pretty strange. This long-necked species of antelope lives in the desert region in Africa. They weigh up to 115 pounds and are considered herbivores. Maybe a great ancestor of the giraffe? 

There are countless other wacky species living on this very planet with us. Think about it, these are only three of the eight million.