15 Strangest Animal Adaptations

The 15 strangest animal adaptations might leave you thinking that Mother Nature has a twisted sense of humor. But over time, these adaptations have proven to be quite useful.

African Spiny Mice

Mice aren’t exactly known as much more than prey animals for bigger creatures. But when it comes to animal adaptations, the ability to heal quickly is invaluable.

Meerkats

There’s a reason why meerkats have dark coloring around their eyes. Their ability to remain on lookout for predators that might want to disrupt their colonies acts as a shield from the glaring sun so their vision is unaffected.

Amphibians

True, this is a classification of many animals, but it’s a great way to show how such creatures as newts and salamanders can regenerate lost body parts. As animal adaptations go, ditching a limb to stay safe, and then growing it back, is definitely strange.

Red-Spotted Purple Butterflies

The ability to mimic other animals is a great way to stay safe. Looking like another creature, that is known to be venomous, keeps these insects from being targeted by birds.

Pufferfish

Also known as the blowfish, these fish are easy targets, or so they appear. Even if they don’t scare off other animals when puffing up, the poison in their bodies could do the job.

Kingsnakes

It’s ironic, isn’t it, that a snake would be immune to venom? Well, it sounds like it is anyway since kingsnakes actually eat venomous creatures.

Octopus

Out of all the animal adaptations on this list, the octopus is one of the more reasonable since they blend into their surroundings perfectly. Seriously, sometimes they look just like a pile of rocks.

Tigers

It’s tough to think that something as big and as colorful as a tiger can disappear, but they do. They’re nearly invisible before they decide to attack.

Camels

At one time camels were among the most prized creatures in the desert thanks to their adaptations. But over the years they have adapted in ways that allow them to weather the extreme heat and lack of food or water sources.

Dorcas Gazelles

Everyone needs to go some time, right? It’s a natural body function that one can’t do without unless you’re a gazelle. They do relieve themselves, but they extract the water from this, so their waste comes out as pellets.

Irrawaddy Dolphins

It’s a strange adaptation to help humans, especially given all that humans have done. But these dolphins will actually chase fish toward boats and dine on several fish after the fishermen have cast their nets.

Wood Frogs

It’s an interesting entry in the long list of adaptations, but these frogs can actually freeze their blood. They can also thaw themselves out when spring comes along.

Birds of Paradise

Again, this is a group of animals, not just one. However, the similarities they share in performing mating dances are meant to make certain that their genes are passed on.

Great White Shark

Imagine an animal that gestates for over a year, and then think how big they’d be. While this shark is not the biggest thing in the ocean, their pups are three feet long when they’re born. And better than that, they’re ready to survive.

Black Widow

Plenty of insects and other animals cannibalize each other. But strangely enough, a black widow’s eggs will match and develop close to the same time, thus reducing the chance of being eaten, at least by their siblings.