A face only a mother could love is a cliché phrase that encompasses each animal represented on this list. These animals have been widely known as the ugliest, but why? Counting down the top five most unattractive creatures on Earth, we will delve into what makes these animals so grotesque.
1. Mexican Burrowing Toads: Bumpy and Blob-shaped
The Mexican burrowing toad hops in at number one on our list. The unique amphibian resides in coastal marshes in Mexico and most of Central America. As the name describes, it spends most of its time underground––not because of its looks, but to protect it from predators.
The small animal is about four to five inches long with large tubercles (small bumps) and shovel-like hands to add to its unattractively large body. The toad’s head to body ratio may seem adorable, but there is an even uglier side of this toad when it’s ready to attract mates.
When the Mexican burrowing toad leaves its burrow to find a mate, the animal will inflate, resembling a balloon with four tiny nubs and a head. Between its unsightly exterior and the toad’s frightful way of attracting mates, we can see why this creature spends most of its time hidden.
2. Naked Mole Rats Are Blind, Hairless Rodents
The next loathsome beast to bless our list is the naked mole rat. One look at these animals will send most people turning around, hoping never to face them again, but what makes them unique? Why do they look so hideous?
The first attribute that should be addressed is the two large protruding teeth that make up a mole rat’s smile. These teeth function separately and are used to dig large tunnels for the colony. Some of these tunnels measure more than two miles long!
Another factor that plays into the homely looks of this animal is its colonial structure. These animals live in colonies with up to 300 other naked mole rats, with a queen at the head of their hierarchy. Could you imagine seeing 300 of these hairless creatures piled on top of each other, fighting for the love of their queen? BLEH!
The gag-worthy smile, wrinkly bodies, and ability to live in large numbers have dug the naked mole rat into the second spot on our list.
3. Proboscis Monkeys Have Bulbous Noses
Meet the proboscis monkey, a seemingly disfigured primate that swings in at number three on our list. This Asian primate hits the scales at around 50 pounds, measuring about two to three feet tall. It feeds mainly on plant materials that cycle through its nine stomachs. However, it’s not its nine different stomach chambers that make it so unattractive; that would be its oversized honker.
The proboscis monkey uses its large nose to attract females visually, but it also plays a part in wooing them auditorily. The four-inch-long nose helps the mammal vocalize its honks louder, longer, and more guttural than others. This specific attribute is what female probosci are looking for.
The overly large appendage may hit it on the nose for some attentive female probosci, but for us, the repugnant snout helps this animal find a place at number three on our list.
4. The Greater Horseshoe Bat: Ugly “Nose Leaves”
Coming in at number four on our list of ugliest animals, from one curious nose to another, the greater horseshoe bat once again uses its facial reworkings to echolocate its way onto the list.
The greater horseshoe bat is one of the larger bats that exist, at two to three inches, with a 14-inch wingspan. These bats cover large parts of the Euro-Asia continent. There have even been sightings as far south as Egypt. It’s not the size or habitat that de-beautifies these animals.
The nose of the bat is where most people look when first setting eyes on these flyers. The “nose leaf” is a physical adaptation that the bat uses to help locate prey and fly at night. Bats use echolocation to live nocturnally. The nose leaf on the greater horseshoe bat filters sounds more effectively, making it a better hunter.
No one said becoming a better hunter didn’t come with some risks, and to be more adapted to its environment, the greater horseshoe bat risked its way into number four on our list.
5. Blob Fish: Acidic and Gelatinous
The reigning champ of ugliest animals in the world is undeniably the blobfish. This fish hides its mug deep in oceanic waters where no one can make fun of its horrid appearance.
The world’s number one ugliest animal can lend its appearance to the fact that it has no bones and gelatinous muscles, which means that this denizen of the deep is precisely what its name suggests, a blob. Because of this, the animal sits at the bottom of the ocean, immobilized, waiting for prey to come to them.
Blobfish aren’t just unattractive to the eye; they are also very unapproachable regarding touch. These creatures have acidic skin and are incredibly toxic to anything that touches or eats it.
The blobfish is acid-covered, barely moves, has no bones, and jelly-like muscles. All these are obvious reasons why this deep-sea diver plops in at number five on our list of ugliest animals.
