Here is a list of our favourite most peculiarly interesting species:<\/p>
10 weirdest animals<\/h2>Ocean sunfish (Mola mola<\/em>)<\/h3>The bizarre Mola Mola looks as if it’s missing half its body. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>One of the heaviest bony fish – and one of the weirdest fish<\/a> – in the world, the sunfish is an increasingly common sight around south and west coasts. They are slow swimmers with a rounded body, long, triangular fins and a peculiar, frill-shaped tail.<\/p>Sunfish<\/a> will lie flat on the surface to sunbathe and they primarily eat jellyfish<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus<\/em>)<\/h3>![\"Basking](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2020\/02\/Basking-shark-fe7ca22-scaled.jpg\")
Basking Shark feeding on plankton during the bloom in the Scottish waters off the Isle of Coll. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>The second largest fish in the world, growing to 11 metres in length and 5 tonnes in weight, basking sharks<\/a> visit British waters in the summer. <\/p>Cruising slowly with mouths open (to filter-feed plankton) and dorsal fins breaking the surface, they pose no threat to people, but are endangered, so sightings should be treasured.<\/p>
Our sister title BBC Wildlife Magazine named it one of the weirdest sharks in the world<\/a><\/p>Ladybird spider (Eresus sandaliatus<\/em>)<\/h3>![\"Ladybird](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2024\/06\/Ladybird-spider.jpeg\")
The ladybird spider was discovered on a Dorset heathland in 1980. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>One of our rarest spiders and largely limited to Dorset heathland where they build silk-lined burrows complete with a canopy from which they ambush prey.<\/p>
The larger female is black, while the male resembles a miniature soft toy with white rings on its legs and a red body with black, ladybird<\/a>-like spots.<\/p>Reeves muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi<\/em>)<\/h3>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/GettyImages-464801567-5f0d431.jpg\")
This little deer’s size isn’t the only thing worth noting. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>A small, secretive deer, increasingly widespread across England and Wales having been introduced from China in the 19th<\/sup> century. <\/p>One of the world’s weirdest animals<\/a>, the muntjac<\/a> males have short antlers, visible ‘V’ shaped scent glands just below their eyes and pronounced upper canines that appear like tusks. They have a delicate, dainty gait and a haunting, strangled bark that echoes through their woodland home.<\/p>Slow worm (Anguis fragilis<\/em>)<\/h3>![\"Slow](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/01\/Slow-worm-5b52fd1.jpg\")
This gentle animal is generally nocturnal and has a taste for slugs. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>Neither worm<\/a> nor snake<\/a>, but a legless lizard<\/a>, with a tail that it can \u2018drop\u2019 if attacked. <\/p>Slow worms grow to 50cm and are widespread, often found under logs or in rotting vegetation. <\/p>
Their fondness for slugs<\/a> makes them popular with gardeners, and they have extraordinary longevity, surviving more than 50 years in captivity.<\/p>- Find out more in our expert guide to reptiles<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>
Sea mouse (Aphrodita aculeata<\/em>)<\/h3>![\"sea](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2024\/06\/sea-mouse-1.jpg\")
By MichaelMaggs – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0\/ https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>A marine worm found all around our coast, the sea mouse<\/a> has long, fur<\/a>-like bristles known as setae<\/em>, that change colour in response to the angle of light.<\/p>Measuring between 10 and 20cm long, they hunt small crabs and other worms, and their Latin name, Aphrodita<\/em>, comes from their supposed similarity to female genitalia.<\/p>Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia<\/em>)<\/h3>![\"spoonbill\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2024\/06\/spoon_bill.jpg\")
The spoonbill is found in small, but increasing, numbers around the coasts of England and Wales. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>A large, mostly white bird, similar in appearance to a heron<\/a>, the spoonbill has an unmistakeable spatula-shaped bill. <\/p>It feeds by wading in shallow water and sweeping its bill side to side to catch fish, molluscs and crustaceans.<\/p>
Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus<\/em>)<\/h3>![\"weirdest](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2020\/07\/GettyImages-1149469715-2aa8e14.jpg\")
A nocturnal, summer visitor to heathland and open forest where its churring call fills the night. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>The nightjar<\/a> is dove-sized and rests on logs or branches during daylight, camouflaged by its mottled brown plumage. \u00a0<\/p>It catches moths<\/a> with its wide gape and was once known as a \u2018goatsucker\u2019 from the belief that it suckled milk.<\/p>- Listen to churring nightjars in episode 6, season 6 of our podcast, Plodcast<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>
One of the heaviest bony fish – and one of the weirdest fish<\/a> – in the world, the sunfish is an increasingly common sight around south and west coasts. They are slow swimmers with a rounded body, long, triangular fins and a peculiar, frill-shaped tail.<\/p> Sunfish<\/a> will lie flat on the surface to sunbathe and they primarily eat jellyfish<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p> The second largest fish in the world, growing to 11 metres in length and 5 tonnes in weight, basking sharks<\/a> visit British waters in the summer. <\/p> Cruising slowly with mouths open (to filter-feed plankton) and dorsal fins breaking the surface, they pose no threat to people, but are endangered, so sightings should be treasured.<\/p> Our sister title BBC Wildlife Magazine named it one of the weirdest sharks in the world<\/a><\/p> One of our rarest spiders and largely limited to Dorset heathland where they build silk-lined burrows complete with a canopy from which they ambush prey.<\/p> The larger female is black, while the male resembles a miniature soft toy with white rings on its legs and a red body with black, ladybird<\/a>-like spots.<\/p> A small, secretive deer, increasingly widespread across England and Wales having been introduced from China in the 19th<\/sup> century. <\/p> One of the world’s weirdest animals<\/a>, the muntjac<\/a> males have short antlers, visible ‘V’ shaped scent glands just below their eyes and pronounced upper canines that appear like tusks. They have a delicate, dainty gait and a haunting, strangled bark that echoes through their woodland home.<\/p> Neither worm<\/a> nor snake<\/a>, but a legless lizard<\/a>, with a tail that it can \u2018drop\u2019 if attacked. <\/p> Slow worms grow to 50cm and are widespread, often found under logs or in rotting vegetation. <\/p> Their fondness for slugs<\/a> makes them popular with gardeners, and they have extraordinary longevity, surviving more than 50 years in captivity.<\/p> A marine worm found all around our coast, the sea mouse<\/a> has long, fur<\/a>-like bristles known as setae<\/em>, that change colour in response to the angle of light.<\/p> Measuring between 10 and 20cm long, they hunt small crabs and other worms, and their Latin name, Aphrodita<\/em>, comes from their supposed similarity to female genitalia.<\/p> A large, mostly white bird, similar in appearance to a heron<\/a>, the spoonbill has an unmistakeable spatula-shaped bill. <\/p> It feeds by wading in shallow water and sweeping its bill side to side to catch fish, molluscs and crustaceans.<\/p> The nightjar<\/a> is dove-sized and rests on logs or branches during daylight, camouflaged by its mottled brown plumage. \u00a0<\/p> It catches moths<\/a> with its wide gape and was once known as a \u2018goatsucker\u2019 from the belief that it suckled milk.<\/p>Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus<\/em>)<\/h3>
Ladybird spider (Eresus sandaliatus<\/em>)<\/h3>
Reeves muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi<\/em>)<\/h3>
Slow worm (Anguis fragilis<\/em>)<\/h3>
Sea mouse (Aphrodita aculeata<\/em>)<\/h3>
Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia<\/em>)<\/h3>
Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus<\/em>)<\/h3>