In the sub-Saharan Africa, there is a wild member of the pig family called warthog, which would make its domestic cousins look rather glamorous in comparison. If you think it looks naked, see closer and you’ll notice bristly hair on its wrinkly skin. They have four sharp tusks, a crest of hair on their backs and shovel shaped heads covered with warts, which are not warts at all but protective, fleshy pads. We have named them after their warts. How considerate!
We discussed some of the animals we think as the great uglies in the first part of this article, that appeared last month. Here are some more. Maybe after this we should have an article on what these animals would name us according to our looks or reputation. (Pimply Prema, Nerdy Nargis, Ratty Rijjo, Bittu Buck-teeth. Nah… Bittu Bad-breath, more likely.)
Sea Hare
The two long growths on its head would have looked like rabbit-ears to the ancient Romans and they named this sea slug ‘sea hare’. Never mind that they are actually not ears but a nose. The largest species of sea hares can weigh up to 14 kg! When disturbed, they can release an ink to deter the predator. The slug with frills is a hermaphrodite — both a male and a female at the same time. When pregnant, it lays long noodle shaped strands with millions of eggs. Isn’t that egg-citing!
Vampire Bat
With their dark leathery cloaks, fang-like teeth, wrinkled noses and their appetite for blood, these bats are one of most feared animals of South America. Hundreds of them live together in dark caves and abandoned building and come out at night in search of unsuspecting victims. Their heat sensing noses lead them to warm blood. Making a cut with their razor sharp teeth, they lap the blood of animals like cattle and horses.
Naked Mole Rat
Pinkish yellow skin wrinkled like a baked apple, giant incisors, spindly limbs and tiny eyes make them radically ugly to most of us. But these subterranean rodents who live in colonies under a queen are super animals. They do not get cancer, don’t feel pain and live much longer than animals their size. And to top that, a recent study shows that they can “turn into plants” to survive without oxygen! In the experiment, they survived for 18 minutes. They alter their metabolism so their cells sustain on fructose instead of glucose.
We tend to preserve only the creatures we find good looking and cute, like pandas and tigers, and do not care about those we find repulsive. In 2013, blobfish, a blob of a fish with a permanent miserable frown on its face, was voted the world’s ugliest animal. It has much to be miserable about as it is facing extinction due to over-fishing by humans. Now, who’s the ugly one?
The writer is a columnist, author of fiction and non-fiction books, and Ex-Hon. Wildlife Warden, Udaipur.
