WHERE THE WEIRD THINGS ARE

14 Weird Animals You Can Travel to See

Tired of seeing run-of-the-mill lions, tigers, and bears? Then say "oh my!" to these oddball creatures at zoos and sanctuaries worldwide—from a giant Chinese salamander to a little lemur called the aye-aye.

By JD Rinne, Thursday, Aug 6, 2009, 11:58 AM  |  Subscribe to the magazine

Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Weirdness factor: These blue, turkey-size pigeons with outrageous plumage live mostly on the ground, mating for life and building sturdy nests for their young.
See it in: New Guinea (and the Philadelphia Zoo).
See the photo

White-faced Saki Monkey
Weirdness factor: Often called flying monkeys, white-faced sakis rarely let their feet hit the ground. They prefer to stay in the mid-level trees of the rain forest, where they can jump up to 30 feet in a single bound and can run upright along narrow branches.
See it in: The rain forests of northeastern Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela (and the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, Pa.).
See the photo

Tree Pangolin
Weirdness factor: This insect eater's scales feel a little like human fingernails. But don't touch: Like the common skunk, the pangolin has an unpleasant-smelling spray for those who get too close.
See it in: Central Africa's rain forests (and the San Diego Zoo—which displays the tree pangolin infrequently, and without a lot of advance notice).
See the photo

Pygmy Marmoset
Weirdness factor: Pygmy marmosets are the smallest monkeys in the world. They communicate though whistles and twitters, but when hostile they emit a frightening cry that's audible to peers but inaudible to humans.
See it in: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru (and the Houston Zoo and the Philadelphia Zoo).
See the photo

Leafy Sea Dragon
Weirdness factor: Male leafy sea dragons carry and give birth to the offspring. Instead of swimming upright, like sea horses, the leafy sea dragon swims in a horizontal position. It uses its tube-shaped mouth as a straw to suck up food.
See it in: The waters of the southeastern Indian Ocean, near southern and western Australia (and the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta).
See the photo

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