Many things happen in the animal kingdom that go unnoticed. Things like rare genetic mutations, animals seeing their reflections for the first time, rare species, and even odd behaviors!
Explore our archives of rare animal sighting articles.
Rare Animal Mutations
Some animals are born with rare mutations. These are often a result of two parents with recessive genes sharing mutations with their offspring. Errors in DNA replication during cell division can also lead to mutations. Viral infections can also introduce foreign DNA into the animal’s genetic sequence which can result in long-lasting changes to their genetics.
Latest Rare Sightings News
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Rare Footage of the Adorable but Deadly: Black-Footed Cat
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Scientists Discover a Polar Bear Found Swimming in Hudson Bay, Canada
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Largest Gorilla Ever Recorded (Video)
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Watch This Octopus Walk Out of Water and Onto Land
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Listen To The Elephant Herd’s Conversation
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Spotted: Rare White Polka Dotted Zebra Baby
4 Unique Conditions and Mutations in Animals
- Extra limbs: Some animals are born with two heads, extra legs, or even just one eye! Unfortunately, these animals do not live long in the wild.
- Albinism: When both parents carry the recessive gene for this mutation, offspring can be born without the pigmentation that gives them their color, like albino cougars – there are only 4 in the world we know of!
- Leucism: This occurs in animals born without the pigmentation of pheomelanin. In the case of tigers, they are born white compared to their normal yellow coloring, however, their eye color is not affected as in the case of albinism.
- Hybrid Animals: These animals have two parents of different species. Examples of these are Ligers, who have a Lion father and a Tiger mother. Some other examples include Zonkeys, Beefalo, and Wholphins! These animals are hardly found in the wild and are bred by humans.
Rare Animal Sighting FAQs
This is not due to any genetic mutations or conditions, but the rarest animal to spot in the wild is the Vaquita. These marine mammals are extremely endangered with a population count around 10!
Unfortunately, albino animals rarely survive in the wild, due to their lack of pigmentation they have no protection from the sun! These animals also struggle to hide or hunt because their appearance stands out against their habitats, and some have quite poor eyesight.
Hybrid animals are usually sterile animals due to the differences in their genetic makeup that can’t line up with others to undergo meiosis. Making these animals only occur after interspecies breeding!
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11 Reasons Why Octopuses Are Amazing But Also a Little Scary
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10 Reasons Why We Should Love the Chunky and Adorable Wombat
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Watch Starfish Walking on the Beach
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Ocras Steal A Baby Humpback Whale
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Rare Footage Of The Marine Iguana
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From bats to cats, over 700 Species Discovered in Cambodian Mangroves
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The Most Adorable Footage of Baby Wolves in Minnesota
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Elephants React to Solar Eclipse at Zoo
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Witness the Roar of the World’s Loudest Reptile
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Must-Watch: Female Tiger Tries to Steal Male’s Meal
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Octopi Change Color When Asleep
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“One of the Rarest Sightings Ever”: Wolverine Spotted in Oregon During Broad Daylight
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Huge Elephant Crashes the Pool Party
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Largest Gorilla Ever Recorded (860 Pounds)
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Meet the Smallest Wild Cat in the World
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