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
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!
Popular Rare Sighting Articles
Predators of the American Forests You Rarely See
How Schools of Fish Move in Perfect Synchrony
11 Strangest Deep-Sea Creatures You Can Imagine
10 Scariest Water Creatures That Lurk Beneath the Surface
These U.S. Creatures Were Once on the Brink of Extinction
8 Facts Scientists Finally Know About North America’s Rarest and Most Mysterious Bear
The Secret Behind Animals That Never Sleep
The Fish That Can Walk: Mudskippers Explained
Cats in Ancient Egypt: From Pest Control to Goddesses
Animals of the Appalachian Mountains You’ve Never Seen
Largest Pig Ever Recorded Found In Tennessee
Why the Anglerfish Uses a Glowing Lure in the Darkest Waters
10 Bizarre Creatures Found in the Deepest Parts of the Ocean
Huge Rhino Scratches an Itch
These Sea Urchins Wearing Cowboy Hats Is More Than Just Fashion
13 Smartest Hunters in Nature—Ranked by Strategy
21 Animals That Are Smarter Than You
Top 10 Ugly Animals
Why Some Animals Pretend to Be Dead to Survive
The Fastest Marine Predator Ever Recorded
Otters Juggle Pebbles When They Get Bored
Learn more on Animal Science:
Newest Category: Rare Sightings
Please send any feedback to feedback@animalsaroundtheglobe.com
- Lion Pride On A Walk – Can You Count Them? - August 23, 2025
- A South African Safari Must – Crossing Lodges in the UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere - August 22, 2025
- Meet the Man Who Survived a Tiger Attack, Helicopter Crash, and Malaria 14 Times – John Varty - August 21, 2025