The 5 Most Amazing And Unusual Animals On Earth

The Red Panda: The (Ailurus fulgens)is also known in some areas as the Shining Cat. Native to the Eastern Himalayas and Southwestern China. It is the sole member of it's genus Ailuirs. It's diet mainly consists of bamboo, but it is an omnivore, and eats anything the woodlands provide. It's ability to eat bamboo rests with it's strong, curved, sharp claws. A distant relative to the giant panda, there are no more than 10,000 adults left in the world, though it is protected by several countries. It's decline is blamed on loss of natural habitat, and poaching. Like the giant panda it also has a false thumb that is an extension of the wrist bone which aids tremendously in gripping things. They are typically shy creatures living a solitary life, except around mating season. Females give birth to one to four cubs usually in the spring and summer. Young pandas remain in their nest for about 90 days before venturing out on their own.

The red panda had been previously classified as a relative of the raccoon (for obvious visual reasons) in the past but was found that this was not accurate. Though greatly smaller than their distant cousins, they are indeed panda bears.

The Giant Coconut Crab: These animals are generally nocturnal and live in many coastal and forest regions of Indo-Pacific islands. Including the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, The Indian Ocean and the seas in the area of Indonesia.

They get their common name from their ability to climb Coconut Palm trees, clip off the Coconuts, return to the ground, peel the husk fromt he coconut, and hammer them open by dropping it repeatedly on rocks, or banging them open with their large claws. The rest of their diet is primarily fleshy fruits, nuts and seeds. Though they are Omnivores and will consume other items as well.

Coconut crabs have a body length of about 16 inches, a leg span of 3 feet, and can weigh up to 9 pounds. Though there are accounts of them reaching upwards of 6 feet across and weighing up to 30 pounds. They can also live more than 30 years.

As the crab is a delicacy as well as an aphrodisiac in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. Particularly if the eggs can be harvested from inside the female Coconut Crab.

...