Unit5-Part3-Reading

weird and rare animals.

Pandas and polar bears are among the most popular creatures of the world's endangered species.

Our planet, however, has hundreds of more animals which are critically threatened

and will be extinct soon.

Some of these endangered species are also the world's weirdest creatures.

One of these is the selenodon.

It is a mammal which is found primarily in Cuba and Hispaniola.

This small rat -like animal injects venom when it bites, just like a rattlesnake.

In fact, it is the only mammal to do so.

Its bite is painful and may cause illness.

It is a vital species in the ecosystem because it feeds on dead animals and insects.

Selenodons were thought to be extinct, but in 2003, a few were found by scientists.

Another seriously threatened and strange animal is the cocapole, which is native to New Zealand.

This is not only the rarest, but also the weirdest parrot in the world because it never flies.

It is nocturnal and hikes through hilly forests for miles every night.

With a weight of 3 .5 kilograms, the cocapole is the heaviest parrot in the world.

Because it is slow -moving and flightless, it is an easy prey for its predators, mainly cats and rats.

The most adorable, oddest, and the most threatened creature of all is the Mexican walking fish,

which is, in fact, an amphibian with a fish -like body.

It prefers to walk along the sea floor rather than swim.

Another cool thing about this creature is its ability to regrow a lost or injured limb.

The Mexican walking fish is nearly extinct now.