Description

Book Synopsis

How does a mudskipper fish manage to “walk” on land? Why is the Hoatzin also known as ‘The Stinkbird’? And once the female Pipa toad has laid her eggs, where does she put them? The answers? The mudskipper can “walk” using its pectoral fins, the Hoatzin has a unique digestive system which gives the bird a manure-like odour, and the female Pipa Toad embeds its eggs on its back where they develop to adult stage.
Illustrated throughout with outstanding colour photographs, Strange Animals presents the most unusual aspects of 100 of the most unusual species. The selection spans a broad spectrum of wildlife, from the tallest land living mammal, the giraffe, to the light, laughing chorus of Australian kookaburra birds, from the intelligence of the Bottlenose dolphin to octopuses that change colour when they dream to the slow pace of the three-toed sloth.
Arranged geographically, the photographs are accompanied by fascinating captions, which explain the quirky characteristics of each entry. Including egg-laying mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, cannibalistic insects and other invertebrates, Strange Animals is a compelling introduction to some of nature’s most curious beasts.



Table of Contents

Introduction

Asia
Tokay
Gharial
Japanese Macaque
Mudskipper
Proboscis Monkey
Honeybadger
Siamese Fighting Fish
Tarsier
Mekong ray
Saiga
Golden snub-nosed monkey
Colugo
Sturgeon
Baikal seal
Sloth bear
Racoon dog
Komodo dragon
Slow loris
Giant hornet
Leaf insect
Malayan tapir

Africa
Aardvark
Madagascar chameleon (Brookesia)
Giraffe
Hoopoe
Marabou stork
Naked Mole Rat
Fat tailed gecko
Gaboon viper
Tree pangolin
Giraffe weevil
Aye aye
Lungfish
Tomato frog
Aardvark
Okapi
Springhare
Gerenuk
Spotted hyena
Hammerhead bat
Rain frog, Breviceps fuscus
Armadillo girdled lizard
Mandrill

Australia
Duck-billed Platypus
Red Kangaroo
Emu
Koala
Laughing Kookaburra
Echidna
Sugarglider
Kakapo
Tuatara
Archerfish
Wombat
Tasmanian devil
Frilled lizard
Thorny devil
Funnel web spider
Peacock spider
Turtle frog
Frogmouth
Dingo
Honeypot ant
Witchetty grub
Weta
Kea
Kiwi

North America
American Bullfrog
Beaver
Red wolf
Ghost bear
Alligator gar
Thorn bug
Wolverine
Peccary
Star nosed mole
Alligator snapping turtle
Hellbender
Ajolote
Blue-footed booby
Manatee
Monarch butterfly
Stinkpot (musk turtle)
Rainbow snake
Virginia opossum
Gila monster
Coati
American White Pelican

Central and South America
Giant Otter
Vampire bat
Hoatzin
Emperor Tamarin
Pipa
Pygmy Marmoset
Red Howler Monkey
Southern Tamandua
Three-toed Sloth
South American horned frogs
Elephant beetle
Axolotl
Jaguarundi
Capybara
Pink fairy armadillo
Piranha
Marine iguana
Pink river dolphin
Roseate spoonbill
Red lipped batfish
Spectacled bear
Vicuna

Europe
Iberian ribbed newt
Cuckoo
Death’s Head Hawkmoth
Great Diving beetle
Wels catfish
Wisent (European bison)
Slow worm
Puffin
Badger
Common chameleon
Alpine ibex
Beluga sturgeon

Oceans
Narwhal
Angler Fish
Cleaner Wrasse
Sea dragon
Megamouth shark
Dumbo octopus
Blobfish
Giant isopod barreleye fish
Kiwa
Sea spider
Sea anemone
Parrot fish
Nudibranch
Hagfish
Mantis shrimp
Christmas tree worm
Stargazer
Wobbegong
Gulper eel
Oarfish
Coral
Hammerhead shark

Strange Animals

    Product form

    £16.99

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £19.99 – you save £3.00 (15%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Mon 22 Jun 2026.

    A Hardback by Tom Jackson

    3 in stock

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Strange Animals by Tom Jackson

      Publisher: Amber Books Ltd
      Publication Date: 14/05/2023
      ISBN13: 9781838862824, 978-1838862824
      ISBN10: 183886282X

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      How does a mudskipper fish manage to “walk” on land? Why is the Hoatzin also known as ‘The Stinkbird’? And once the female Pipa toad has laid her eggs, where does she put them? The answers? The mudskipper can “walk” using its pectoral fins, the Hoatzin has a unique digestive system which gives the bird a manure-like odour, and the female Pipa Toad embeds its eggs on its back where they develop to adult stage.
      Illustrated throughout with outstanding colour photographs, Strange Animals presents the most unusual aspects of 100 of the most unusual species. The selection spans a broad spectrum of wildlife, from the tallest land living mammal, the giraffe, to the light, laughing chorus of Australian kookaburra birds, from the intelligence of the Bottlenose dolphin to octopuses that change colour when they dream to the slow pace of the three-toed sloth.
      Arranged geographically, the photographs are accompanied by fascinating captions, which explain the quirky characteristics of each entry. Including egg-laying mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, cannibalistic insects and other invertebrates, Strange Animals is a compelling introduction to some of nature’s most curious beasts.



      Table of Contents

      Introduction

      Asia
      Tokay
      Gharial
      Japanese Macaque
      Mudskipper
      Proboscis Monkey
      Honeybadger
      Siamese Fighting Fish
      Tarsier
      Mekong ray
      Saiga
      Golden snub-nosed monkey
      Colugo
      Sturgeon
      Baikal seal
      Sloth bear
      Racoon dog
      Komodo dragon
      Slow loris
      Giant hornet
      Leaf insect
      Malayan tapir

      Africa
      Aardvark
      Madagascar chameleon (Brookesia)
      Giraffe
      Hoopoe
      Marabou stork
      Naked Mole Rat
      Fat tailed gecko
      Gaboon viper
      Tree pangolin
      Giraffe weevil
      Aye aye
      Lungfish
      Tomato frog
      Aardvark
      Okapi
      Springhare
      Gerenuk
      Spotted hyena
      Hammerhead bat
      Rain frog, Breviceps fuscus
      Armadillo girdled lizard
      Mandrill

      Australia
      Duck-billed Platypus
      Red Kangaroo
      Emu
      Koala
      Laughing Kookaburra
      Echidna
      Sugarglider
      Kakapo
      Tuatara
      Archerfish
      Wombat
      Tasmanian devil
      Frilled lizard
      Thorny devil
      Funnel web spider
      Peacock spider
      Turtle frog
      Frogmouth
      Dingo
      Honeypot ant
      Witchetty grub
      Weta
      Kea
      Kiwi

      North America
      American Bullfrog
      Beaver
      Red wolf
      Ghost bear
      Alligator gar
      Thorn bug
      Wolverine
      Peccary
      Star nosed mole
      Alligator snapping turtle
      Hellbender
      Ajolote
      Blue-footed booby
      Manatee
      Monarch butterfly
      Stinkpot (musk turtle)
      Rainbow snake
      Virginia opossum
      Gila monster
      Coati
      American White Pelican

      Central and South America
      Giant Otter
      Vampire bat
      Hoatzin
      Emperor Tamarin
      Pipa
      Pygmy Marmoset
      Red Howler Monkey
      Southern Tamandua
      Three-toed Sloth
      South American horned frogs
      Elephant beetle
      Axolotl
      Jaguarundi
      Capybara
      Pink fairy armadillo
      Piranha
      Marine iguana
      Pink river dolphin
      Roseate spoonbill
      Red lipped batfish
      Spectacled bear
      Vicuna

      Europe
      Iberian ribbed newt
      Cuckoo
      Death’s Head Hawkmoth
      Great Diving beetle
      Wels catfish
      Wisent (European bison)
      Slow worm
      Puffin
      Badger
      Common chameleon
      Alpine ibex
      Beluga sturgeon

      Oceans
      Narwhal
      Angler Fish
      Cleaner Wrasse
      Sea dragon
      Megamouth shark
      Dumbo octopus
      Blobfish
      Giant isopod barreleye fish
      Kiwa
      Sea spider
      Sea anemone
      Parrot fish
      Nudibranch
      Hagfish
      Mantis shrimp
      Christmas tree worm
      Stargazer
      Wobbegong
      Gulper eel
      Oarfish
      Coral
      Hammerhead shark

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account