Crazy creatures: Rare, recovered and newly discovered

Unmistakably the look of a wise, somewhat grumpy, old bird in Madagascar or some other animation. As with other ageing species, including we humans, the shoebill is considered vulnerable. At last count in 2018, there were between 3,300 and 5,300 mature-age shoebills, and their population is decreasing. Most common in central and eastern Africa. Scientific name: Balaeniceps rex.

This secretive snake was discovered in the northwestern Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia, and presented in early 2024. It belongs to the genus Rhynchocalamus and lives in mountainous regions with cold, wet seasons, preferring habitats in stony and sandy soils. It's described as wearing a balaclava or ski-mask because of the black coloring on its head. Not thought to be endangered. Yet.

If ever an animal was plucked from nature to appear in animated movies, it's the axolotl. It can show very human expressions. Exclusive to a patch of Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City, the axolotl is considered critically endangered. The axolotl is a salamander that remains in a larval state and retains its external gills. Scientific name: Ambystoma mexicanum.

One of few animals not on any endangered list — not even in the safe category of "least concern." Could that have anything to do with its nose? Body-shaming aside, the mole's wet, exposed pink nose is, let's face it, ugly… but useful. Consisting of 22 short tentacles, the star-shaped nose helps it find food — earthworms, small fish and snails. Scientific name: Condylura cristata.

Also known as Roti Island snake-necked turtle because it is almost exclusive to the island located off Indonesia. They are thought to have evolved separated — or "diverged" — from all other living organisms more than 70 million years ago. Their necks are so long they cannot withdraw completely into their shells. Considered critically endangered. Scientific name: Chelodina mccordi.

Big noses — the source of jokes among humans — are a sexually selected male trait for Proboscis monkeys. Researchers cite correlations between nose, body and testis sizes, and associations between nose size and the number of females in a male's harem. But that's not kept them from the endangered list. Apparently, their noses get in the way of their teeth. Scientific name: Nasalis larvatus.

This odd creature, unique to the Galapagos, can swim but struts instead. The Galapagos Conservation Trust says its bright lips make it look as though it's "eaten a bloody meal, or wearing bright lipstick." We say: You might prefer not to find out — the batfish lures and eats small fish, shrimps and mollusks, but faces no known threats itself. Scientific name: Ogcocephalus darwini.

One of the most human-looking animals on our planet, and fit for casting in an animated movie, with a characteristic Elvis-style hair quiff. The good news is that while it is endangered, its population is stable. At home in China — Yunnan is a province in the southwest of the country. Scientific name: Rhinopithecus bieti.

The Saiga antelope's so-called "swollen" nose allows it to filter out airborne dust during dry summers and warm cold air before it enters the lungs during winter. Native to southeastern Europe, Central Asia and western Mongolia, it is considered near-threatened. Its population dropped dramatically due to hunting in the 1970s, but is recovering now. Scientific name: Saiga tatarica.

Would you eat a frog — or any animal — that looked like a scrotum? The jury on "good taste" may be out. But this frog, resident of Bolivia and Peru, is endangered, largely due to human consumption. The Titicaca's population is decreasing, possibly also because of human-introduced trout species that eat the frog's larvae. Scientific name: Telmatobius culeus.

Sometimes nature makes no sense. How can it be that the Philippine eagle lives off flying lemurs, palm civets and monkeys — all sizable creatures in their own right — and still be one of the most endangered raptors in the world? Critically endangered, in fact. At home on the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao, they number only a few hundred. Scientific name: Pithecophaga jefferyi.