The long eared jerboa is a nocturnal mouse-like rodent found in the deserts of China and Mongolia. It has a long tail, long legs and extremely large ears. Being such a rare creature, it is in danger of extinction

The Axolotl is a Mexican neotenic mole salamander. The species originates from the lake underlying Mexico City. Axolotls are used extensively in scientific research due to their ability to regenerate most body parts

Discovered in 2005 in the South Pacific Ocean, this creature was dubbed the "yeti lobster" or "yeti crab". It lives at a depth of 2,200 metres on hydrothermal vents along the Pacific-Antarctic

The aye-aye shares a lot in common with the woodpecker - it taps trees to find grubs. When food is located it uses its rodent-like teeth to gnaw a hole, then digs them out with its long middle finger

The blobfish is a gelatinous mass with a density slightly less than that of the water it occupies. This helps it maintain buoyancy. Hovering just above the sea-floor, the blobfish gobbles edible matter that floats past it

The shoebill is a very large bird found in tropical swamps of eastern Africa. It stands at an average of four feet with a wingspan of over seven feet. The species was only discovered by ornithologists in the 19th century

The Indian gharial is a critically endangered species and one of the longest of all living crocodilians, sometimes measuring over 20 feet

Living at extreme depths, and among the rarest of octupuses, the Dumbo octupus gets its name from its ears which loosely resemble those of the Disney character, Dumbo

The long-beaked echidna was named among the top-ten "focal species" in 2007 by the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered project. Echidnas are one of two types of mammals that lay eggs

The frill-necked Lizard, so called because of the large ruff of skin around its neck, runs on its hind-legs when frightened. This behaviour has earnt it the name 'bicycle lizard' in Australia

With their unusual feeding habits and slime-producing capabilities, the hagfish has been dubbed the most "disgusting" of all sea creatures

The Komondor, a large Hungarian dog breed, has a long, thick, strikingly corded white coat and has been declared one of its nation's national treasures

Similiar to the komondor, the Hungarian puli also has a coat of dreadlock-type cords. The breed rarely moults and is deceptively fast and acrobatic

The slender loris inhabits tropical moist lowland forests found in India or Sri Lanka. The species is threatened by habitat loss

The star-nosed mole's snout has 22 fleshy tentacles that are used to identify food by touch. Often found in North America, it lives in wet lowland areas and eats small invertebrates, aquatic insects, worms and molluscs

The most distinctive trait of the proboscis monkey is the male's large protruding nose. It has been suggested that the female proboscis monkey prefers big-nosed males

The guineafowl puffer, from the Pacific Ocean. When fully expanded, it can reach 50 cm in length

The Pygmy Marmoset is a monkey native to the rainforest canopies of western Brazil, southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, and eastern Peru. They are omnivorous, feeding on fruit, leaves, insects, and sometimes even small reptiles

The red panda is a herbivorous mammal about the size of a cat. It has semi-retractible claws and thick fur on its soles to protect it from the cold and to hide its scent

The saiga's unusually over-sized, and flexible, nose warms up the air in winter and filters out the dust in summer

Seapigs live on, or just underneath, the bottom of the ocean and feed on the mud of the seafloor. Scientists haven't yet worked out how they are such a successful deep-sea creature

The Hispaniolan solenodon, a strange looking shrew-like creature with a long snout and specialised teeth capable of delivering venom. Only two solenodon species exist today, one in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and the other in Cuba

Hairless cats have been described in many regions of the world, but the first successful breed was the Sphynx. The earliest Sphynx, named Prune, was born in 1966

The Sun Bear is found primarily in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. At only four feet tall, it is the smallest member of the bear family, and it is often called the dog bear

Although the tarsier was once more widespread, all the species living today are found on the islands of Southeast Asia. Each eyeball is approximately 16 mm in diameter and is as large as their entire brain

A viperfish is a deepwater fish with long, needle-like teeth and hinged lower jaws. It is one of the fiercest predators in the very deep part of the sea and is believed to attack its prey by luring its victim with a light producing organ

Leafy seadragons are covered with leaf-like appendages, making them remarkably camouflaged. Found in Australia, they inhabit calm, cold water and have been protected by the government since 1982

Hairy frogfish walk along the seabed hunting for food. This rare creature can be found in Indonesia

The white turtle, whose creamy colour is offset by a few hints of pink, features prominently in Chinese culture - a character in Journey to the West is turned into one for his wrongdoings