Peculiar Creature #2: The Blobfish

Let me express your reaction for you:  WHAT is that?  Of course you don't know, because the blobfish is one of the most rare animals inhabiting our globe, and the chances of you seeing one in person are about as likely as you catching a glimpse of the Loch Ness Monster.

The blobfish, looking quite blobular indeed and nonetheless sounding as if a two-year old named it, is currently in danger of extinction due to deep sea fishing off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania.  It inhabits waters where the pressure is so high that a normal "gas bladder" would imbalance its buoyancy.  The blobfish, whose skin consists of mainly gelatinous matter, doesn't have much muscle, but it doesn't need it either.  It just consumes whatever food floats by it near the ocean floor.  Talk about laziness.

Admittedly, I cannot convince you that the blobfish possesses some redeeming qualities that make it "cute" (Yes, I'm sure I convinced most of you that skunks are, in fact, cute).  When I first stumbled upon this animal, I was sure it was fake- a replica of some alien or even a made-up inspiration for Jabba the Hutt in Star Wars.

See the resemblance? For me, the blobfish's peculiar nature mostly stems from how little people know about it.  The lack of scientific information about the fish is probably due to its extremely rare sightings, but what other animal literally resembles a shapeless mass the color of a brain? Cool- life as a blob.  I'm captivated, as I'm sure most other lazy college students are.  Perhaps the blobfish lives a lackadaisical lifestyle that many of us would envy, or maybe the blobfish is just another funny looking animal that happens to remind us of Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars.  No matter which way you view the blobfish, this particularly peculiar animal deserves distinction for its somewhat appalling brain-like appearance, lazy living habits, and aura of mystery.

Peculiar Creature #1: The Skunk

That's right, the first peculiar creature I've chosen to discuss is the skunk, commonly known as a black animal with a notorious white stripe across the back that sprays foul odors at predators when disturbed. Wikipedia describes this odor as a combination of "rotten eggs, garlic, and burnt rubber." Ew. Most of us have been driving a car through winding forest roads or enjoying a peaceful walk through the wilderness when we stumble upon the unmistakable foul odor of the skunk.  We might also think of tomato juice, the home remedy often associated with getting the "stink" out of those sprayed.  To me, however, the skunk possesses a uniqueness that encompasses more than its white stripe and foul odor.  When I was four years old, I was a skunk for halloween.  My mom handcrafted the costume, and I loved it.  I proudly flaunted it door to door while trick or treating, only to be mistaken for a common black cat.  This devastating misconception helped me to fully appreciate the uniqueness of peculiar animals and recognize that they deserve distinction.  A skunk is nothing like a black cat.  Black cats are ordinary, commonplace, and often superstitiously associated with bad luck and, of course, halloween.  Skunks may have the notorious reputation of possessing foul odor, but they are creatures of poise and beauty as well- they are kind of cute, actually.  Plus, what better defense mechanism is there than having built-in sulfuric gas to deter enemies and predators?  Nature obviously favored the skunk during evolution- it has always been a special animal with extraordinary privileges. Even though humans may classify it as strangely smelly, we must recognize the uniqueness of the skunk as well as all peculiar animals that classifies them as inherently special rather than strangely abnormal.