What is a kudamundi, a platypus, and an Okapi?

There are so many odd animals in the world that most are unfamiliar with. I have always been fascinated with them and thought that it may make for a fun read.

First, the Kudamundi, aka Coatimundi, aka Coati. The Coati is a very social and rascally member of the Raccoon Family. Some are solid brown, while other varieties are lighter with ringed tails like a raccoon. They have long tails and long, thin, snouts. This playful omnivore travels in groups of 5-25 individuals and eats mostly fruit, trash and invertebrates. They appear to live in the largest concentrations in the hills of Costa Rica and frequently come down from the trees they live in, to visit the tourists there and "ask" for food.

It has been said that Jeepy from Popeye was a coati. They are found in many zoos around the world and are known for being friendly unless threatened. Now that you know what one is, go here for more info:http://www.squidoo.com/coatimunde

The next animal, the Okapi, is a bit stranger. This member of the giraffe family looks like a cross between a zebra and a hyena. Seen in some zoos, this awkward creature is a herbivore and mostly lives in jungles. They are an independent animal, and zoos have had next to no luck breeding them. They also like seem to have their babies when the climate is most dry, and the female usually only has one at a time.

It is believed that the Okapi has a striped back side so that it's calves can easily locate an adult in thick brush. Since zebras, a more common animal, are know to fight off predators, the Okapi benefits from looking like one from behind.

The Okapi has a short neck, but a long tongue like a giraffe for grabbing leaves from low limbs and bushes. Click here for more info.What is An Okapi? - Answers.Ask.com

Last is one of my favorite animals, the Duckbilled Platypus. We've all seen them on t.v. or other forms of media. This little creature makes no sense at all! They swim like a beaver, feed like a duck, and unlike all mammals, lay eggs like a bird, and are cold blooded. A cold blooded animal like a reptile, has a body temperature that fluctuates with the temperature of its environment, while a warm blooded animal like a mammal, maintains it body temperature wherever it is unless it is ill. Also Mammals give birth instead of laying eggs. That is why I do not consider the platypus a mammal but instead a marvel in nature.

Discovered in the 1700s, the platypus is so much fun to watch when they swim with their webbed feet and large bill. They normally live by small bodies of water and eat mostly crustaceans and worms. One of the more interesting facts is that the male has a spur on one of their hind legs that is used to hold down the female while mating and also to stab an attacking predator. The spur secretes a form of vemon that cause pain and tempoary illness. They do not have teeth but rather some bony tissue inside the bill to grind their food. They are so strange and that appears to give them such appeal and so many fans.

Thanks for reading! Now, feel free to share with me, some of you favorite strange animals.