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Slimy, spiky and slightly unsightly: 18 of the weirdest animals on Earth

The United Nations General Assembly chose March 3 as World Wildlife Day, and as the end of the week approaches, we still find ourselves marveling at just how crazy cool planet Earth can be.From the canopies of the rain forest to the extreme depths of the ocean, jaw-dropping creatures are surviving, new species are hiding, and animals considered critically endangered are coming back from the brink.
Image: A Dumbo octopus
This species of Grimpoteuthis, or flapjack octopus, is a deep water species. These octopuses are also called \"Dumbo\" owing to the large fins on their mantles and their similarity in appearance to the children's character, Dumbo.Dante Fenolio
By Samantha Okazaki

The United Nations General Assembly chose March 3 as World Wildlife Day, and as the end of the week approaches, we still find ourselves marveling at just how crazy cool planet Earth can be.

From the canopies of the rain forest to the extreme depths of the ocean, jaw-dropping creatures are surviving, new species are hiding, and animals considered critically endangered are coming back from the brink. Check out this slideshow of bizarre animals to see what we're talking about:

18 of the strangest animals ever
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Slideshow  18 photos

18 of the strangest animals ever

From red-lipped fish to leaf-nosed bats, see 18 of the most bizarre members of the animal kingdom.

Did you forget to throw a wild party on World Wildlife Day? Don't despair: You can celebrate on May 16, when we observe Endangered Species Day!

Samantha Okazaki is a multimedia editor for TODAY.com.