The year 2022 has been full of remarkable animal sightings. These include an ancient fish head, hybrid monkeys, bizarre dragon fish, and even a ghost shark. Here are 10 of the best remarkable animal sightings of the year.
1. Ancient Fish Head Filled With Tinier Fossils
One of the world's strangest fossils was unearthed just this year. The cranium of a fish-origin fossil was found to be filled with various microfossils that were found to be coprolites. It is possible that these remains were left by some scavengers who used the fish head after its death.
2. Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon's Comeback After 140 Years
Prior to its resurfacing in 2022, it had been 140 years since the Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon was last seen. However, the creature was seen to reappear in a film, which sent the crew on a month-long search for the bird. The creature was finally found last September.
The Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon is a unique creature of Fergusson Island in Papua New Guinea.
3. Hybrid Monkey With DNA of Two Distinct Species
This hybrid monkey discovery was a surprise for the scientific community. Its appearance indeed took after the looks of two different creatures. More specifically, the monkey was revealed to be a hybrid of a silvery langur and proboscis monkey, reportedly the first mix of both creatures. The creature was found in Malaysia Borneo, close to the Kinabatangan River.
4. Fish With Hanging Gums, Yellow Iris, and Bulging Eyes
A fisherman was able to pull a terrifying fish from 3,600 feet below. The fish was described as having huge bulging eyes that had yellow irises on its center. Besides that, its gums were also observed hanging from its mouth. Such features made the creature earn the label "terrifying," while some even likened it to being from hell.
5. Bizarre Fish Harboring Dragon-Like Features
While fishing through the Norwegian Sea, a viral fisherman came across a fish that harbored dragon-like features, including huge eyes, light pink color, and a lengthened tail of the body. The creature was later on identified to be a chimaera, which is a fish that is also referred to as a ghost shark.
6. Hatchling of a Ghost Shark
New Zealand scientists were able to spot a hatchling of a ghost shark that was in deep water. Only little is known about the species that dwell within the ocean's deep and shadowy depths. The hatchling was collected around 1,200 meters deep into the Chatham Rise.
7. Extinct Sea Scorpion that Can Reach Up to 2 Meters in Length
A team from the Queensland Museum found a new species of sea scorpion that is now extinct. The creature was found to be a massive resident of freshwater lakes and rivers. Such a discovery is the first to show that sea scorpions dwelled in Queensland, Australia.
8. Squid and Fish Unexpectedly Found in the Central Arctic Ocean
Participating scientists of the global MOSAiC expedition were shocked by how squid and fish were present in the deep waters of the Central Arctic Oceans. While previous datasets revealed that only a small fish and zooplankton population could be found 600 to 1900 feet deep, it was a shocker that four big fishes were spotted 350 to 400 meters deep.
9. Enormous Snake Close to 8 Ft Long
Biologists were able to sight a huge East Indigo Snake that had a length of around 7 feet and 7 inches. This rare sight was found in Georgia, and it now takes the trophy of being the biggest snake spotted within the state in years. Such a creature only slightly falls short of the national record-holding snake that has a length of 9 feet and 2 inches. While the snake has an enormous size, it has been deemed harmless.
10. Albino Catfish Worth 12.5 Pounds
A 15-year-old fisherman was able to catch a rare albino catfish that weighed around 12.5 pounds. The rare species was caught in the Tennessee River. The fish was released back into the water shortly after catching the rare sight.
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