The strangest species. Unusual competitions around the world. The strangest sports. "A Real Beer Storm"

People have always been interested in sports, but apparently due to the fact that popular competitions are already pretty boring and ordinary amateurs are unable to break records in them, some are starting to come up with new competitions.

in the world

Lovers active rest constantly, but the standard rules begin to get boring over time, and you have to look for alternative ways to have fun, strengthen the body and get the next dose of adrenaline.

Developing your own competitions is a rather difficult task, during which you need to decide on the rules, restrictions and, most importantly, come up with the type of competition itself. The easiest way is to take a popular competition and modernize it to get the desired effect, such as diving and orienteering, mud football and ice-climbing.

Which unusual sport the best thing? To this question, any athlete will answer that the best is the one that he himself practices. Therefore, when choosing competitions you need to focus on, for example, football fan would be appropriate in the same football, but in the mud.

Unusual sports in Russia

Russians, just like residents of other countries of the world, are beginning to look closely at non-standard competitions, but in our country it is not so much “strange” types of competitions that are developing, but rather extreme ones.

The Tver region of Russia is actively gaining popularity among fans of conquering ice peaks; underwater orienteering gathers followers not only in the Volga region but also in the northern parts of the country (Novosibirsk).

Unusual sports in Russia are interesting for athletes solely because of the increase in adrenaline levels, and not because of entertainment, because for fun it is easier to use ordinary types of competitions.

Boxer or chess player - who is stronger?

Chess is a game for the mind, during which one develops, but, apparently, thinking alone was not enough, and they decided to come up with chessbox, in which the competition takes place both at the level of the mind and with the fists.

A chess boxing match consists of 5 boxing rounds and 6 chess rounds. Each of the boxing rounds lasts two minutes, while a game of chess takes 4 minutes for each round.

The winner is determined based on the number of points scored in boxing and victory in the chess game. But if a boxer wins in chess and loses in boxing (or vice versa), a draw is declared.

Strange competitions on beds

All people are used to sleeping on a bed, but one of the American military (it was they who started the first competitions in these unusual competitions) in 1965 decided to organize a race on beds.

After some time, ordinary residents became interested in the non-standard sport, which led to its popularization.

The rules of racing on beds are simple - you need to overtake your opponents and reach the finish line first, but there are 3 conditions: 6 people must push the “car”, there must be 1 participant in the bed, and the device must be able to float.

On the one hand, this sport seems simple, but its complexity lies in the fact that before the finish line the bed must be transported over a water obstacle, which creates many difficulties for the athletes.

Drunken racing

A group of cyclists decided to diversify the riding and began to hold competitions, supplementing the race with a large amount of alcohol, well, and then residents of the city, country and some parts of the world got involved.

The essence of a bicycle race is to come first, but in this case, each athlete, arriving at the checkpoint, is required to drink a certain amount of beer and move on. The complexity of the competition lies in the fact that the route can be laid through 6 points, and at each you need to drink a liter of beer, and it will be very difficult to get to the finish line, because it is difficult for athletes to walk.

Fighting underwater

Military sailors pass special training, during which they are taught to eliminate a target at great depths without visible vibrations of the water surface. The wrestlers understood the advantages of combat sports in water - strengthening muscle mass, controlling the condition of the lungs - and began to practice underwater wrestling as

Aquathlon competitions are held in a pool measuring 5 by 5 meters and a minimum depth of 2 meters, and to win you need to remove the bandage from your opponent's ankle.

Slippery extreme

Iceclimbing - the name of this unusual sport - does not yet have a large number of followers, but is actively practiced among professionals in conquering rock-based peaks.

In fact, there are no rules in this sport, here the athlete simply conquers a new peak, but the complexity of the climb allows you to get more adrenaline than ordinary mountains.

Underwater racing

It’s not an easy task, and walking a certain path indicated on the map while being at a depth of several meters is an even more difficult task.

Underwater orienteering is a sport for those who love diving and are willing to be at great depths for quite a long time, and not look at the flora, but concentrate on looking for the next checkpoint.

The essence of the competition is that a group of divers must dive at point “A”, go through all the control points, constantly being under water, and be the first to reach the finish line.

The whole difficulty lies in the navigation itself at depth, where the only assistant is a compass, without which it is impossible to reach the finish line.

Extreme flight

Parachuting has been constantly gaining followers since its inception, but some extreme sports enthusiasts, after conquering heights, stop getting a surge of adrenaline and are thinking about changing the rules of the jump and increasing the dose of adrenaline.

BASE jumping is the most unusual sport, but in essence it is a parachutist’s jump from a huge building, bridge and other structures, and the whole danger lies in the athlete’s close proximity to the structure from which he jumped, and the lack of time to open the parachute.

During the flight, the extreme sports enthusiast needs time to determine the correct position in the air, otherwise the parachute may open incorrectly and get tangled, after which the athlete will have a chance to open the reserve parachute, but in this case there is no chance for error, and if he jumps incorrectly, he will not be able to to land.

Although base jumping allows you to get a huge surge of adrenaline, only professionals can take part in it.

Art has been around almost as long as people. But the ancient artists engaged in rock painting could hardly imagine what strange forms modern art could take.

1. Anamorphosis

Anamorphosis is a technique for creating images that can only be fully seen and understood by looking at them from a certain angle, or from a certain place. In some cases, the correct image can only be seen by looking at a mirror image of the painting. One of the earliest examples of anamorphosis was demonstrated by Leonardo da Vinci in the 15th century. Other historical examples of this art form appeared during the Renaissance.

Over the centuries this technique has evolved. It all started with three-dimensional images obtained on ordinary paper, and gradually reached street art, when artists imitate various holes in the walls, or cracks in the ground.

And the most interesting modern example is anamorphic printing. One day, graphic design students Joseph Egan and Hunter Thompson painted distorted texts on the walls in the hallways of their college that could only be read if looked at from a certain point.

2. Photorealism

Beginning in the 1960s, the photorealist movement sought to create extremely realistic images that were almost indistinguishable from real photographs. By copying the smallest details captured by the camera, photorealist artists sought to create a “picture of the picture of life.”

Another movement, known as super-realism (or hyper-realism), covers not only painting but also sculpture. This movement is also heavily influenced by modern pop art culture. But while in pop art they try to remove everyday images from their context, photorealism, on the contrary, concentrates on images of ordinary, Everyday life, recreated with the greatest possible accuracy.

Some of the most famous photorealist artists include Richard Estes, Audrey Flack, Chuck Close and sculptor Dway Hanson. The movement is very controversially perceived by critics, who believe that in it mechanical skill clearly prevails over stele and ideas.

3. Drawing on dirty cars

Drawing on the dirt that has accumulated on a car that has not been washed for a long time is also considered an art, the best representatives of which strive to depict somewhat more banal inscriptions like “wash me.”

A 52-year-old graphic designer named Scott Wade became very famous because of his amazing drawings that he created using dirt on car windows.

And the artist began by using a thick layer of dust on the roads of Texas as a canvas; he painted various caricatures on the roads, and he created them with the help of his own fingers, nails and small twigs.

Currently, he uses special brushes for painting, with which he creates amazingly spectacular and complex paintings. Gradually, Wade began to be shown at various art exhibitions, and advertisers began to hire him to demonstrate his skills at their events.

4. Use of body fluids in art

This may seem strange, but there are many artists who use body fluids in their work. You may have already read about this somewhere, but most likely this was just the tip of this disgusting iceberg.

For example, the artist from Austria Hermann Nitsch uses his own urine and large amounts of animal blood in his work. Similar predilections arose in his childhood, which occurred during the Second World War. world war, and these biases have been the subject of controversy over the years, with even a few lawsuits.

Another artist from Brazil named Vinicius Quesada works with his own blood and does not use animal blood. His paintings, with sickly shades of red, yellow and green, convey a very dark, surreal atmosphere.

5. Drawing with parts of your own body

It's not just artists who use bodily fluids who are on the rise. Using parts of your own body as brushes is also gaining popularity. Take Tim Patch, for example. He is better known by his pseudonym "Pricasso", which he took in honor of the great Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. He is also known for using his own penis as a paintbrush. This 65-year-old Australian generally does not like to limit himself in anything, so in addition to the penis, he also uses the buttocks and scrotum for drawing. Patch has been doing this unusual business for more than 10 years. And its popularity is growing year by year.

And Kira Ain Varseji uses her own breasts to paint abstract portraits. Although she is often criticized, she nevertheless remains a full-fledged artist who works daily (she also paints without using her breasts).

Other artists in this strange art form include Ani K, who paints with her tongue, and Stephen Marmer, a school teacher who paints with her own buttocks.

6. Reverse 3D images

While anamorphosis tries to make 2D objects look like 3D ones, 3D reverse tries to make a 3D object look like a 2D drawing.

The most notable artist in this area is Alexa Mead from Los Angeles. In her work, Mead uses non-toxic acrylic paint, with which she makes her assistants look like inanimate two-dimensional paintings.

Mead began developing this technique back in 2008, and it was presented to the public in 2009.

Mead's work is usually a man sitting against a wall, painted in such a way that the viewer has the illusion that in front of him is an ordinary canvas with an ordinary portrait. It may take several hours to create such a piece.

Another significant figure in this field is Cynthia Greig, an artist and photographer from Detroit. Unlike Mead, Greig does not use people in his work, but ordinary household objects. She covers them with charcoal and white paint to make them look flat from the outside.

7. Shadows in art

Shadows are fleeting in nature, so it's hard to say when people first started using them to create works of art. But modern “shadow artists” have reached unprecedented heights in the use of shadows. Artists use careful positioning of various objects to create beautiful shadow images of people, objects or words.

The most notable artists in this area are Kumi Yamashita and Fred Eerdecens.

Of course, shadows have a somewhat creepy reputation, and many “shadow artists” use themes of horror, devastation and urban decay in their work. Tim Noble and Sue Webster are famous for this. Their most famous work is called "Dirty White Trash", in which a trash heap casts a shadow over two people who are drinking and smoking. Another work shows the shadow of a bird, perhaps the shadow of a raven, pecking at a pair of severed heads impaled on stakes.

8. "Reverse Graffiti"

Like painting on dirty cars, "reverse graffiti" involves creating a painting by removing excess dirt rather than adding paint. Artists often use powerful cleaning units to remove dirt from walls and create beautiful images in the process. It all started with artist Paul "Muse" Curtis, who painted his first painting on the nicotine-blackened wall of the restaurant where he was washing dishes.

Another notable artist is Ben Long from the UK, who practices a somewhat simplified version of "reverse graffiti", using his own finger to remove dirt from the walls that has accumulated there due to car exhaust. His drawings last a surprisingly long time, up to six months, provided they are not washed away by rain or destroyed by vandals.

It should be noted that “reverse graffiti” is a rather controversial art. The same Curtis, for example, has already had several clashes with the police, which he compares to “arresting a man picking in the sand with a stick.”

9. Illusion body art

Literally everyone has been involved in drawing for many centuries. Even the ancient Egyptians and Mayans tried their hand at this. However, illusion body art takes this ancient practice to a whole new level. As the name suggests, illusion body art involves using the human body as a canvas, but creating something on that canvas that can deceive the observer. Illusions on the body can range from people painted as animals or machines to images of holes or wounds gaping in the body.

The most prominent representative of this type of art is considered to be the artist from Japan Hikaru Cho, who is known for his unusual, “cartoonish” illusions.

10. Painting with light

Oddly enough, the very first practitioners of light painting did not perceive it as art. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth were working on the problem of increasing the efficiency of industrial workers. In 1914, the couple began using light and a camera to record some of the movements of people. By studying the resulting light images, they hoped to find ways to make the staff's work easier and simpler.

And in art, this method began to be used in 1935, when the surrealist artist Man Ray used a camera with the shutter open to film himself standing in streams of light. For a very long time, no one knew what kind of light curls were shown in the photo. And only in 2009 it became clear that this was not a set of random light curls, but a mirror image of the artist’s signature.

Beethoven worked to the rhythm of his arrhythmia

The Aesthetics and Sophistication of the Human Brain in the Art of Greg Dunn

Art therapy: 10 ways to cope with stress through art

Incredible facts

1. Python massage

A relaxing massage after a day of sightseeing can be a very tempting prospect. But how do you like the idea that pythons will help you relax?

This is exactly the service offered to tourists visiting the Cebu City Zoo in the Philippines.

But, as a rule, tourists think twice about the possibility of using such a “treatment”, especially when they see the whole procedure.

Four giant Burmese pythons, weighing a combined 250kg, crawl onto a daredevil who dares to lie down on a bamboo bed.

The pythons, named Michelle, Walter, AJ and Daniel, eat about 40 chickens before the treatment to curb any thoughts of hunger they might have during the massage.

Gliding movements for 10-15 minutes are said to have therapeutic and calming properties.

Unusual types of massage

2. Cactus massage

Surely you will think that a massage with cacti must necessarily cause pain. However, according to the Four Seasons Resort in Punta Mita (Mexico), the Jacali cactus massage is absolutely painless because all needles are removed from the blades of the plant.

Moreover, it helps to moisturize the skin, because a special product made from cactus, its flowers, pulque (Mexican national alcoholic drink) and tequila is applied to it.

This pleasure costs $250.

3. Tickle massage

It is unlikely that people associate tickling with relaxation. However, in Madrid (Spain) CosquilleArteSpa uses special tickling techniques that help a person relieve stress.

Instead of tickling a person's sides and armpits, as the average person usually imagines when it comes to tickling, the spa's massage therapists use feathers to treat clients' backs.

Despite the fact that most clients feel extremely tense at the beginning of the procedure, by the end of the procedure they become more relaxed and calm.

The spa is the brainchild of Isabel Aires, a public relations professional who loves to be tickled.

Its spa is the first of its kind. Until now, no one in the world has offered such a service.

The procedure takes place in a darkened room with soothing music and pleasant aromas in the air. The client undresses, puts on thin paper underwear and lies down on the table. Then the procedure begins: first the fingertips, then the feathers.

A 30-minute session costs $35, and an hour session costs $60.

4. Massage with meat knives

This massage, performed by Taiwanese professionals, is reserved only for daredevils. This type of massage was born 2000 years ago in China. During the procedure, the client's body is treated with the sharp side of the knife.

It is said that such a massage can release accumulated negative energy, increase blood flow and rid the body of harmful toxins.

The price for one session, which lasts about 10 minutes, is $3.30.

The most unusual massage

5. Elephant massage

If you feel some tension in lumbar region, then the ideal massage therapist for you is an elephant. Three tons of trained animal will gently step on you with its limb. This action takes place in a tourist park in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Anyone can try it for themselves.

6. Massage in a gondola

It's no surprise that the world's most romantic city offers such a tempting spa treat. At the Casanova Spa at the Cipriani Hotel in Venice, those seeking complete relaxation can experience maximum relaxation by putting themselves in the hands of an experienced massage therapist and taking a secluded gondola ride into the Venetian Lagoon.

To protect the skin, this massage is done with special oil with SPF.

7. African snail massage

Spa centers in Russia, Japan and the UK have taken facial massage to a new level. It uses real snails, with the help of which it is claimed that skin regeneration occurs, wrinkles, scars and burn marks are eliminated.

A selection of 30 of the most unusual creatures of our planet...
Based on materials from: wikipedia.org & animalworld.com.ua & unnatural.ru

Madagascar suckerfoot
Found only in Madagascar. On the grounds thumbs On the wings and on the soles of the hind limbs, sucker bats have complex rosette suckers, which are located directly on the skin (unlike the suckers in sucker-footed bats). The biology and ecology of the suckerfoot has been virtually unstudied. Most likely, it uses rolled up leathery palm leaves as shelters, to which it sticks with its suckers. All suckers were caught close to the water.

Angora rabbit (ladies)
These rabbits look quite impressive; there are specimens whose fur reaches up to 80 cm in length. Their wool is extremely valuable, and a wide variety of things are made from it: stockings, scarves, gloves, just fabrics and even linen. One kilogram of this rabbit's wool is valued at about 10 - 12 rubles. One rabbit produces about 0.5 kg of this wool per year, but usually much less. Most often, Angora rabbits are bred by women, which is why they are sometimes called “ladies’ rabbits.” The average weight of such a rabbit is 5 kg, body length 61 cm, chest girth 35-40 cm, but other options are possible.

Monkey marmoset
This is the most amazing species of monkeys living on Earth. The weight of an adult does not exceed 120 g. When you look at this tiny creature the size of a mouse (10-15 cm) with a long tail (20-21 cm) and large Mongoloid eyes with a conscious gaze, you feel some embarrassment.

Coconut crab
This is one of the representatives of decapod crustaceans. The habitat of this animal is the western Pacific Ocean and islands in the Indian Ocean. This animal of the land crayfish family is quite large for representatives of its species. An adult can reach 32 cm in length and weigh up to 3-4 kg. For quite a long time, it was mistakenly believed that the palm thief could split coconuts with its claws in order to then eat them, but now scientists have definitely proven that this cancer, despite the enormous strength of its claws, is not capable of splitting a coconut, but can easily break your arm...

Coconuts that split when they fall constitute their main source of nutrition, which is why this crayfish was named the palm thief. However, he is not averse to enjoying other food - the fruits of plants, organic elements from the earth, and even God's creatures similar to themselves. His character, meanwhile, is timid and friendly.

The coconut crab is unique in its kind, its sense of smell is as developed as that of insects, and it also has olfactory organs that ordinary crabs lack. This feature developed after this species left the water and settled on land.

Unlike other crabs, they move forward rather than sideways. They don't stay in the water for long.

Sea cucumber. Holothuria
Sea cucumbers, egg capsules (Holothuroidea), a class of invertebrates such as echinoderms. The modern fauna is represented by 1,150 species, divided into 6 orders, which differ from each other in the shape of the tentacles and calcareous ring, as well as the presence of some internal organs. There are about 100 species in Russia. The body of sea cucumbers is leathery to the touch, usually rough and wrinkled. The body wall is thick and elastic, with well-developed muscle bundles. Longitudinal muscles (5 ribbons) are attached to the calcareous ring around the esophagus. At one end of the body there is a mouth, at the other there is an anus. The mouth is surrounded by a corolla of 10-30 tentacles, which serve to capture food, and leads into a spirally twisted intestine.

They usually lie “on their side”, raising the front, oral end. Holothurians feed on plankton and organic debris extracted from bottom silt and sand, which is passed through the digestive canal. Other species filter food from bottom waters with tentacles covered with sticky mucus.

Hell Vampire

This animal is a mollusk. Despite its external similarity to an octopus or squid, scientists have separated this mollusk into a separate series, Vampyromorphida (Latin), because only it has retractable, receptive, whip-shaped filaments.

Almost the entire surface of the mollusk’s body is covered with luminescent organs - photophores. They appear as small white discs enlarging at the ends of the tentacles and at the base of the fins. Photophores are absent only on inside membraned tentacles. The hellish vampire has very good control over these organs and is capable of producing disorienting flashes of light lasting from hundredths of a second to several minutes. In addition, it can control the brightness and size of the color spots.

Amazonian dolphin
This is the world's largest river dolphin. Inia geoffrensis, as scientists have named it, can reach 2.5 meters in length and weigh up to 200 kg. Juveniles are light gray in color, but become lighter with age. The Amazonian dolphin has a full body, with a narrow snout and a thin tail. Round forehead, slightly curved nose and small eyes. You can meet the Amazonian dolphin in the rivers and lakes of Latin America.

Star-nosed
The star-nosed insect is an insectivorous mammal from the mole family. You can meet such an animal only in South-Eastern Canada and the north-eastern USA. Externally, the star-nosed snake differs from other animals of this family and from other small animals, only it is characterized by the structure of its snout in the form of a rosette or an asterisk made of 22 soft mobile fleshy naked rays. The size of the star-nosed ray similar to its European relative the mole. Its tail is relatively long (about 8 cm), covered with scales and sparse hair. When the starfish is looking for food, the rays on the stigma are constantly moving, with the exception of the two middle ones, they are directed forward and do not bend. When he eats, the rays are pulled together into a compact lump; While eating, the animal holds the food with its front paws. When the starfish drinks, it immerses both the stigma and all the whiskers in the water for 5-6 seconds.

Fossa
These amazing animals live only on the island of Madagascar; there are nowhere else in the world, not even in Africa. The Fossa is a rare animal and the only member of the genus Cryptoprocta, with the Fossa being the largest predator found on the island of Madagascar. The appearance of the Fossa is a little unusual: it is something between a civet and a small puma. At times, the Fossa is also called the Madagascar lion; the ancestors of this animal were much larger and reached the size of a lion. The fossa has a strong build, a massive and slightly elongated body, its length can reach up to 80 cm (on average the fossa body reaches 65-70 cm). The fossa's paws are high, but rather thick, and the hind paws are longer than the front paws. The tail of this animal is very long, often reaching the length of the body and reaching up to 65 cm.

Japanese giant salamander
The largest amphibian found in the world, this salamander can reach 160 cm in length and weigh up to 180 kg. In addition, such a salamander can live up to 150 years, although the officially recorded longest age of a huge salamander is 59 years.

Madagascar crayfish (or Aye-Aye)
The Madagascar monkey (lat. Daubentonia madagascariensis) or aye-aye, is a mammal of the suborder of prosimians; the only representative of the family of arms. One of the rarest animals on the planet - there are only five dozen individuals, which is why it was discovered relatively recently. The largest animal of the nocturnal primates.

The body length of the arm is 30-37 cm without a tail, 44-53 cm with a tail. Weight - about 2.5 kg. The head is large, the muzzle is short; The ears are large and leathery. The tail is large and fluffy. The coat color ranges from dark brown to black. They live in the East and North of the island of Madagascar. They are nocturnal. They feed on the fruits of mango trees and coconut palms, the core of bamboo and sugar cane, tree beetles and larvae. They sleep in hollows or nests.

This animal is one of the most unique mammals on the planet; it has no similar features to any other animal. The little arm has a thick, wide head with large ears, which makes the head appear even wider. Small, protruding, motionless, and glowing eyes with smaller pupils than those of a nocturnal monkey. Its muzzle bears a close resemblance to the beak of a parrot, an elongated body and a long tail, which, like the whole body, is sparsely covered with long, stiff, bristle-like hair. And finally, unusual hands, and these are hands, their middle finger has the appearance of a withered one - all these features connected together give the aye-aye such a unique appearance that you involuntarily rack your brains in a vain zeal to find a related creature similar to this animal.” - this is what A.E. Bram wrote in his book “Animal Life”.

Listed in the “Red Book”, ay-ay is the most remarkable animal, over which a serious danger of extinction hangs. Daubentonia madagascariensis is the only representative of not only the genus, but also the family that has survived to this day.

Guidak
The photo shows the longest-living and at the same time the largest (up to 1 meter in length) burrowing mollusk in the world (the age of the oldest individual found is 160 years). The concept of Guidak was taken from the Indians and is translated as “deep-digging” - these gastropods can actually bury themselves quite deep in the sand. A “leg” protrudes from under the thin, fragile shell of the hyodac, which is three times larger than the shell (there have been cases where specimens with a leg length of more than 1 meter were found). The clam meat is very tough and tastes like abalone (this is also a clam, terribly tasteless, but with a very beautiful shell), so Americans usually cut it into pieces, beat it and fry it in butter with onions.

Liger
The liger (English liger from the English lion - “lion” and English tiger - “tiger”) is a hybrid between a male lion and a female tigress, looking like a giant lion with blurred stripes. The appearance and size are similar to the cave lion and its relative the American lion, which became extinct in the Pleistocene. Ligers are the largest big cats in the world today. The largest liger is Hercules from the interactive theme park Jungle Island.

Male ligers, with rare exceptions, have almost no mane, but unlike lions, ligers know how and love to swim. Another feature of ligers is that female ligers can give birth to offspring, which is unusual for feline hybrids. The extraordinary gigantism of ligers is due to the fact that ligers receive genes from their lion father that promote the growth of their offspring, while the tiger mother does not have genes that inhibit the growth of their offspring. While the tiger father does not have genes that promote growth, the lioness mother has genes that inhibit growth, which are passed on to her offspring. This explains the fact that the liger is larger than the lion, and the tiger lion is smaller than the tiger.

Imperial tamarin
The name of the species (“imperial”) is associated with the presence of fluffy white “whiskers” on these monkeys and is given in honor of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Body length - about 25 cm, tail - about 35 cm. Weight of adult individuals - 250-500 grams. Tamarins feed on fruits and lead a diurnal lifestyle. They live in small groups of 8-15 individuals.

Emperor tamarins are native to the Amazon rainforest and are found in northwestern Brazil, eastern Peru and northern Bolivia. In the east, the range is limited by the Gurupi River, in the upper reaches of the Amazon - by the Putumayo rivers in the north and Madeira in the south. Although the species lives in hard-to-reach places, its conservation status is assessed as vulnerable.

Cuban slittooth
Cuban slittooth, a strange creature similar to big hedgehog with a funny long-nosed muzzle, when it bites, it kills insects and small animals with poisonous saliva. The slit tooth is not dangerous for humans, quite the contrary. Until 2003, the animal was considered extinct until several specimens were caught in the forest. The slittooth has no immunity to its poison, so fights between males are usually fatal for all participants.

Kakapo parrot
The New Zealand kakapo parrot, also known as the owl parrot, is probably the most unusual parrot in the world. He never flies, weighs 4 kilograms, croaks in a nasty voice and is nocturnal. It is considered an extinct species in nature due to ecological imbalance caused by rats and cats. Experts hope to restore the kakapo population, but it is very reluctant to breed in zoos.

Cyclocosmia
This species of spider stands out from the representatives of its genus only by the very original shape of its abdomen. Cyclocosmia digs burrows 7-15 cm deep in the ground. Its abdomen, at the end, is as if chopped off and ends with a chitinized flat disc-shaped surface; it serves to close the entrance to the burrow when the spider is in danger. This method of defense is called Pragmosis (eng. Phragmosis) - a method of defense in which an animal, if threatened, hides in a hole and uses part of its body as a barrier, blocking the path of a predator.

Tapir
Tapirs (lat. Tapirus) are large herbivores from the order of equids, somewhat reminiscent of a pig in shape, but with a short trunk adapted for grasping.

The sizes of tapirs differ from species to species, but as a rule, the length of a tapir is about two meters, the height at the withers is about a meter, and the weight is from 150 to 300 kg. Life expectancy in the wild is about 30 years, the cub is always born alone, pregnancy lasts about 13 months. Newborn tapirs have protective coloring consisting of spots and stripes, and although this coloring appears to be the same, there are some differences between species. The front paws of tapirs are four-toed, and the hind paws are three-toed; the toes have small hooves that help them move on muddy and soft ground.

Mixin
The hagfish (lat. Myxini) lives at depths of 100-500 meters, its predominant habitat is near the shores North America, Europe, Iceland, East Greenland. Sometimes it can be found in the Adriatic Sea. IN winter time the hagfish sometimes descends to great depths- up to 1 km.

The size of this animal is small - 35-40 centimeters, although sometimes giant specimens are found - 79-80 centimeters. Naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who discovered this miracle in 1761, initially even included it in the class of worms because of its specific appearance. Although in fact hagfish belong to the class of cyclostomes, which are the historical predecessors of fish. The color of hagfish can vary, but the predominant colors are pinkish and gray-red.

A distinctive feature of hagfish is the presence of a number of holes that secrete mucus, which are located along the lower edge of the animal’s body. It should be noted that mucus is a very important secretion of hagfish, which is used by the animal to penetrate into the cavity of the fish chosen as a victim. Mucus also plays an important role in animal respiration. The hagfish is a real mucus-creating plant, in particular, if you put it in a bucket full of water, then after a while all the water will be converted into mucus.

The fins of hagfishes are actually not developed; they are difficult to distinguish on the long body of the animal. Organ of vision - the eyes see poorly; they are masked by light areas of skin in this area. The round mouth has as many as 2 rows of teeth, and there is also one unpaired tooth in the palate area. Hagfish “breathe through their nose”, and water enters the hole at the end of the snout - the nostril. The respiratory organs of hagfish, like all fish, are gills. The area where they are located are special cavities-channels running along the animal’s body. The hagfish hunts only those fish that are sick, weakened (for example, after spawning) or caught in gear or nets installed by humans. The attack process itself occurs in the following way: the hagfish eats through the wall of the fish’s body with its sharp teeth, after which it enters the body, consuming first the internal organs, and then muscle mass. If the unfortunate victim is still able to resist, then the hagfish passes into the gills and fills them with mucus, abundantly secreted by its glands. As a result, the fish dies from suffocation, leaving the hunter the opportunity to eat its body

Proboscis
The proboscis monkey, or Kahau (lat. Nasalis larvatus) is a monkey widespread only in one small area of ​​the globe - the valleys and coast of the island of Borneo. The proboscis monkey belongs to the family of thin-bodied monkeys and received its name due to its huge nose, which is a distinctive feature of males.

It has not yet been possible to establish the exact purpose of such a large nose, but, obviously, its size plays a role in choosing a mating partner. The fur of these monkeys is yellowish-brown on the back and white on the belly, the limbs and tail are gray, and the face is not covered with hair at all and has a rather bright reddish tint, and in the cubs a bluish tint.

The size of an adult proboscis monkey can reach 75 cm, excluding the tail, and twice that size from the nose to the tip of the tail. Average weight males weigh 18-20 kg, females weigh almost half as much. Almost never moving away from the water, proboscis whales were known as excellent swimmers who could travel more than 20 meters underwater. In the open shallow waters of tropical forests, proboscis monkeys move, like most primates, on four limbs, but in the wild thickets of mangroves (the so-called tropical forests of Borneo) they walk on two legs, almost vertically.

Axolotl
Representing the larval form of Ambystoma, the axolotl is considered one of the most interesting objects for study. Firstly, axolotls do not need to reach adult form and undergo metamorphosis to reproduce. Surprised? The secret lies in neoteny - a phenomenon in which sexual maturity occurs in the axolotl even in “childhood” age. Note that the tissues of this larva react rather poorly to the hormone secreted by the thyroid gland.

Experiments have proven that lowering the water level during home breeding of these larvae promotes their transformation into adults. The same thing happens in cooler, drier climates. If an axolotl lives in your aquarium, and you want to turn it into an ambistoma, then be sure to add the hormone thyroidin to the larva’s food. A similar result can be achieved with an injection. As a rule, the transformation of an axolotl will take several weeks, after which the larva will change its body shape and color. In addition, the axolotl will permanently lose its external gills.

Literally translated from the Aztec language, axolotl is a “water toy,” which is quite consistent with its appearance. Once you see an axolotl, you are unlikely to forget its unusual, bizarre appearance. At first glance, the axolotl resembles a newt, but is rather large and wide head. The smiling “face” of the axolotl deserves special attention - tiny beady eyes and an excessively wide mouth.

As for the amphibian’s body length, it is about thirty centimeters, and axolotls are characterized by the regeneration of lost body parts. The axolotl's natural habitat is concentrated in Xochimailco and Cholco, mountain lakes in Mexico.

If you look closely at the amphibian's head, you will notice six long gills, symmetrically located on the sides of the head. The axolotl's gills externally resemble thin shaggy twigs, which the larva cleans from time to time of organic debris.

Thanks to their wide, long tail, axolotls are excellent swimmers, although they prefer to spend most of their lives at the bottom. Why bother with unnecessary movements if the food floats into your mouth by itself?

At first, biologists were quite surprised by the respiratory system of axolotls, which included both lungs and gills. For example, if the aquatic habitat of an axolotl is not sufficiently saturated with oxygen, the larva quickly adapts to such a change and begins to breathe with its lungs.

Naturally, the transition to pulmonary breathing negatively affects the gills, which gradually atrophy. And, of course, it is worth paying attention to the original coloring of the axolotl. Small black spots evenly cover the green body, although the axolotl's abdomen remains almost white.

Zoologists have made different assumptions as to what exactly attracts the candira to the human genitals. The most plausible assumption seems to be that the candiru are extremely sensitive to the smell of urine: it happened that the candiru attacked a person a few moments after he urinated in the water. It is believed that candiru are able to find the source of smell in water.

But the candiru does not always penetrate the victim. It happens that, having overtaken prey, the candiru bites through the skin of a person or the gill tissue of a fish with long teeth that grow in their upper jaw and begins to suck blood from the victim, causing the body of the candiru itself to swell and swell. Candiru hunt not only fish and mammals, but also reptiles.

Tarsier
Tarsier (Tarsier, lat. Tarsius) is a small mammal from the order of primates, the very specific appearance of which has created a somewhat ominous halo around this small animal weighing up to one hundred and sixty grams.

Particularly impressionable tourists say that the first time they see huge shining eyes looking at them without blinking, and the next moment the animal turns its head almost 360 degrees and you look straight at the back of its head, you feel, to put it mildly, uneasy. By the way, local aborigines still believe that the tarsier’s head exists separately from the body. Well, this is all speculation, of course, but the facts are obvious!

There are about 8 species of tarsier. The most common are the Bankan and Philippine tarsier, as well as a separate species - the ghost tarsier. These mammals live in Southeast Asia, the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and the Philippines, as well as in adjacent territories.

Externally, tarsiers are small animals, the size of which does not exceed sixteen centimeters, with large ears, long thin fingers and a long tail of about thirty cm, and at the same time with very little weight.

The animal's fur is brown or grayish, and its eyes are much larger compared to human proportions - about the size of an average apple.

In nature, tarsiers live in pairs or small groups of eight to ten individuals. They are nocturnal and feed exclusively on animal origin - insects and small vertebrates.

Their pregnancy lasts about six months and a small animal is born, which, within a couple of hours after birth, grasping the mother’s fur, will make its first journey. The average lifespan of a tarsier is about ten to thirteen years.

Narwhal
Narwhals (lat. Monodon monoceros) are a protected rare species belonging to the unicorn family and are listed in the Red Book of Russia due to their small numbers. The habitat of this marine animal is the Arctic Ocean, as well as the North Atlantic. The size of an adult male often reaches 4.5 meters, weighing about one and a half tons. Females weigh slightly less. The head of an adult narwhal is round, with a large, tuberous forehead, and there is no dorsal fin. Narwhals are somewhat reminiscent of beluga whales, although compared to the latter, the animals have a somewhat spotted skin and 2 upper teeth, one of which, growing, turns into a three-meter tusk weighing up to 10 kg.

The narwhal tusk, twisted to the left in the form of a spiral, is quite rigid, but at the same time it has a certain limit of flexibility and can bend up to thirty centimeters. Previously, it was often passed off as a unicorn horn, which had healing powers. It was believed that if you throw a piece of narwhal horn into a glass of poisoned wine, it will change its color.

At this time, there is a hypothesis that is very popular in scientific circles, proving that the narwhal’s horn, covered with sensitive endings, is needed by the animal to measure water temperature, pressure and other parameters of the aquatic environment that are no less important for life.

Narwhals most often live in small groups of up to ten animals. The diet of narwhals, which, by the way, can hunt at a depth of more than a kilometer, consists of cephalopods and bottom fish. The enemies of narwhals in nature can be called other inhabitants of these territories - polar bears and killer whales.

However, the greatest damage to the narwhal population was caused by people who hunted them for their tasty meat and horn, which is successfully used to make various crafts. At this time, animals are under state protection.

Octopus Jumbo
Dumbo is a very small and unusual deep-sea octopus, a representative of the cephalopods. Lives only in the Tasman Sea.

Jumbo apparently got his name in honor of the famous cartoon character, the baby elephant Dumbo, who was ridiculed for his large ears (in the middle of the body, the octopus has a pair of rather long, paddle-shaped fins resembling ears). Its individual tentacles are literally connected to the ends by a thin elastic membrane called the umbrella. It, together with the fins, serves as the main mover of this animal, that is, the octopus moves like jellyfish, pushing water out from under the umbrella bell.

The largest Jumbo was discovered in the Tasman Sea - half the size of a human palm.

Medusa Cyanea
Jellyfish Cyanea - considered the largest jellyfish in the world, found in the Northwest Atlantic. The diameter of the bell of the cyanea jellyfish reaches 2 meters, and the length of the thread-like tentacles is 20-30 meters. One of these jellyfish, washed ashore in Massachusetts Bay, had a bell diameter of 2.28 m, and its tentacles extended 36.5 m.

Each such jellyfish eats about 15 thousand fish during its life.

Piglet squid

This is a deep-sea marine inhabitant, which received the nickname “pig squid” because of its round body. The scientific name of piglet squid is Helicocranchia pfefferi. Not much is known about him. It is found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at a depth of about 100 meters. Swims slowly. And under the eyes (like many deep-sea animals) it has luminous organs - photophores.

“Little Pig”, unlike other squids, swims upside down, so its tentacles look like a tuft.

Snake Carla
There are currently 3,100 known species of snakes on our planet. But the snake Carla from the island of Barbados is the smallest of them. The maximum length it reaches in adulthood is 10 centimeters.

Leptotyphlops carlae was first officially described and identified as a new species in 2008. Blair Hedge, a biologist at Penn State, named the snake after his wife, herpentologist Carla Ann Hass, who was also part of the team that made the discovery.

It is believed that the Barbados thread, as this snake is also called, is close to the theoretically possible minimum size for snakes that evolution allows. If suddenly the snake happens to be even smaller, it simply will not be able to find food for itself and will die.

The snake Carla feeds on termites and ant larvae.

Due to its miniature size, the thread snake bears only one egg, but it is a large one. The size of the born snake at the moment of birth is half the mother’s body. However, this is normal for snakes. The smaller the snake, the proportionally larger its offspring - and vice versa.

Leptotyphlops carlae has so far been found only on the island of Barbados in the Caribbean Sea, and even then only in the east-central part of it. Most of Barbados' forests have been cleared. And since the thread snake lives only in the forest, it is assumed that the territory suitable for habitation of the strange creature is limited to just a few square kilometers. So the survival of the species is a concern.

Lamprey
Lampreys look like eels or huge worms, although they have nothing to do with either one. They have a naked body covered with mucus, which is why they are mistaken for worms. In fact, these are primitive vertebrates. Zoologists group them into a special class of cyclostomes. You can’t say about cyclostomes that they have a tongue without bones. Their mouth is just equipped complex system cartilage that supports the mouth and tongue. There are no jaws, so food is sucked into the mouth like into a funnel. Along the edges of this funnel and on the tongue there are teeth. Lampreys have three eyes. Two on the sides and one on the forehead.

Lampreys are predators and attack mainly fish. The lamprey attaches itself to the victim, gnaws through the scales, drinks the blood and snacks on the meat (from the area it bit into). In our country, lamprey fishing is carried out in the Neva and other rivers flowing into the Baltic Sea, as well as in the Volga. In Russia, lamprey is considered an exquisite delicacy. But in many countries, such as the USA, lampreys are not eaten.

Killer Clam
This curiosity lives on coral reefs at a depth of almost 25 meters. The mollusk weighs up to 210 kilograms with a body length of up to 1.7 meters. Life expectancy is up to 150 years. Due to its impressive size, it gave rise to many rumors and dark legends.

It is called Giant clam (from the English giant clam), Tridacninae, Tridacna. The giant clam is a delicacy in Japan, France, Southeast Asia and many Pacific Islands. Lives due to symbiosis with the algae that live on it. It also knows how to filter water passing through it and extract plankton from there.

It doesn’t actually eat people, but if a careless diver tries to touch the mollusk’s mantle with his hand, the shell flaps will reflexively close. And since the compression force of the tridacna muscles is enormous, a person risks dying from lack of oxygen. This is where the name “killer clam” comes from.

We have all heard about chess and boxing, but do you know about chessboxing? What about ferret-in-pants? Or camel fights? Our world is full of all sorts of oddities, and unusual sports only confirm this fact. As the famous baseball player Yogi Berra once said, you can notice a lot of interesting things just by observing. Perhaps it's time to learn something new right now?

25. Bo-taoshi (or botaoshi, or botaoshi)

Botaoshi is translated from Japanese as “knock down a pole,” and it’s very active view sports Each team has 150 members, divided into 75 forwards and 75 defenders. What is the goal? Knock down the opposing team's pillar, of course.

24. Extreme ironing linen

Photo: Theredroket, English Wikipedia

According to the Bureau of Extreme Ironing, it is "the youngest and dangerous sport, which combines the thrill of being active in nature with the satisfaction of a well-ironed shirt.” Extreme ironing originated in England, but has now become an international phenomenon, with competitions in the sport now taking place underwater, in mountains and even while skydiving around the world.

23. Gagaball


Photo: Camp Pinewood

This game is especially popular in summer camps, and it originated in Israel. Gagaball is somewhat reminiscent of dodgeball, with the difference that all the action must take place within a wooden octagon, and the participants in the game knock each other out with the ball below the knee to get rid of the opponent.

22. Cooperschild cheese race


Photo: Dave Farrance

This annual competition is held on the side of Cooper's Hill near English city Gloucester (Cooper's Hill, Gloucester), from the top of which a wheel of traditional Gloucester cheese is rolled. The participants' task is to catch up with the head, sliding down the mountain with it. During this, the cheese accelerates to a speed of 112.5 kilometers per hour, so there is no need to talk about a real pursuit of this bait. By and large, the winner is the one who crosses the finish line first, and the daredevil is rewarded with... cheese.

21. Snow polo


Photo: Clement Bucco-Lechat

This type of polo appeared in Switzerland in 1985, but today it can be found almost all over the world. In the US, snow polo is played exclusively in Aspen, Colorado. As you may have guessed, this sport is mainly enjoyed by wealthy people, because not everyone can afford a personal stallion for training.

20. Bunny hop or caninhop

Photo: sv:User:Wikkie

In Sweden they came up with another interesting view competitions, and rabbits are specially trained for it so that they jump over a variety of obstacles. This spectacle, of course, cannot be compared with show jumping, but how can one not be moved by the jumping rabbits?

19. Underwater hockey or octopush


Photo: DavidUnderwater

The name speaks for itself. Yes, yes, it’s almost like regular hockey, only they play it at the bottom of the pool. As you might have guessed, it is extremely important for an athlete in this discipline to be able to hold their breath for a long time. In addition, instead of a regular stick, special pushers are used, which are small paddle sticks.

18. Roller derby


Photo: Earl McGehee

Most common among women, this sport was forgotten for some time, but in recent years 10 has regained its former glory. The game involves 2 teams of roller skaters, and they all compete on one common racing track. One of the members of each team plays the role of a jammer, and the main task of this player is to overtake his opponents, who are trying to interfere with him in every possible way. It is not surprising that this sport can sometimes be very aggressive and traumatic.

17. Man versus Horse Marathon


Photo: Jothelibrarian

Every June in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells, marathon runners line up to prove they can outrun a horse over a distance of 35 kilometers. Where did it all start? Rumor has it that in 1980, local pub owner Gordon Green overheard two customers arguing over whether a man could outrun a horse. long distance. Since then, athletes have been trying to test this for many years, and the first time a cyclist won this race was in 1989. Later, bicycles were banned, and according to the new rules, a person was able to overcome the animal only in 2004.

16. God snorkeling


Photo: Rud-gr

You will not only have to put on a snorkel, mask and fins, but also swim 120 meters through the swamp in them. Using traditional swimming styles is prohibited, as is raising your head above muddy water. You can only help yourself with flippers. Like some of the other sports on this list, this discipline originated in England due to an old dispute.

15. Fighting on cardboard pipes


Photo: Helen Cook

According to the official statement of the Cardboard Tube Fighting League (yes, it's for real), this sport is based on 3 main principles: people need to have more fun and act less seriously, events can be fun without alcohol, cardboard sword fights - it is very funny. Undeniable logic!

14. Belliflop or belly diving


Photo: Prayitno

This is probably one of the most traumatic and painful non-team sports, but in a few seconds of suffering you can win a lot of money. And if you don’t win, then at least you will stroke your pride and be guaranteed to get your moment of glory. the main task an athlete – to jump beautifully from a height, fly as long as possible with your belly towards the water, and at the last moment manage to group yourself so as not to break your back.

13. Sports mustache growing


Photo: Mike Mozart

Compared to most other disciplines on this list, sport growing seems to be the safest and most relaxing activity. Just don’t even think about telling any of these mustaches that they are not real athletes!

12. Checkbox


Photo: Sascha Pohflepp

These competitions were invented by a comic book author at the end of the 20th century, and they were brought to life by another person, and the first world championship took place in 2003. consists of 11 rounds of boxing and chess games alternating, and victory is achieved either by knockout, checkmate, surrender, chess time delay, or by the judge's decision and points.

11. Buzkashi


Photo: WikipediaCommons.com

The goal of this competition is simple - grab the carcass of a headless goat at full gallop, not allow your opponents to take it away, and get to the finish line with the trophy. Buzkashi is popular throughout Central Asia and is considered national sport Afghanistan.

10. Pesäpallo or Finnish baseball


Photo: Jannev

It is the national sport of Finland, but has recently become popular throughout Northern Europe. Pesäpallo resembles a variation of baseball, but the difference between the two sports is that the Finns throw their ball up. Thanks to this, it is easier to hit the ball with a bat, and the dynamics of the game become much more varied.

9. Ferret-in-pants


Photo: Artofmanliness.com

Do you think ferrets are the cutest creatures? What if a ferret ends up in your pants? And two ferrets? The goal of this sport is to keep a couple of animals in the player's pants for as long as possible, with all the ensuing consequences. Incredibly, the world record is a whopping 5 hours and 26 minutes, and it was set without underwear!

8. Toe wrestling or leg wrestling


Photo: Sarah

Once again, we can thank the UK for an incredibly strange sport. If it weren't for the British, the world would not have known about such great toe wrestling champions as Paul "Tomatominator" Beech. According to the rules of etiquette, each player removes the shoe and sock from his opponent's feet before the match.

7. Mountain monocyclism


Photo: Ian Burt

As experienced hikers know, sometimes on mountain trails it can be difficult to stay on two legs, and even more so on one wheel. Not only do we talk about the athlete's incredible sense of balance, unicycles are also not equipped like mountain bikes, so controlling these unicycles requires special maneuvering skills. Despite all the unusualness and complexity of this discipline, mountain unicycling has recently become increasingly popular, especially in the Midwest of the United States.

6. Riding on a tube (inflatable sled) on the water


Photo: Peter Opatrny

Perhaps this is one of the most dangerous species sports from our list, because over the past 5 years, several people have died at water tubing competitions, and many competitors have been injured. The athlete’s task is to stay on a special inflatable tube tied to the boat for as long as possible. At high speed, these tubes literally fly into the air, but if you come across an inflatable sled that is not designed for flying, this can lead to serious injuries, because it is very difficult to control such cameras, and the landing back on the water is very hard.

5. Bossaball


Photo: Bossaball Master

Here is a mixture of football, gymnastics and volleyball. This crazy sport was invented in Spain, but later found its fans far beyond its borders. The game takes place on a huge inflatable field with trampolines, the ball can be hit with any part of the body, players of one team have the right to a maximum of 5 touches until the ball flies over the net into someone else's field.

4. Camel fights


Photo: Halit Edip Ozcan

If you've made it this far, you've probably realized that people love fighting. We compete on toes and fingers, wrestle on horseback, and even force camels to fight! Few people associate this humpbacked animal with fighting, but believe me, it’s all about motivation. If you pit two camels head-on in the presence of a mating female, these massive creatures will do anything to win. Competitions are traditionally held in the countries of the Middle East and South Asia.

3. Carrying wives


Photo: WikipediaCommons.com

According to the rules described in the regulations of the World Wife Carrying Championship, a man can carry either his own wife or a neighbor's wife as a load, or he must find her somewhere else. In addition, the woman must be over 17 years old and weigh at least 49 kilograms.

2. Quidditch


Photo: BenHollandPhotography

This game was first described in the Harry Potter series of novels, and recently it has become increasingly popular. Most often, Quidditch competitions are held on college campuses. Quidditch is a great chance for a simple Muggle to make his dream come true and join the world of magic by picking up a broom not only while cleaning.

1. Kicking the shins (or shin kicking, or purring)


Photo: David Stowell

All you need to participate in this challenge is 2 pairs of shins and a tolerance for pain. The game came to the USA along with immigrants from Great Britain (again the British), and became extremely popular there due to its simplicity and playfulness. The task of each athlete is to knock his opponent to the ground, beating him on the legs. Participants put on white coats, grab each other by the collar and kick their opponent in the shin until one player gives up.