Genetics
With all the possible variations of how an animal will look or act based on its DNA, there are a lot of animals out there who seem to have won the genetic lottery. Of all the colors that might show in an animal's eyes, fur, or skin, the "genetic mutations" tend to be the most beautiful or interesting.
Dogs with two different colored eyes or rare cats with the most exotic-looking colors you've ever seen are the result of a mutation, but there are some animals out there that have characteristics that go far beyond the average genetic deviation.
Bearded Cat
Here's an adorable cat, but not for normal reasons. He may have the gorgeous eyes and the pink little nose, but there's a glaringly obvious genetic trait that this little guy has.
He has a little beard! We don't need to tell you that beards on cats are rare, this guy may be the only one that we've seen so far.
Stunning
This stunning blue-eyed beauty is actually a German Shepherd. They don't have the normal brown and black mask. This one appears to be mostly black but it's the eyes that really make his gorgeous coat pop.
He has the bluest eyes. It can sometimes happen in shepherds - especially if they're crossed with another dog that has blue eyes, like a husky.
Beautiful Bear
Without a doubt, this bear's face is incredibly unusual and rather spectacular! Although the interesting hues on his face are enough to make him stand out, there are other surprises in his DNA.
This bear is part of a species of bears that are the last short-nosed bears on earth - and they are only native to South America.
Rare Beauty
This cat has a face that could inspire art - indeed, he's also quite statuesque. But did you know those beautiful markings are due to a genetic mutation?
This cat has a very rare genetic mutation that also affects humans. It's called vitiligo. Over time, the cat's fur loses pigmentation - eventually, he'll be almost white.
Psychedelic Snake
As if snakes weren't cool enough with all their amazing evolutionary traits - like their hinged jaws, venom, and incredible muscular strength and power.
This snake's DNA really took this snake's colors to brand-new heights. You're probably used to seeing green, brown, and black snakes, but have you ever seen anything like this before?
Raw Power
We've seen how genetic mutations can cause some humans to have an incredible amount of strength in comic books - leaving the rest of us daydreaming about getting bitten by a radioactive spider.
Here, though, nature got the last laugh by giving a super-strength mutation to a dog via a genetic mutation in the myostatin gene - which causes a massive increase in muscle mass.
Dog-Cheetah
Some genetic mutations can't be blamed on the natural order of things - just look at this dog!
This gorgeous color and the spotted pattern is the result of a mixed breed mom. This dog really won the genetic lottery!
The Direwolf
This is Yuki, and he lives at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary in Collier County. He is around five feet tall and weighs around 120 pounds.
You'd be forgiven for thinking he's a real Direwolf, but a 2018 DNA test confirmed that Yuki was 87.5 percent gray wolf, 8.6 percent Siberian husky, and 3.9 percent German shepherd.
Hidden Treasure
Did you know that natural pearls are created when an irritant works its way into a particular species of oyster, mussel, or clam?
The creature secretes a fluid that coats the irritant as a natural defense mechanism. Layer upon layer of this secretion hardens to form pearls!
Snails As Big As Your Head
Believe it or not, these giant snails are real. Meet the giant African snail - native to Kenya and Tanzania. This big guy can grow more than 8 inches in length, which is nearly as big as your face or hand.
Recently, these giant snails took over Florida because humans who bought them as pets released them back into the wild.
Giant Wombat
This cute guy really won the genetic lottery when he grew so big. Wombats are native to Australia and can grow up to one meter in length - but this guy is quite a bit bigger than that!
Wombats are strictly herbivorous - they eat grass, shrubs, and trees. How cute!
Wolfdog
This guy is a wolfdog - a cross between a wolf and a domestic pooch. His sheer size is something to admire, though.
Wolfdogs tend to have smaller heads than pure wolves, but this guy's head is huge.
He Does Chores, Too
According to studies, raccoons are highly intelligent creatures. Researchers at Vanderbilt University found that, while raccoons have a relatively small brain, they have an average of 438 million neurons in their grey matter!
Aside from being highly intelligent, raccoons are just adorable. If you can train them to do your chores, the cuteness level goes through the roof.
The Similarities Are Astounding
Primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas have already been acknowledged for having such human-like qualities and traits.
They have shown signs of intelligence and self-awareness, but it looks like evolution is not quite done with connecting us to these amazing creatures. This gorilla even looks like he's takling and gesturing like a human!