They may look like they just walked off the set of Jurassic Park, but these crazy animals are real and very much not extinct, thank you.
From megabats to birds that look like they're from an alien planet, you won't believe that these huge animals roam our planet today, looking like dinosaurs of the present.
And just think, out of the over eight million species on our planet, we've only discovered around 14 percent of them!
So who knows what else is lurking out there in the deep…or deep in the forests. Creepy, huh?
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1. Shoebill
Yes, this is a real bird, and no, it's not a terrifying monster of the skies, though they do fly, and their wingspan can reach a whopping eight feet!
The shoebill (also known as a shoe-billed stork or whalehead) is a very large, stork-like bird found in the swamps and tropics of East Africa. Due to habitat destruction, they are currently a vulnerable species.
2. Great flying fox
No, this image has not been photoshopped, that's an actual bat!
Part of the ancient genus Pteropus, the great flying fox (also known as the Bismarck flying fox) is a species of Megabat that resides in the lowland areas of New Guinea and in the Bismarck Archipelago, and weighs only three pounds despite its massive size.
3. Goblin shark
This terrifying sea creature is rare and poorly understood by scientists, and as its family lineage goes back 125 million years, it's known as a "living fossil."
Goblin sharks live at ocean depths greater than 330 feet throughout the world, so it's not a threat or danger to humans.
4. Nomura’s Jellyfish
This freakishly gigantic jelly was found off the shores of Japan, and believe it or not, is considered edible (though not a delicacy!)
Nomura's jellyfish can grow up to 440 pounds and live primarily in the waters surrounding Japan and China.
5. Japanese spider crab
It's no wonder why Japan is famous for their monster movies when they've got animals like this!
One of the country's fishing staples, the Japanese spider crab lives at depths of up to 2,000 feet and can weigh up to 42 pounds. In some parts of Japan, it is even considered a delicacy.
6. Mekong giant catfish
This critically endangered species native to the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia, and plays a special role in Thai folklore as they are regarded with reverence and even have spiritual offerings made in their honor before they're fished.
The largest recorded Mekong giant catfish weighed a whopping 646 pounds. To make things freakier, they are known to have cannibalistic tendencies…
7. Giant freshwater stingray
This giant freshwater stingray discovered by scientists weighs half a ton and has a 15-inch poison barb. Yikes!
This massive fish is found in large rivers and estuaries in Indochina and Borneo, and inhabits muddy or sandy river bottoms. It can grow to over 16 feet long.
8. Chinese giant salamander
The world's largest amphibian can be found in streams and lakes of China and can grow up to six feet in length.
Almost completely blind, the Chinese giant salamander is considered to be critically endangered due to habitat loss.
9. Giant whale shark
These beautiful creatures can grow up to 50 feet in length, but despite being sharks, they don't use their powerful jaws to consume prey, as they're filter-feeders that move very slowly and feed mostly on plankton.
Whale sharks can be found in all of the world's tropical and temperate seas.
10. Cinereous vulture
This large raptor is a Eurasian species, and is believed to be the largest bird of prey on Earth.
These vultures can weigh up to 31 pounds, with wingspans of eight to 10 feet. Their flight is buoyant with deep, heavy flaps of their massive wings.
11. Sandhill crane
This kid seems pretty shocked to run into a giant sandhill crane in their neighborhood, and I can't blame 'em!
These big birds have the longest living fossil histories of any extant bird species. While they vary in size, their wingspan can reach over six feet, and males weigh up to 11 pounds. Sandhill cranes are found throughout North America.
12. Titan longhorn beetle
Found in South America, this massive creepy-crawlie is one of the world's largest known beetles.
The Titans can grow up to 6.5 inches long, and inhabit the rainforests of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, the Guianas, and north-central Brazil.
13. Macroptychaster sea stars
Discovered by researchers in New Zealand's Antarctic waters in 2008, these two feet wide starfish became the subject of scientist fascination and were deemed a newly discovered species.
"Gigantism is very common in Antarctic waters — we have collected huge worms, giant crustaceans and sea spiders the size of dinner plates," Dr Martin Riddle, leader of Aurora Australis expedition, told the Associated Press at the time.
Just think of all of the scary stuff we have yet to uncover…
14. African Goliath frog
Frog or dinosaur? It's definitely a frog, though it's hard to imagine seeing this Kermit in your backyard!
Found in Cameroon, these giant critters can live up to 15 years, and are happy to devour anything from insects and bugs to snakes even other frogs. Terrifying.
15. Coconut crab
This gigantic crab was named for its claws that are powerful enough to crack coconuts!
Found on the islands throughout the Indian Ocean and parts of the Pacific, the coconut crab is the largest species of terrestrial crab and is in fact related to hermit crabs.
They enjoy eating fruit and nuts, but will also snack on the corpses of dead animals.
16. This giant moth is one of the many that invaded Malaysia!
A real-life Mothra, these moths may be massive, but they're nothing to be afraid of, as they're harmless to humans.
Earlier this year, a swarm of thousands of these big guys got people in Malaysia really excited as they descended into people's homes and even interrupted a football match!
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