You might expect to see our next bizarre beast in a pond, bog, puddle, wetlands, or even under a nice moist rock or log. If that’s the case, you’ll be looking in all the wrong places because this amphibian can live hundreds of feet above ground.
Bizarre Beasts
@bizarrebeastsshow.bsky.social
What makes a weird animal weird? Once a month, we'll introduce you to a new bizarre beast and explore the many answers to this question at youtube.com/bizarrebeasts!
However you support Complexly, you fuel our mission: whether you’re buying merch, watching our videos, or getting a ticket for Complexly’s first in-person fundraiser, Something Worth Knowing!
We like treehoppers and all their oddities! 📺: youtu.be/ZgyAnhlGUIY?...
Toughie the Rabbs' Fringed-limbed Tree Frog lived in a biosecure enclosure in Atlanta for years. The first time anyone heard his voice, he was already the last of his kind, the endling. Learn his story now: youtu.be/uWallOyZvn0
If you guessed treehoppers, you're right! Sitting still all the time does make them vulnerable to attacks so they’ve come up with some pretty complex defense mechanisms, which you can learn all about in our latest episode! youtu.be/ZgyAnhlGUIY
Our next bizarre beast is a true bug. They get their names from living on tress and being good at jumping, though a majority of their time is spent holding still and slurping tree sap. Can you guess what it is?
As you probably know, the Brahminy Blind Snake's length is about the same as the circumference of 1 quarter! But what about some of our other bizarre beasts?
Let's go on a field trip to the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center! The KBCC is home to Hawaii's rarest birds, including our most recent Endling the 'akikiki (episode out now!). watch the new episode: youtu.be/rr8Sfnbp2M4 take the field trip: kuula.co/share/5MqXT/...
This month’s pin was designed by Thomas Marnin! Thomas Marnin is one half of MarninSaylor, a Seattle based toy brand known for their characters, the Pastry Pets. Thomas is a lifelong lover of the natural world. Check out more from Marnin Saylor here: marninsaylor.com
If you guessed Brahminy Blind Snake, you're right! For these so called "flowerpot snakes" living in tropical soil has become the ultimate accidental passport. There are now Brahminy Blind Snakes in the tropical and subtropical biomes of every continent, except for Antarctica. youtu.be/uHd7zuWZHxk
You’re going to have to get in really close to identify our next beast. On first glance, you may think it’s just a worm. That totally makes sense given its tiny size, blindness, and tendency to dig around in the soil. But it's not a worm at all...who is that girl?
The Galápagos Conservancy was a huge help on our Galápagos Island Tortoises Endlings episode. Their team has re-wilded more than 10,000 tortoises since 1965. learn more about them here: www.galapagos.org and watch the Galápagos Island Tortoises episode here: youtu.be/UIlCNJTvSsc
Protects and Restores the Galápagos Islands | Galápagos Conservancy
Galápagos Conservancy safeguards and revitalises the Galápagos Islands through targeted conservation efforts and strategic grant funding.
galapagos.org
A new Endlings episode JUST DROPPED! The many species of Galápagos Island Tortoises are the islands' most dominant herbivores. So how did one tortoise become affectionately known as Lonesome George, the Endling? 📺: youtu.be/UIlCNJTvSsc
Turns out, the first season of Endlings on @bizarrebeastsshow.bsky.social wasn’t our last! Season 2 starts now, with the story of the two wolves of Japan #scicomm
Is The Japanese Wolf Still Alive? (Endlings Is Back!)
YouTube video by Bizarre Beasts
youtube.com
Two wolves once prowled the mountains and forests of Japan. They were revered as deities, and respected as protectors of travelers and fields, until forces from outside the islands changed everything... 📺: youtu.be/UUKGQKkUKeE
If you want to work with the Bizarre Beasts team, here's a chance! Our department is hiring an Associate Producer to help us and some other cool channels. Check out the link if you're interested!
We're looking for an Associate Producer to join Complexly! This is a full-time remote role supporting video production from pre-production to publishing. Apply by May 13th at Complexly.org/jobs
Happy 200th Birthday @zslofficial.bsky.social! 🥳 The ZSL has helped us out on Bizarre Beasts many times and we're just so glad they exist. Check out their 200th celebration at zsl.org/200.
Kory Bing is an illustrator based in Oregon City, Oregon with a focus on strange creatures, extinct animals, and other oddities of our natural world. She grew up in the rural Ozark Mountains of Missouri and spent most of her childhood in the woods poking things with sticks and picking up snakes.
Have you discovered the fabulous Bizarre Beasts show? Many episodes trace the scientific discovery and early descriptions of #BizarreBeasts through the literature. Look out for references to the Biodiversity Heritage Library! (Thanks @bizarrebeastsshow.bsky.social for crediting BHL!)
The next endling in our mini-series is the Thylacine! Thylacines (aka Tasmanian Tigers or Tasmanian Wolves) have been extinct since 1936. Many factors contributed to their extinction, but our own zoological fascination was part of the problem. Learn more in our latest episode. youtu.be/YeMXE8XEmSU
Thank you! This is beautiful! We love Endlings and are happy to have supported it! @bizarrebeastsshow.bsky.social @hankgreen.bsky.social
Braconid wasps are pretty weird! Here's an animation of a wasp injecting a host with its virus!
Special thanks to the folks at Ant Lab for letting us use this footage of wasps emerging from a caterpillar in our episode! youtube.com/shorts/VO-Mi...
Wasps emerging from a caterpillar!
YouTube video by Ant Lab
youtube.com
Our braconid wasp pin artist is Sage Friss! Sage is a Missoula based artist who grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Montana. He's deeply connected to the world around him and inspired by nature.
It's World Wildlife Day! Check out the United Nations' Virtual Celebration and learn about conservation science www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcmv...
World Wildlife Day 2026 United Nations Virtual Celebration
YouTube video by World Wildlife Day
youtube.com
If you guessed braconid wasps, you're right! Braconid wasps are parasitoids, which is a type of parasitism with a slightly different outcome. The host of a parasitoid, becomes a dual-purpose incubator and food source for its offspring. youtu.be/LmQNrI4aIzo
The survival of this family of insects is so intertwined with a virus that they partly share a genome. This extreme level of teamwork lets these beasts live their best parasitoid lives. Can you guess what the next bizarre beast is?
Complexly is excited to share that we are now a 501c3 nonprofit, built on the idea that good information is worth it. New structure. Same mission. Bigger impact. Find out how you can support free, independent, trustworthy education at Complexly.org
It's that time of year again! Wood you be our Valentine?
A human-caused extinction we can all be stoked about! Curious about a potential Guinea worm endling? We made a whole series about lasts-of-their-kind over on @bizarrebeastsshow.bsky.social
Guinea worm on track to be 2nd eradicated human disease; only 10 cases in 2025 arstechnica.com/health/2026/...