6 Animals with Names That Make Absolutely No Sense

Naming an animal is supposed to be simple like calling a frog a frog and a panda a panda but somewhere along the way, confusion, chaos and maybe a little boredom took over. And the result of it was that a bunch of animals with names that have nothing to do with what they actually are.

While it shares bamboo-eating habits and the word panda, this fiery fox-looking mammal is more closely related to raccoons and weasels. The internet unofficially renamed it Firefox and honestly, that feels more accurate. Unlike giant pandas, red pandas do not roll down hills for snacks. They are shy, tree-loving introverts just minding their own business while everyone wrongly categorizes them.


Hearing this name, one would probably imagine a fearless bird living around rocky hillsides. In reality it is a giant frog found in the Caribbean, this species has earned the name simply because locals said it tastes like chicken. Unfortunately this specie is now critically endangered making.

With s name like star-nosed mole, one might expect something elegant or something related to space. Instead it turns out to be a small, beady eyed mole that looks like an alien sea creature. Their nose has pink star like rings all around it. This nose helps the mole find food underground. The name may sound like a decoration or a star but it is just a funny nose.

Despite decades of science textbooks insisting otherwise, the electric eel is not an eel but it is actually knifefish. A type of fish that produces strong electric charges which helps catch the prey and protect themselves.

Guinea Pig is a classic example of a name going wrong as this specie is neither a guinea nor it is pig. The chubby, squeaky, whiskered rodent actually comes from Andes in South America. Theories say traders transported them through Guinea ports or that the old word guinea meant 'foreign'.


A killer whale sounds like something straight out of a thriller movie but to the people's surprise, it is not a whale but a dolphin. The confusion comes from early sailors who watched them hunt large whales and called them 'whale killers'. Over time, the name flipped. Despite the scary title, killer whales are intelligent, social and occasionally behave like oversized water puppies unless they are a seal.

These mismatched names remind us humans do not always get it right especially when it comes to naming animals. Whether based on taste, behaviour or guess game, these names are messy but unforgettable.

Celebrate the bond with your pets, explore Health & Nutrition, discover Breeds, master Training Tips, Behavior Decoder, and set out on exciting Travel Tails with Times Pets!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is special about the star-nosed mole’s nose?
   The star-nosed mole has 22 pink tentacle-like appendages around its nose, which act as sensory organs to detect prey underground.
2. What is the lifespan of a mountain chicken?
   Mountain Chicken's lifespan is for about 12 years.
3. What is the most staple food in diet of red pandas?
   A Red panda's diet is 98% bamboo.