You’ve met the characters—now meet the real-world animals behind some of your favorites from Pokémon GO. Take a look at the platypus, beetle, and other Pokémon look-alikes in these photos.
GET THE SCOOP: Like the water-dwelling Psyduck, the duck-billed platypus—an Australian mammal—is easily identified by its bill. The animal uses it to scoop up tasty snacks like worms and shellfish.
Photograph by Dave Watts, NPL, Minden Pictures
CLIMATE CONTROL: When bushy-tailed Vulpix gets too hot, it releases flames from its mouth to keep from overheating. When cold, a red fox wraps its own bushy tail around its body to stay warm.
Photograph by Matthias Breiter, Minden Pictures
IN A PINCH: Male stag beetles have impressive jaws that look like antlers, which they use to fight over territory and attract females. Pinsir uses the “horns” on its head to grip and lift enemies twice its size.
Photograph by Thomas Marent, Minden Pictures
GRAB A BITE: Like Asia’s spectacled cobras, Arbok can constrict—or squeeze—other creatures by tightly wrapping its body around them. Real-life cobras, however, are more likely to nab their prey using their venomous fangs.
Photograph by Michael and Patricia Fogden, Minden Pictures
HOUSE HUNTER: Just as the crablike Parasect moves from tree to tree in search of its next meal, a hermit crab moves from shell to shell in search of its next home. When the real crab grows too big for its shell, it searches for a new one.
Photograph by Scott Leslie, Minden Pictures
FLOWER POWER: Vileplume looks a whole lot like the Rafflesia arnoldii corpse flower of Southeast Asia, known for producing the world’s biggest single bloom. But plug your nose if you see one—it’s also incredibly stinky.
Photograph by Mitsuhiko Imamori, Nature Production, Minden Pictures
SUPER SENSES: Unlike Drowzee, Malayan tapirs don’t have psychic abilities—but they can use their excellent hearing and strong sense of smell to find food.
Photograph by Arco Images GmbH, Alamy
STINKY BUG: The Eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillar starts out brown but turns bright green as it matures. Just like the "antenna" on Caterpie, orange-colored glands near the caterpillar's head give off a bad odor that's used for defense.
Photograph by David M. Dennis, age fotostock
Click the full-screen arrows in the upper right for more information!
GET MORE WACKY PHOTOS.
See them all!
Animal Jam
Check out the newest animal!
Photo Ark
Helping to Save Species
