30 Animals With the Most Amazing Superpowers and Abilities

Some animals and insects have powers and abilities that rival those of made-up superheroes.

Most people love the extraordinary, which is why we crave science-fiction stories that stretch our imaginations and cause us to question the realities that we know. But we spend so much time being amazed by fictional superheroes, worlds of the future and anything fantasy that we ignore the real but astonishing things in the animal kingdom.

Some animals and insects have powers that rival those of made-up superheroes. Many of the surprising gifts animals have are defensive, and they’re not something you want to experience firsthand. If something is dangerous to another animal, the chances are high they’re dangerous for you, but that doesn’t take away how impressive these abilities are, nor should it destroy any astonishment.

Nature deserves credit for the creative ways it protects and takes care of those in the animal kingdom. Read on to learn about some of these mind-blowing animal superpowers and some of the superheroes and villains they may have inspired.

Addax Antelope

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Scientific name: Addax nasomaculatus

Amazing superpower: The color of the addax antelope coat changes from season to season, which helps them adjust to the weather. For the hot days of summer, their coat is white to reflect the scorching heat of the Sahara sun. In the cooler months, their fur turns gray-brown to hold in the heat and help keep them warm.

Superhero or Villain With Similar Superpowers: Beast Boy

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Beast Boy may not be the most famous of superheroes, but if you’re a fan of“The Doom Patrol” and “Teen Titans,” you may be familiar with his work.

Beast Boy can turn into any animal or organism. His change can happen to protect himself, help someone else or fight boredom.

Alpine Ibex Mountain Goats

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Scientific name: Capra ibex

Amazing superpower: The Alpine Ibex mountain goats can climb walls. You’ll probably never get to witness their amazing power, though, as they live along the snow line, where it’s very steep and rocky. Their preferred habitat could make even the most experienced mountain climber have second thoughts about attempting to scale the very rough terrain.

Superhero or Villain With Similar Superpowers: Spiderman

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Spiderman can climb anything, including walls and ceilings. What’s even more incredible, Spiderman can stick to the surface as well.

If he’s on the ceiling trying to overhear a conversation between villains, he doesn’t have to worry about losing his grip and falling on them.

Cheetah

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Scientific name: Acinonyx jubatus

Amazing superpower: Cheetahs run incredibly fast and are known to be one the fastest land animals. You don’t want to try to outrun a cheetah, as they’re able to run anywhere from 50-80 mph, and they’d overtake you in a split second.

Superhero or Villain With Similar Superpowers: Flash

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Flash can run faster than the speed of light. And if superhuman speed was enough, Flash also has boosted stamina, reflexes, agility and perception.

Stopping a moving bullet flying as it flies toward him is no problem.

Cuttlefish

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Scientific name: Sepia officinalis

Amazing superpower: It’s hard to determine the primary superpower of the cuttlefish. Is it that they’re masters of camouflage, or is it their ability to shapeshift that makes them so good at camouflage?

They can alter their bodies to look like any aquatic shape. Is that coral over there or a cuttlefish making themselves look like coral? Cuttlefish have pigment-containing sacs in their skin to add to the illusion, which they can control and change colors at a moment’s notice.

Superhero or Villain With Similar Superpowers: Plastic Man

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Plastic Man can twist and turn his body into whatever form he wants.

He can stretch his body and skin until it becomes as flat as a pancake or pull it in and make it so small that he can be picked up and put in a box.

Dragon Millipede

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Scientific name: Desmoxytes purpurosea

Amazing superpower: When dragon millipedes feel threatened, they’ll emit a cloud of hydrogen cyanide. Enjoy the toasted-almond scent as it may burn, blister or stain your skin. Although cyanide is lethal to small animals and birds, the dragon millipedes are completely immune.

Superhero or Villain With Similar Superpowers: Scarecrow

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In Gotham City, one of Batman’s foes is the Scarecrow. Scarecrow’s weapon of choice is a fear gas.

The fear gas doesn’t kill, but it does cause super intense, long-lasting psychological trauma by provoking different parts of the brain.

Electric Eel

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Scientific name: Electrophorus

Amazing superpower: They’re referred to as eels, but they’re actually knife fish. The inability to categorize them isn’t their superpower, though — it’s that they can discharge a jolt of electricity. They can transmit a shock between 600 and 800 volts, which may not kill a human but will knock them out, and if the human is in the water when it happens, that shock could lead to them drowning.

Superhero or Villain With Similar Superpowers: Black Lightning

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Many superheroes work with electricity, but Black Lightning has the most control.

When he gets angry, his powers intensify, and he can control electricity not only in its various forms, but he can even turn his own body into electricity.

Elephant

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Scientific name: Loxodonta

Amazing superpower: The elephant’s trunk has many functions, including breathing, smelling, trumpeting, drinking and grabbing things. All of these are important to the life of an elephant, but what’s most impressive is how much an elephant can lift with its trunk, which is approximately 700 pounds. Most animals and humans can’t lift anything with their faces, let alone a family of three.