World of Wonder: Fantastic Beasts that turned out to be real

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The platypus - you have seen it on "Phineas and Ferb" most likely. And we can't blame scientists for initially thinking this animal was a hoax. It is funny-looking to say the least. Better to be overly-cautious than too naive, right? Anyway, it is a real animal. It's a mammal that lays eggs (only 2 mammals do that). It is good on land and on the water. They shoot out toxic stingers from their feet... I mean, it is a wonder of nature for sure, an oddball but real animal. Learn more about it on National Geographic.

The Okapi - Is it a zebra crossed with a donkey crossed with a giraffe crossed with a deer? Nope. But it is a species all by itself. Native of Africa, a quiet and solitary creature, they are hard to find. Perhaps that's why scientists thought it was a myth. You can find out more about it on the San Diego Zoo Website.

The maned wolf is not a fox, despite what it looks like. And it's not even a wolf, despite its name. It is a species by itself (again, one of those), a Chrysocyon. Native to South America, it is quite tall and slender (3 feet, 50 pounds), perfect for foraging its habitat and hunting. Learn more about them on Smithsonian's National Zoo Website.

The Amazonian Royal Flycatcher sounds like an official title and looks like a very pompous being. This bird lives in the Amazonian rain forest (duh) and uses its very colorful crown to attract mates and fight other males for territory. Learn more facts about them on Fact Zoo.

Find more incredible-looking real animals on these websites: My Modern Met and Animal Planet.

Bonus: one fantastic beast that is definitely not real: The Unicorn.