This week's Top 10 contenders are about to give you a serious case of eyelash envy. (And we don't like to pick favourites, but you've got to check out the lashes on that secretary bird!)
Ground hornbill (Image: Debbie Aird, Flickr)
No volumising mascara needed here! Of course, keep in mind that since birds don't have hair, these amazing 'eyelashes' are actually modified feathers.
Giraffe (Image: Heather Paul, Flickr)
Long necks, long lashes … everything about giraffes is OTT. The eyelashes are also great at keeping pesky ants out of the giraffes' eyes and sensing the thorns on their favourite acacia trees.
Ostrich (Image: Ross Elliott, Flickr)
They might not be quite as impressive as the hornbill's, but these lashes deserve a spot on the list just because they encircle the biggest eyeballs of any land animal.
Secretary bird (Image: Bart Wursten, Flickr)
Are these not the most flutteringly fabulous eyelashes, er, modified feathers, you've ever seen?
Kangaroo (Image: Michael Dawes, Flickr)
You need a great set of lashes to keep out the glare of the relentless Australian sun.
Elephant (Image: Adi ALGhanem, Flickr)
Of course the planet's largest land animal has supersized eyelashes!
Llama (Image: DrJoolz, Flickr)
Just look at these lush llama lashes (they practically invite excessive alliteration).
Camel (Image: Deven Dadbhawala, Flickr)
So voluminous are these camel eyelashes that there's plenty of room for a few winged eyelash hitchhikers (look closely).
Yes, we're stretching the definition of eyelashes ever so slightly with these last two spots on the list – all in the name of variety and inclusiveness.
Eyelash viper (Image: Josh More, Flickr)
This brightly coloured viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) gets its common name from the distinctive modified scales over its eyes, which are thought to help with camouflage.
Feathered horn beetle (Image: quadrapop, Flickr)
The fan-like antennae of the feathered horn beetle (Rhipicera femorata) look like some fabulously flamboyant eyelashes.
Top header image: Michael Carmody, Flickr
Earth Touch News
Earth Touch News
Earth Touch is built on a simple philosophy: nature's stories should be told with passion and imagination. VIEW more from this CONTRIBUTOR
YOU MADE IT TO THE END
Our planet is a busy, crazy place. And amidst all the noise, voices get lost and some stories are never heard. That’s especially true of our planet’s countless wild species: big and small, threatened and persecuted, complex and fascinating.
SUPPORT US FOR $1 A MONTH
For our growing team of writers and contributors, those are the stories that matter most: we dedicate our time to them all day and every day. In a world bursting with news, nature is our niche – and we love it that way.
BECOME A SUPPORTER
You, our viewers, are passionate about these stories we tell. Take your passion further by supporting and driving more of the nature news you know and love.
