Incredible Animal Transformations

Here are some truly amazing animal transformations and glow ups!

September 19, 2023・

17 min read

Some animals undergo physical changes that are truly incredible and, unfortunately, getting older isn’t the only reason for this. From an orangutan that was abandoned as a baby to a tiny pink blob-like panda baby, let’s find out some animals that went through truly amazing transformations!

Damascus Goats

Damascus goats are native to the Middle East and known for their long, flowing ears. They look kind of mystical, and wouldn’t be out of place wandering around Skyrim! However, the adorable visage doesn’t last. However, there are folks out there who think Damascus goats only get cuter as they age.

So, they’re selectively bred to accentuate their weird features as much as possible. In some cases, owners even remove their ears. Back in 2008 there was a goat festival in Saudi Arabia where those guys were judged to find the most “beautiful.” After the winners were chosen, they were sold at auction for a whopping $67,000!

Neglected Pony Hooves

Horses need a lot of attention, including having their hooves trimmed every few weeks, kind of like our fingernails. In 2017, a Shetland pony named Poly was found over in Belgium living in abject squalor, covered in lice and with her hooves wildly overgrown into painful spirals.

It turns out, they hadn’t been trimmed for 10 years. In a terrible case of neglect, her owner had kept her hidden away from public view in a makeshift shack far from any roads. The owner was nowhere to be seen when Poly was found, but it seemed the poor pony had been completely abandoned.

Amazingly though, Poly held on. And as soon as she was discovered, she got some much-deserved TLC, with her hooves finally being cut down and tended to.

Sadly, neglected horses aren’t as uncommon as they should be. In Maryland in 2015, a horse called Quest was rescued from a private farm after an eye-watering 15 years of neglect. Unbelievably, his hooves were in an even worse state than Poly’s, at 3 feet long. Thankfully though, he also received the care that he needed. Quest’s hooves are now a nice, normal length. He’s much happier!

Atlas Moth Transformation

Caterpillars go through a magnificent transformation. It’s called metamorphosis, and the frosty-looking Attacus atlas caterpillar experiences one of the wildest metamorphoses of them all. Because caterpillars can’t reproduce, they’re not born with the bodies for it!

So, they have to become butterflies or moths, which do have the right tools for the trade. The thing is, completely transforming into a different creature is pretty tough, and requires a lot of energy. To get this energy, caterpillars need to eat a lot.

In fact, they do basically nothing but eat! The Attacus atlas caterpillar is no different, feeding voraciously on foliage until it reaches about 4.5 inches long. Then, it’s time for the magic to happen.

Our boy Atlas spins a cocoon around itself from silk and desiccated leaves and stays inside for four weeks. During that time, the caterpillar literally digests its own body. It breaks some body parts down and turns them into others, whilst preserving and moving around essential organs like the brain.

Eventually, when the whole process is complete, it emerges. And man, all that metamorphosing sure pays off! Not only is the thing a beauty, but it’s also absolutely massive, with a wingspan of nearly 10 inches. And because it ate so much as a caterpillar, it doesn’t need to eat anything at all as a moth! It survives on all the fat reserves it stored up.

From Fat Vincent To Skinny Vinnie

Vincent, the dachshund, wasn’t in a great place in 2015 when he was picked up by a county animal shelter in Houston, Texas. His owner had passed away, and he was suffering from depression, causing him to overeat. Fat Vincent was a whopping 38lbs when he was brought in! That’s the same weight as 2 and a half bowling balls!

The extra heft gave the curvy canine dangerously high cholesterol, put him at risk of nerve damage, and made it almost impossible for him to walk. But when non profit organization K-9 Angels Rescue heard about the poor dog’s condition, they vowed to help our big buddy lose some of his extra weight.

His comprehensive exercise regime began with water aerobics, and once he started seeing results, he was taken out for daily walks. It didn’t take very long for Fat Vincent to become Skinny Vinnie! Now happy and healthy, Vincent has been adopted by a loving family. Don’t get it twisted, our guy still loves food, but he loves exercise too now. Everything in moderation!

Dirty Dogs Contest

The Wahl Clipper Corporation is known for clippers, trimmers, and other tools to make any hair fabulous. But Wahl doesn’t just focus on hunks like you and me though, they’re in the business of grooming man’s best friend too! To that end, the company works with nonprofits to host the Dirty Dogs contest, a canine makeover competition!

The best canine do-ups from across the USA are shown off in an effort to win prize money for select animal charities. Take a look at the transformation of Flynn, a contestant from 2022’s contest, in the image below,

Heartbreakingly, Flynn was discovered abandoned in a soaking cardboard box outside a shelter in Texas. He was cared for by S.A.V.E. Rescue, who realized that as well as his overgrown fur he had a broken leg, ulcers in his eyes, and was dangerously underweight.

But don’t worry, after months of care and grooming, Flynn made a radical recovery! He’s since been adopted into a loving home, and though he didn’t win the makeover contest, he’s a winner in my eyes.

Heidi Recovered By "Here 4 Horses"

Back in April 2018, a concerned citizen called equine charity named 'Here 4 Horses' to a building site in Durham, England. When a volunteer arrived, she peered through the fence and was horrified to see what looked like a deceased horse lying in the mud. Thankfully, things weren’t quite as they seemed, after approaching the animal, she realized it was still breathing.

But things weren’t looking good. The horse, named Heidi, was covered in painful sores and couldn’t even stand without help. Help, however, is exactly what she got. Heidi was carefully transported to a sanctuary and began a long, difficult road to recovery.

She needed several blood transfusions and a whole lot of tender love and care, but after 45 long days, she could finally stand up by herself again. The hard work of the volunteers paid off! And not only did Heidi recover, but she’s thriving. Just look at her now!

The charity cites her “fighting spirit” as the reason behind her remarkable transformation. Apparently, her skin is still very sensitive, and the special care she requires means she’ll likely stay at the sanctuary for the rest of her life. But she’s happy, safe, and “high on life”!

Flamingo Transformation

Flamingos are known best for one thing, their striking pink color, right? Well, get ready to have your mind blown. Flamingos are not pink. Not naturally anyway. In the image below is a baby flamingo and it’s dull, grey, and frankly, unremarkable.

So do they all secretly dye their feathers? Amazingly, kind of. But flamingos aren’t buying box dyes from their local Wal-Mart; the color change occurs 100% naturally.

Many plants produce colored pigments called carotenoids. Carrots, for example, are orange thanks to the carotenoids they produce, but tomatoes are red because of carotenoids! And carotenoids are also found in microscopic algae, specifically the same algae that brine shrimp love to chow down on.

The heavy algae consumption gives the shrimp their pink hue. Consequently, a lifetime of eating delicious shrimp slowly turns a juvenile flamingo into a bright, vibrant pink color!

Baarack The Overgrown Sheep

Baarack, the wild sheep, was found wandering alone in a state forest in Victoria, Australia, with his wool painfully overgrown and matted. At one point the ram had an owner, but either escaped or was abandoned. We know he’s a domestic sheep because they’re bred to produce far more wool than wild ones.

While wild sheep naturally shed with the seasons and can rub against trees to remove their wool, thousands of years of selective breeding have left domesticated sheep incapable of doing so without human help. It was clear that Baarack hadn’t been shorn in years.

And the extra weight wasn’t doing him any favors, it was pulling down his lower eyelids, causing painful grit and debris to get stuck in them. In total, the wool weighed 78 lbs, that’s about as much as a 10-year-old child! All that wool would be enough to knit 61 sweaters or nearly 500 pairs of socks!

Fortunately, Baarack was taken to Edgar's Mission Farm Sanctuary. There, he finally got the care he needed and was given a serious trim. The freshly styled Baarack looks much happier, and he was nursed fully back to health by the volunteers.

The Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola)

Baby mola, also known as sunfish, are absolutely miniscule, but they don’t stay that way. Let’s just say that mola have a slight growth spurt. We know of 3 different species, and they all become completely colossal as they age!

The biggest, the giant sunfish, reaches staggering lengths of 11 feet, making the strange-looking behemoth the largest bony fish in existence. And they can weigh, up to 6,050 lbs, which is as heavy as the full starting lineup of an American football team. Hard to believe they start life able to sit in the palm of your hand!

Something in sunfishes’ genes makes the astounding growth possible, as despite living off a nutritionally sparse diet of mostly jellyfish, sunfish grow around 2 lbs a day. That’s four times faster than most other fish! So, in just a few months, the puny little babies become hulking giants.

The Incredible Rescue Of Augustus

In 2015, Debbie Rappuhn came across a stray dog in the streets of Alabama. As head of the charity Heart of Alabama Save Rescue Adopt, she was no stranger to difficult situations. But this one would prove tough even for her. We’re not sure how or why, but Augustus had suffered some severe neglect and was fearful of humans.

However, after a little coaxing, Debbie managed to pick him up and rushed him straight to a veterinary surgery. The vet was stunned, Augustus had the worst case of mange they’d ever seen. Mange is a disease where tiny mites start breeding on a dog’s skin, making it super itchy.

In turn, the dog scratches themselves so much that they tear their hair out and severely damage their skin. It got so bad that Augustus’ rescuers called him a “potato chip monster” because his skin was so raw and flaky. Suffice to say, he was in dire need of some TLC. And, luckily, he got it!

Thanks to Debbie, Augustus was given vital care by the vet and began his road to recovery. Once the mange was cleared, he was taken to the HASRA sanctuary. Over time and with daily love and affection, Augustus’ fur began to grow back, as did his trust in people.

Finally, he was able to be a normal, happy dog again! And that’s exactly what he’s doing right now. Augustus has been adopted and is living his best life. Frankly, he’s earned it.

Echidnas

We can all agree echidnas are cute and that their most defining feature is the many sharp, defensive spines that cover their backs. However, baby echidnas, also known as puggles, are weird, squishy blobs that look more like they belong on Mars than on Earth.

If the spines are so important for echidnas to defend themselves, why don’t they start out with them? It’s got nothing to do with childbirth crazily, echidnas are the only living mammal besides platypuses that lay eggs! The reason does seem to be related to childrearing though.

The thing is, echidna mothers have marsupial-like pouches where they keep their puggles safe for the first two months of their lives. Can you imagine how painful it’d be for old moms if they had spines at that time?

So when their spines do eventually start to grow, they leave the pouch, ready to enter the big wide world! Or at least, almost. They actually stay hidden away in their burrow until they’re about a year old.

Miraculous Kev the Cat Recovery

When Kev the cat was found abandoned outside in Blackwood, Wales in 2019, he was in really bad shape. The 2-year-old moggy had a serious neck injury and only weighed a little over 3 lbs. That’s the kind of weight you’d expect from a 4-month-old kitten. On top of that, the poor puss had a wounded leg from catching it in a plastic collar.

How he managed to get his leg trapped we don’t know, but it cut deep. Luckily, feline welfare charity Cats Protection took Kev in, but they weren’t sure he’d make it. After rushing him to a vet though, volunteers were relieved when he responded well to treatment.

After a whole load of cuddles, food, and copious attention, Kev made an incredible recovery and was transformed back into a normal, feisty feline. If he hasn’t been already, it’s only a matter of time before the brave boy is adopted into a loving home! After all, cats always land on their feet!

Giant Panda Cubs

The little guy in the image below looks kind of cute but you would have probably never guessed that it's a baby giant panda! Giant pandas start out tiny, pink, hairless, and blind, then become absolute brutuses!

They’re also born without genitals. Pandas develop for so little time in the womb that when they first emerge they’re literally sexless. In fact, they’re born a minuscule 900th of their mother’s size, for comparison, humans are born just 20 times smaller than our moms.

Pandas are so helpless when they’re first born that if a mother has twins, she’ll often only have enough time and energy to take care of one and be forced to abandon the other! Either way, they don’t stay so helpless for long. Within three or four months, giant panda cubs are furry, can see, and they even grow their own bits!

Amazing Transformation of a Baby Orangutan

Back in 2015, volunteers at International Animal Rescue were walking through a village in Borneo when they came across a cardboard box that’d been left out in the sun. After looking inside, they were shocked at what they saw. Tucked in there, lying almost lifeless was a tiny baby orangutan. He looked seriously weak.

The little ape was suffering from mange that had turned his skin grey and made him lose most of his hair. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he lay soaked in his own urine. Indeed, the volunteers were worried he might’ve already passed away!

It turns out that the leader of the village had bought the tiny ape as a pet for less than $30, but quickly grew bored and abandoned him. The poor ape’s name is Gito and he was bundled onto a motorbike and rushed to a veterinary surgery.

Thankfully, he survived the grueling 9-hour ride, but then he had to go through the ordeal of actual treatment. Gito was put on a rehydrating drip and vets immediately got to work treating his injured skin. Against all odds, he pulled through!

Gito now spends his days in a protected forest alongside other orphaned orangutans. Once he’s learned how to survive in the wild, he’ll be released along with his adoptive family. Until then, he seems to be having a great time. Just look at him going ape!

Pit Bulls

Is there anything cuter than a widdle puppy? No, there isn’t; just take a look at the lovely American pit bull terrier in the image below! But dogs are for life, not just for Christmas. Dogs of all ages are adorable, but they definitely get bigger.

The cute little pit bull terrier eventually turns into a big, beefy bulldozer in one of the most dramatic transformations in the canine club. Despite their cute beginnings, American pit bulls grow up to be all muscle and can weigh a chunk-tastic 80lbs! That’s almost as heavy as your toilet.

They definitely look intimidating, but properly-trained bull terriers can be sweethearts that are great with kids. Just avoid getting on their bad side, as soon as they’re old enough, they could probably snap you like a twig.

The Transformation of Frodo, the "World's Ugliest Dog"

Back in 2018, some volunteers at the charity Good Samaritans found Frodo wandering the streets of Croatia. Despite his looks, Frodo is a dog, but at some point, he’d been abandoned and left to fend for himself. So, he looked a lot more like Gollum by the time he was discovered.

The sorry-looking pup was covered in fleas and ticks, severely underweight, and had an infected eye. Out of their depth, the Samaritans called experienced animal rescuer Klaudija Sigurnjak, who promptly arrived on the scene.

After managing to earn Frodo’s trust with food, she took him to a medical professional. Sadly, his infected eye couldn’t be saved, and for a moment it was up in the air if Frodo himself would make it! But Frodo wasn’t going down that easily. He made it alright!

Days and weeks of love and treatment later, he slowly but surely got his strength back. Then, before he knew it, Frodo was back in business! His fur re-grew and suddenly he was a lively, loving doggo again! Before long, he was quickly snapped up by some new, loving owners who spoil him regularly.

Violeta: Dancing Bear Rescue

Unfortunately, as long as humankind has interacted with Mother Nature we’ve found ways to abuse her. Dancing bears are a particularly shocking example of this and were a common phenomenon from the Middle Ages all the way to the 19th century.

Bear cubs would be snatched from the wild and have their teeth removed, before being forced into a life of slavery for human entertainment. And though the horrific practice isn’t popular anymore, it still survives in some parts of the world. Violeta was a dancing bear who was captured in Bulgaria as recently as the 80s.

After being captured, her nose was pierced and re-pierced without anesthesia, before a large metal ring was put through it. Then, a chain was attached to the ring and used to lead her around. All this did was injure her further, to the point she never fully healed. That’s all completely awful, but I’m afraid it gets worse.

Dancing bears are trained to dance in a truly sadistic way. The captive mammals are placed on a metal platform over a fire. As the platform heats up, the animals are forced up on their two hind legs. Because of that, they frantically lift their paws off and on the hot metal to try and relieve the burning pain.

Of course, it doesn’t work. And all the while, their captors play the drum or other instrument, so the bears associate the music with their agony. It means that even when they aren’t on the platform, they’re trained to instinctively jump up and “dance” if they hear the music. But as horrible as it is, it’s not all bad.

In 2003, volunteers for the charity Four Paws International managed to find and rescue Violeta after 20 years of suffering. She was taken to a bear sanctuary, where she slowly began to recover from her torment. In time, she became a happy, healthy animal, and lived a good old life until she eventually passed away from natural causes in 2020.

If you were amazed at these incredible animal transformations, you might want to read about the cutest babies in the animal kingdom and the weirdest animals we've bred into existence. Thanks for reading!