Fly

Fly

Leopard

Leopard

Guanaco

Guanaco

Horseshoe Crab

Horseshoe Crab

Partridge

Partridge

Moose

Moose

Polar Bear

Polar Bear

Duck

Duck

Anaconda

Anaconda

Vaquita

Vaquita

Chinchilla

Chinchilla

Scallop

Scallop

Dolphin

Dolphin

Jellyfish

Jellyfish

Andean Condor

Andean Condor

Pig

Pig

Vole

Vole

Blackbuck

Blackbuck

Firefly

Firefly

Tuatara

Tuatara

Animal Information

Fly (Housefly (common species))

Type:Insect (Diptera)
Distribution:Regions worldwide cohabiting with humans

"Flies have taste receptors on their feet; they 'taste' food by walking on it."

Leopard (Panther, Spotted Leopard)

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Forests, grasslands, mountains, and desert edges of Africa and Asia

"Leopards are excellent climbers and often drag their prey up trees to avoid other carnivores."

Guanaco (Wild Llama)

Type:Mammal (Artiodactyla, Camelidae)
Distribution:Arid grasslands and highlands of the Andes Mountains in South America

"Guanacos are wild camelids, considered the wild ancestor of the llama, and are fast runners."

Horseshoe Crab (King Crab (misnomer), Limulidae (family name))

Type:Arthropod (Merostomata, Xiphosura)
Distribution:Shallow coastal waters of the Atlantic coast of North America and Southeast/East Asia

"Horseshoe crabs are ancient marine arthropods, their form almost unchanged for hundreds of millions of years; their blue blood is used for medical testing."

Partridge (Chukar Partridge, Red-legged Partridge (types))

Type:Bird (Galliformes, Phasianidae)
Distribution:Rocky hillsides, shrublands, and farmlands of Eurasia and Africa

"Partridges are medium-sized ground birds, usually greyish-brown with patterned plumage, loud calls, and are important game birds."

Moose (Elk (Europe))

Type:Mammal (Artiodactyla, Cervidae)
Distribution:Boreal and mixed forests of northern North America and Eurasia

"Moose are the largest deer species; males have huge, palmate antlers and a dewlap (bell) under their throat."

Polar Bear (White Bear)

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Ice floes and coastal areas within the Arctic Circle

"Polar bears are the largest land carnivores, primarily feeding on seals, and are adapted to extremely cold environments."

Duck (Domestic duck, Wild duck)

Type:Bird
Distribution:Widely raised globally as poultry; wild populations distributed in various water bodies

"Duck feathers are highly waterproof, thanks to oil secreted by a gland near their tail."

Anaconda (Green Anaconda (heaviest snake))

Type:Reptile (Suborder Serpentes, Boidae)
Distribution:Swamps and wetlands of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America

"Anacondas are among the world's heaviest and largest snakes, excellent swimmers, non-venomous but powerful constrictors."

Vaquita (Gulf of California Porpoise)

Type:Mammal (Marine Cetacean, Odontoceti)
Distribution:Found only in a very small area in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico

"The Vaquita is the world's most endangered marine mammal, small in size, with dark rings around its eyes, and extremely rare to see."

Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera)

Type:Mammal (Rodentia)
Distribution:Native to the Andes Mountains of South America; wild populations endangered, mostly captive-bred

"Chinchillas have the densest fur of any known mammal and clean their fur by taking dust baths."

Scallop (Pectinidae (family name))

Type:Mollusk (Bivalvia, Pectinida)
Distribution:Sandy or gravelly seabeds of all major oceans

"Scallops can swim short distances by rapidly clapping their shells to propel themselves with water jets; their shells have radial ribs."

Dolphin (Bottlenose Dolphin (common species))

Type:Mammal (Marine)
Distribution:Temperate and tropical oceans worldwide

"Dolphins are highly intelligent animals, capable of using tools and communicating through complex sounds."

Jellyfish (Medusa (some species))

Type:Cnidarian (Scyphozoa, etc.)
Distribution:All oceans worldwide, from the surface to the deep sea

"Jellyfish lack brains, hearts, and bones; their bodies are mostly water, and they prey using stinging cells (cnidocytes)."

Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)

Type:Bird (Accipitriformes, Cathartidae)
Distribution:Andes Mountains and Pacific coastal regions of South America

"The Andean Condor is one of the largest land flying birds by wingspan, feeds on carrion, and is a symbol of several South American countries."

Pig (Domestic Pig)

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Widely distributed globally as livestock; wild boars found in Eurasia and North Africa

"Pigs are considered quite intelligent animals, with an IQ sometimes thought to be higher than dogs."

Vole (Field Mouse (not House Mouse))

Type:Mammal (Rodentia, Cricetidae - Arvicolinae subfamily)
Distribution:Grasslands, farmlands, and woodlands of North America, Europe, and Asia

"Voles are small herbivorous rodents, numerous in species, and are important food for many raptors and carnivores."

Blackbuck (Indian Antelope)

Type:Mammal (Artiodactyla, Bovidae)
Distribution:Grasslands and open woodlands of the Indian subcontinent

"Male blackbucks have dark brown to black coats and long, spiral horns, are fast runners, and are considered sacred in Hinduism."

Firefly (Lightning Bug, Glowworm)

Type:Insect (Coleoptera, Lampyridae)
Distribution:Moist regions of temperate and tropical areas worldwide, such as grasslands and near water

"Fireflies use bioluminescence for courtship and communication; larvae (some species) also glow and prey on snails."

Tuatara (Sphenodon (New Zealand), Living Fossil)

Type:Reptile (Rhynchocephalia)
Distribution:A few islands off New Zealand

"Tuataras are ancient reptiles, known as 'living fossils', and have a third eye (parietal eye) on top of their heads."